The n-word double standard… racist noun or endearment?

ARE THE EDUCATED, PROFESSIONAL AND POLITICAL SPREADING MORE BIGOTRY OVER THE AIRWAVES?

Many people are up in arms about the recent Dr. Laura Schlessinger on-air incident. In the midst of the proceeding ruckus both on and off the airways, the obstinate “Dr. of the airwaves” announced that her radio show will end when her contact expires at the end of this year so she may practice freedom of speech without without fear of reprisal. For an educated and professional marriage and family counselor, she used very poor judgment in how she answered a concern by a caller on radio. The call in to her national syndicated radio show was placed by a wife in a mixed marriage. The wife’s husband has friends and family members who were making racist comments around her. Her husband chose to ignore those comments, and it hurt the feelings of the wife.

Dr. Laura amongst other loud mouth and uncouth radio talk show hosts have “jumped the shark” a long time ago… I say let her get off the air, make her fortune through her diehard fans buying more pointless books or paying to hear her on the chicken dinner lecture circuit.

I do believe Schlessinger was attempting to make a point about using that particular noun (media refers to it as the n-word) which is a very offensive word. It comes with a set of principles containing different provisions for one group of people than for another. While the n-word appears by a few to be acceptable or an endearment in jokes, songs, or movies when voiced by one race but if other races choose to voice it publicly, that is deemed racist. The repetitive use of the n-word in her advice to the wife is what set off anger for many who listen as well as those who heard the comments from another source. The audio and transcript of that particular call can be found at http://mediamatters.org/blog/201008150006

Regarded as well educated, former President Clinton used the term “cracker vote” which aired on the Larry King show. Clinton said that offensive term as he remarked to the Larry and the viewers about gathering votes for President Obama from white voters (regarded as having a bigoted attitude) living in Florida.

I don’t particularly want to be called “european, honky or cracker” either because this is racist. For me, the n-word is racist rather the tone used is humorous or serious. Those belittling words used in any conversations describing white people are far more acceptable when one is referring to a crisp flour wafer cracker, when -tonk is added to honky as in hony-tonk that is referring to a wild saloon, or saying the term european in a conversation referring to people from the continent of Europe. Go figure that out and then explain it to me like I am a five year old.

That being said, we must keep washing those mouths out with a bar of laundry soap for anyone who uses racist remarks even when it is acceptable or an endearment. One day, those freshly clean mouths of bigots and ignorant amongst us will finally start thinking, stop before saying those terms in private and public conversations, in written statements and on the airwaves.

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Online Game Addiction? Oh gimmea break!
Original Post: January, 19, 2010

While in my Yahoo account earlier today answering some client emails, I saw a video about Dr. Phil taking on Facebook Farmville Game players. Here is what I viewed: gaming website Please view this video and come back here and watch view my comments about that Dr. Phi and his really stupid opinions. I also hope any of the Full Sail University EMDT Course Directors who enjoy playing an occasional online video game will watch both videos. I would love to hear their comments.

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My favorite Ralph Waldo Emerson quote!
Original Post: January 17, 2010

I usually don’t go around quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson but when I saw this particular quote a while back, I knew there would be a opportunity to share it with others. 

I dedicate this blog video to all the EMDT students who are still working on their final draft of the Thesis!

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Does Web2.0 tools applied in the corporate world make the users better communicators?

Original Post: January 17, 2010

I chose to do my thesis on Teaching Web2.0 Tools to Administrative Assistants. Seems like the thesis as become a main theme of my week 2 blog. I will have “thesis” on my brain all this coming week so why not share it with everyone. When ever I hear the term Web2.0 its usually closely followed with in education. That t is expected in an education Master Degree program like EMDT. All the graduate students where the majority are K-12 educators are bound to hear and talk  on how any technology applies to education especially to K-12 public schools. Being one of a few non K-12 educators in this course, I am rogue enough to stand up and shout “enough about the kids because they no longer respond to learning through reading and writing like my generation who were better prepared for their adult working years (gasping for air).” K-12 Education is now being taught with games, videos, social networking, and websites. Adults are also quickly catching on to this modern method of learning but so few in the corporate world know much about Web2.0 tools. You do see plenty of adult workers working around with a smart phones attached to their ears lobes anywhere you look. Other than holidays, I forgot the last time I received a written letter from a friend. Now its all about email, twitter. YahooIM, ichat, Skype and Facebook where I mostly communicate with all my friends, family members and aquaintances living far away or just the other side of town. If you have spend at least 15 minutes a day online, you have probably have used countless Web2.0 tools. OhOh… I am running on with my words here and the deadline time to download is near. To answer the title question Does Web2.0 tools applied in the corporate world make the users better commuicators? My answer: NO especially if they already lack verbal and written communication skills but, they sure can have more fun practicing to be better communicators! One last thing and I am out of here… be sure and stop by GO2WEB20 and check out all the latest Web2.0 tools soon!

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Copyright This!
Original Post: January 24, 2010

Stop a few minutes and view to my week 3 blog video. From just creating something like a still image or artwork, video or something written which can be seen by others makes it automatically copyrighted without any notice. However, there are more benefits to be gained by registering it for copyright…

seithermary_week3blogvideo

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What inspires you to become a good instructor?
Original Post: January 21, 2010

In this month’s course, we are fortunate to have a good reading source called “The Art of Possibility” by Benjamin Zucker. I just can’t refer to it a textbook because it provides me with a lot of thought provoking passages and good sound advice. How many textbooks can you say that about? I have plenty of dust collecting on the textbooks I have used in courses when getting my Bachelor degree in Visual Communication. While I do still refer to a few of them as tutorial resource when creating media projects for my clients, some I think about selling on EBay or at Half-price books. As for the educational theory textbooks, I used in this past, some are used as resources in the thesis because I have such few books to use for my topic. I don’t find many of them that inspirational and I often wonder how many of these theories my fellow students who are current teachers will actually use in their classrooms.

The course director mentioned one of the reasons that he selected The Art of Possibility because he found it so inspirational. He picked the book because he wanted his students to use their gifts and talents and skills, to be willing to make mistakes and learn the constructive lessons from them, to recognize that the shortages around us are “made up” scenarios created by those driven by scarcity and not by possibility, to be the teacher, presenter and influencer who isn’t satisfied with just delivering a lesson or presentation but works to light the fire in the eyes of everyone you come in contact with.

I just wanted to comment on his statement in this week’s blog because there have been teachers throughout my education who have lit that fire in me to become a better student as well inspiring me to become a better instructor. I will always be thankful for their encouragement and mentoring. I do think good instructors are naturally born to teach rather than just by picking up a job skill through a educational Master degree program. Many don’t think about teaching until they become inspired through an instructor or see an opportunity to share their experiences helping others move closer toward their career goals. Like the natural born athletes, artisans, gifted writers or leaders of industry and government, the level of their noted excellence comes from opportunities that came their way as well as from all who have inspired them throughout their lives.

Inspiration

Until commercial artists who became teachers at the end of their art careers inspired me, I never thought about being a teacher. Until I was offered the opportunity to teach graphic and video courses at a community college, I started to work toward completing the needed degrees to become a four-year college instructor. Until I had the opportunity to tutor graphics and media to online students, I knew that wanted to teach online. I hope when I return to the classroom that I will light fires in the eyes of my students.

Images used: InspirationDreamstime 1514968

http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photos-inspiration-image1514968