way to go die on me there

In psychology we studied memory, and there's a term for forgetting something you wanted to remember, and forgetting the only crucial part of information. At least I think there is, and I wish I could remember it, because then I'd know why I can't remember what I was going to post tonight.

AHHHH ALMOST had it and now I do remember. I was going to write about race! Ooh, what fun!

Being a white male, the world is pretty open to me, particularly being born and raised in the place that I was, where I'm in the majority. Prejudice isn't leveled against me, I don't have to deal with discriminatory attitudes. There aren't major groups that want me dead simply because of the color of my skin or my religion or my parentage or whatever. I'm extremely blessed in this way, and I really don't want to sound like I'm complaining, or wishing I was born different, in anything I say.

Being a white male, without any of those challenges, in competition against people who are not white males, I very often have an edge. To compensate for this, some systems have been set up to level the playing field. However, they very often end up skewing it the other way, in some aspects, and it ends up being a disadvantage to be a white male, particularly one with my background. Granted, this is only within a very limited scope. 

It's an issue that I find perplexing, as far as how I feel about it. I believe injustice is wrong. However, my political philosophy is based around the idea 'Might is Right'. I recognize the hegemony that has been held by people like me, and it would seem that something should be done to even it out. But I really cannot decide what I think is a good way to do it. 

Another thing-racial sensitivity. I'm half Italian, half-ish Irish (there are some other things thrown in, but it's not important). My Irish side has been here for a long friggin time, so it's unlikely that any of my ancestors ever were greatly affected by 'No Irish Need Apply', but that history is there. I'm third generation Italian, however. My great-grandparents got here by coming off the boat. They doubtlessly faced difficulties here because of that.

Nowadays, 'guido' is a nationwide term, thanks to that abomination created by MTV. Am I permitted to be insulted about that? Is that 'PC'? I mean, I usually don't care what's 'PC', I hate the idea, but race is a touchy subject. There are obviously much greater hardships that have been suffered in the modern day and historically by other people. Is my indignation over a 'formerly' derogatory word insulting to, say, an African-American whose family came to this country in chains and has been called 'nigger' by someone looking to express hatred? This is something that bothers me. I have pride in my ancestry. But do I diminish the general cause of equality when I get all up in arms about the disgusting associations made by that show? Is my indignation really legitimate if I have these questions at all?

I apologize for the rambling nature of this post. But as intoned above, these were rough-formed ideas that left, and then came back suddenly.

Time to go jogging.