there are those moments in life when inspiration hits you... squarely between the eyes and threatens to break your glasses.
i received an e-mail today from my dad. born, raised and returned some years ago to southeast alabama. 81 years old and very white.
oh, yeah... you know where this is leading, right?
follow me for the "a-ha" moment... and no, i promise not to link you to any a-ha videos...
the e-mail was a joke... well, it was supposed to be a joke except it was racist. so forgive me folks, but i'm gonna quote it now:
* * * Knock Knock, * * *
* * Who's there? **
* * Eyes, **
* * Eyes who? **
* * Eyes Yo new president * * *
now, all of you with old parents know that most of the time we just roll our eyes at this kind of shit... we're not gonna change them, and if we get all offended they just laugh 'cause they know that it worked.
but i knew i couldn't let this one go... i had to say something. but i was at a loss for words.
so i kept working.... let it sit in the back of my mind...
and then... it came to me. well, two things came to me and i liked 'em so much i decided to use them both.
henceforth, my reply:
i came up with two really good replies to your e-mail, and i couldn't decide which was better, the joke or the reaction. so i chose to send them both.
first, the joke:
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"eyes yo new president?" why would mccain be speaking in stereotypical black dialect?
ah, he's trying to show what a hepcat he is by using some of the linguistic tricks mark twain taught him while they were working together at the hannibal journal.
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second, the reaction:
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i've decided that every time you send me racist crap like this, i'm going to send a donation to the obama campaign... and send you an e-mail through their web page asking you to do the same.
since they just took in $52 million dollars last month, we can make the next four months even better.
keep those jokes comin' in, and together we can be the change we've been waiting for!
and about a minute or so after i sent it, i went and gave barack $25. and then after i submitted the form, i put my dad's e-mail address in the "now tell your friends" section.
that way he knows i'm not fucking around.
be safe, y'all...