Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Seriously? "Certain People Time"?

I never read the paper here. I rarely watch the local news. If something of note happens, Brian will fill me in, or I'll hear my students talking about it, or it'll show up in the City Paper. But today, because of near catastrophic car trouble (which is exacerbating Brian and I's already complete inability to manage money), I was stuck at a gas station for nearly three hours. There was nothing to do but read the paper. Today's top story: School Board member Sandi Engleman accusing school superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson of being on CPT.

Of course, she says she didn't mean "colored people's time." She meant "certain people's time," a phrase referring to self-important people. What do you say to something like that?

I should start another blog called, "The Things People To Say To Me." While this wouldn't qualify because I wasn't actually part of the conversation, I have an ever increasing number of similar stories, of people saying the most inane, racially offensive stuff, while insisting, as Engleman did, that they "have never been" and "will never be" racist.

3 comments:

Biffle said...

You could just have a recurring "Things People Say To Me" motif--it could be the title of different posts, when you get in the mood to share.

Walter and I may blog about this Engleman ridiculousness. I met her opponent tonight at a gay rights event and will certainly vote for her.

What happened to your car??

Anonymous said...

I recognize that this is the wrong post to reply to, since I'm about to make a comment about your blog in general (Though I will say, "good lord, and I thought we had the monopoly on publically racist politicians who somehow fail to understand their own blatantly offensive speech here in Virginia."), but I'm a friend of Alison's from grad school, just discovered your blog, and had to reply. I've enjoyed reading it--in large part because it's good to see someone speaking the truth about motherhood. (I have three daughters- 8, 2 and 4 mo.)

I'll keep reading and make a more substantive and hopefully more interesting comment at some point. Just wanted to say hi.
-Deandra

Conseula said...

To Deandra--

Hey! I have heard so much about you. I have two daughters (6 and 1). I've long felt there was a hole in cybersapce where motherhood is concerned. Looking forward to hearing more from you.