Comments on: Oh gnat, where is thy sting? http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting one writer's daily download Tue, 22 May 2012 17:58:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: mary http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10516 mary Tue, 20 Jun 2006 20:37:11 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10516 Mary is partially out of action, working from home, due to an unfortunate sandwich at Quiznos. Two days of ...I won't go into it. The service was fine, though. Mary is partially out of action, working from home, due to an unfortunate sandwich at Quiznos. Two days of …I won’t go into it. The service was fine, though.

]]> By: MichaelG http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10502 MichaelG Tue, 20 Jun 2006 12:57:12 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10502 Boy that sure is true about NASCAR. It used to be fun to watch. Now it's just boring. I even used to go to races at the old Ontario Speedway and Sears Point. I live in Northern California and Ontario was a nice trip the week before Thanksgiving. Nobody on the roads. Boy that sure is true about NASCAR. It used to be fun to watch. Now it’s just boring. I even used to go to races at the old Ontario Speedway and Sears Point. I live in Northern California and Ontario was a nice trip the week before Thanksgiving. Nobody on the roads.

]]> By: velvet goldmine http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10501 velvet goldmine Tue, 20 Jun 2006 12:40:57 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10501 Cultural commentary on the fly can be a tough nut, to say the least. Your sandwich maker may have simply been pointing out his African Americans neighbors don't seem as interested in NASCAR as his white ones do. This is hardly an incendiary or earthshaking observation, as anyone who's even casually glanced at the stands during a televised race would admit. Of course, he may have been just implying exactly what you thought he was -- the inherent ignorance of an entire group of people. Kinda like saying about someone, "No wonder he makes sandwiches." Because we all know we can assume limited intelligence in anyone who holds a job at which we wrinkle out noses. And anyway, it's a fast, flippant line that differs from the African American imitation because, um....Give me a minute. I'm a blonde, it takes us longer. Cultural commentary on the fly can be a tough nut, to say the least. Your sandwich maker may have simply been pointing out his African Americans neighbors don’t seem as interested in NASCAR as his white ones do.

This is hardly an incendiary or earthshaking observation, as anyone who’s even casually glanced at the stands during a televised race would admit. Of course, he may have been just implying exactly what you thought he was — the inherent ignorance of an entire group of people.

Kinda like saying about someone, “No wonder he makes sandwiches.” Because we all know we can assume limited intelligence in anyone who holds a job at which we wrinkle out noses. And anyway, it’s a fast, flippant line that differs from the African American imitation because, um….Give me a minute. I’m a blonde, it takes us longer.

]]> By: basset http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10485 basset Tue, 20 Jun 2006 02:42:01 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10485 Stock car racing has pretty much followed the same path as commercial country music - essentially, both of 'em got a lot less interesting once the big money came in. Not much character left in either, it's been market-researched and image-consulted out of sight. Hank Williams wouldn't have a chance today, and neither would Curtis Turner. Stock car racing has pretty much followed the same path as commercial country music – essentially, both of ‘em got a lot less interesting once the big money came in. Not much character left in either, it’s been market-researched and image-consulted out of sight.

Hank Williams wouldn’t have a chance today, and neither would Curtis Turner.

]]> By: brian stouder http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10462 brian stouder Mon, 19 Jun 2006 19:38:46 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10462 Say, a darkly humorous little digression for all you Soprano fans. (Good thing Fort Wayne's Komets aren't in the UHL anymore) http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2482037 Gotta love a guy named "Matty the Horse" who, for $10,000/month supplies the muscle to keep your business competitors in line....! Say, a darkly humorous little digression for all you Soprano fans. (Good thing Fort Wayne’s Komets aren’t in the UHL anymore)

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2482037

Gotta love a guy named “Matty the Horse” who, for $10,000/month supplies the muscle to keep your business competitors in line….!

]]> By: Dorothy http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10447 Dorothy Mon, 19 Jun 2006 16:43:25 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10447 You'd think here in the Buckle of the Bible Belt we'd run into quite a few trash talking people, but I'm glad to say our neighbors and co-workers seem to keep their comments to themselves. If any of them are closet racists, I can't tell. The worst one so far? Our Russian exchange student (who blessedly flies back home tomorrow) told us that "All the blacks in school look alike" to him. I think his ears are still burning after the talking to we gave him. You’d think here in the Buckle of the Bible Belt we’d run into quite a few trash talking people, but I’m glad to say our neighbors and co-workers seem to keep their comments to themselves. If any of them are closet racists, I can’t tell.

The worst one so far? Our Russian exchange student (who blessedly flies back home tomorrow) told us that “All the blacks in school look alike” to him. I think his ears are still burning after the talking to we gave him.

