Old Boys' Club??

I'm a philosophy major. Yes, I know maybe I shouldn't even be surprised by the story that I am about to share. But...truthfully, I'm not surprised. So, I am currently taking a grad level philosophy class called Political Values and the topic is biomedical enhancement. Well there are 15 people in the class, three women: me, an Asian girl, and a white chick that may as well be a man. 13 men: 11 white males, 1 Asian guy, and one designer white guy from Stockholm.

Well the discussion is about genetically engineering kids. And the conversation floats to the creation of a posthuman species. Of course, the conversation goes to inequalities and how the posthuman race would treat the unenhanced race. And of course, one author in an article we read made the comment that the posthuman race would want to enslave the unenhanced race and treat them differently, as if they were simply "animals" and maybe even seek to eradicate the unenhanced ones. Every person in the room repudiates this comment...except me. Have we forgotten that in very recent human history one race decided to enslave, rape, lynch, and castrate another? Clearly they have. I haven't forgotten.

greasy hair and sideburns

This happened about two weeks ago. I was to infuriated at the time to actually write coherently.

Me and my friend were sitting eating dinner. Another guy joins up, one whom I've had brief conversations with in the past and we had some good conversations for about half an hour after he sat down. Well somehow we got onto the topic of Native Americans, he proclaimed he was 1/8Th Native American or some similar sounding fraction. Somehow we started discussing social issues then he brought up the question "Do you know why you don't hear Native Americans complaining all the time?", I responded "Because Americans killed enough of them to where they can be easily ignored". Well he then looked at me and said "No. It is because Native Americans have been taught since birth that they are not entitled to anything and that is WHY THEY ARE BETTER THAN AFRICAN AMERICANS". He said this while looking directly at me. He then went into a brief rant about how African Americans have gotten everything they needed years ago and all they do is think they are entitled to everything and don't have to work for anything. Well at this point I was on the verge of choking him to death at the dinner table, instead I called him a "fucking idiot" and left.

My friend tells me he wanted to apologize, this is good that he didn't, because that would have given me another opportunity to beat him to death.

Hey! Angela Davis!

On the first day of classes this semester, I decided to pick my hair out. This was more the product of laziness than anything else. I didn't feel like taking three hours to add twists so I just picked it out and rocked the full on fro. Now. I go to a PWI. Which means that I expected to garner curious/frightened stares. I did NOT expect to hear four Angela Davis references.

1. On the way to the other side of campus, I pass one of my close friends who comments, "Oh for real Fenix? You just decided to rock the Angela Davis today?" I respond with a raised right fist and keep it moving.
2. First class, my professor and I are very familiar and he's a jokester. He's scanning the crowd for familiar faces and his eyes settle on mine and shoot up to my hair, "Fenix, one of my favorite students, is now channeling Angela Davis." Again, I respond with a raised fist.
3. In the bookstore, buying my text books which include Elaine Brown's autobiography, and the lady ringing me up looks from the book, to my hair, back to the book, "Hmph, I would have thought Angela Davis before Elaine Brown. We have that one too you know."
   
4. That afternoon I'm with two of my friends. Friend one says, "Wow Fenix, you're really going for the Angela Davis thing huh? I can see you turning into her." To which Friend Two responds, "What? Is she supposed to be a lesbian who writes about the prison system?" Friend One rolls her eyes, "Or she could be an ICON, you idiot."

I guess I should take it as a compliment, eh?