]]> By: brian stouder http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10443 brian stouder Mon, 19 Jun 2006 16:02:54 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10443 "I confronted a co-worker at a former job about her use of “jew him down�?…she had no idea that wasn’t a Nice Thing To Say." I've run into that one - and my mouth dropping open was <i>genuine</i> amazement!! Saying someone "welshed" on a bet is a less-obvious one, as is accusing someone of "gyping" you; as is accusing someone of being an "Indian-giver" (and isn't THAT one a back-asswards epithet?!! It SHOULD be "white-man-giver"!) And then there is no end of insidious racism, such as 'whimsical' little figurines of black people with watermelon (I believe I saw salt and pepper shakers like that at a Cracker Barrel gift store, but I could be wrong, and it was years ago) Aside from all that, our family eats out too much (no doubt) - and a truism is that sooner or later, you will have a rock-ass-bottom experience at even your most dependably marvelous restaurant. I'd almost start a one-up contest on that subject, but no doubt Mary will top anything I have experienced....but ,et me say, we've had a few doosies “I confronted a co-worker at a former job about her use of “jew him down�?…she had no idea that wasn’t a Nice Thing To Say.”

I’ve run into that one – and my mouth dropping open was genuine amazement!! Saying someone “welshed” on a bet is a less-obvious one, as is accusing someone of “gyping” you; as is accusing someone of being an “Indian-giver” (and isn’t THAT one a back-asswards epithet?!! It SHOULD be “white-man-giver”!)

And then there is no end of insidious racism, such as ‘whimsical’ little figurines of black people with watermelon (I believe I saw salt and pepper shakers like that at a Cracker Barrel gift store, but I could be wrong, and it was years ago)

Aside from all that, our family eats out too much (no doubt) – and a truism is that sooner or later, you will have a rock-ass-bottom experience at even your most dependably marvelous restaurant.

I’d almost start a one-up contest on that subject, but no doubt Mary will top anything I have experienced….but ,et me say, we’ve had a few doosies

]]> By: colleen http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10442 colleen Mon, 19 Jun 2006 15:47:15 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10442 I rely on the open mouthed shocked look a lot. I had one of our volunteers tell me the key to a good neighborhood was "keeping the blacks out". Um. My reply was "I don't care what color the neighbors are, I just don't want sofas on the front lawn" But yeah, the casual racism just amazes me. (along with all the other isms) it's like a lot of times it's so ingrained that people don't even REALIZE they are being insensitive. I confronted a co-worker at a former job about her use of "jew him down"...she had no idea that wasn't a Nice Thing To Say. I rely on the open mouthed shocked look a lot. I had one of our volunteers tell me the key to a good neighborhood was “keeping the blacks out”. Um. My reply was “I don’t care what color the neighbors are, I just don’t want sofas on the front lawn” But yeah, the casual racism just amazes me. (along with all the other isms) it’s like a lot of times it’s so ingrained that people don’t even REALIZE they are being insensitive. I confronted a co-worker at a former job about her use of “jew him down”…she had no idea that wasn’t a Nice Thing To Say.

]]> By: nancy http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10441 nancy Mon, 19 Jun 2006 15:16:35 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10441 Calling people on it is a decision I make on a case-by-case basis. In this case, I should have said something. I chose to sidestep. The easy choice, but not the right one. Calling people on it is a decision I make on a case-by-case basis. In this case, I should have said something. I chose to sidestep. The easy choice, but not the right one.

]]> By: alex http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10440 alex Mon, 19 Jun 2006 15:08:11 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2006/06/19/oh-gnat-where-is-thy-sting/#comment-10440 After twenty years in Chicago, where even the most benign words can be misconstrued as race-baiting by political correctness police, it comes as quite a culture shock to me that here in the Fort there are some who think nothing of expressing far worse sentiments than those blurted by Sandwich Man. I call them on it. I\'ve had people look at me incredulously. \"You mean you don\'t agree? Everyone else around here does.\" What everyone else does is remain silent. Tolerance of intolerance. Fucking sheeple. I really hate life in this pit of a town sometimes. After twenty years in Chicago, where even the most benign words can be misconstrued as race-baiting by political correctness police, it comes as quite a culture shock to me that here in the Fort there are some who think nothing of expressing far worse sentiments than those blurted by Sandwich Man.

I call them on it. I\’ve had people look at me incredulously. \”You mean you don\’t agree? Everyone else around here does.\”

What everyone else does is remain silent. Tolerance of intolerance. Fucking sheeple. I really hate life in this pit of a town sometimes.

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