White or Black Racism is Racism

Growing up, it was always drilled into my head the concept of racism and how the white people are racist versus the blacks. But what seems to have been lacking is the reverse, the hatred of white people by blacks due to the color of their skin. For some reason this was never discussed and it seems that blacks would always get a pass when they would do or say something racist. I suppose the logic was since they historically have been the victim of racism (slavery) then they had the right to harbor hatred towards white people. I even heard that it is not possible for a black person to be racist towards whites because of their historical victimization. Or perhaps we feel so guilty regarding our anti-black racism we tolerate anti-white racism by blacks.

Whatever the case is or reason for this disparity white culture has come a long way in dealing with their racism. Years and years of education and media attention to promote tolerance by white people has worked. Blacks are given an equal opportunity to whites and some may even say they are given a leg up versus white people to compensate for their history. But what have the blacks done to temper their racist attitudes toward white people. The answer is very little and in fact the leaders stoke this hatred of white people as a way to maintain their leadership and it acts as a scapegoat for their own troubles.

Black leaders have recently changed the subject when it comes to racism. Although, individual racist activity exists and will always exist against blacks (and whites, and Hispanics, and Asians, etc.) the number of incidences are few and far between and certainly have been decreasing. Instead of being able to produce examples of individual racism they now talk about institutional racism. A convenient method to prolong the racist claim.

So what is institutional racism and how do you prove it? The suggested proof lies in the fact that since blacks have not attained the same level of success as whites or other groups it must be due to racial preferences. The flaw in that proof is it assumes the lower social standing of blacks can only be due to racial oppression and not other factors. It completely absolves blacks of any responsibility for their own social level and places the blame on "institutional racism" which is a nebulous phenomenon that cannot be proved or disproved.

Ultimately, racism is a human phenomenon that exist in all races and victimizes all races. Racism is not inherently a white problem and blacks are not the only victims. We all must fight that natural tendency to group people based on their race, sex, religion, etc. The black community for too long has been given a pass for their racist activity and speech and it is time for this to be addressed and given the same attention as white racism. BO needs to step up.

The Pocketbook Phenomenon

I have come up with a few observations regarding pocketbooks that I would like to share with you. There are times when after seeing an elderly woman in the office I will pick up her pocketbook for her so she doesn't have to bend down and it astonishes me how heavy these bags are. Keep in mind that some of these women are quite old, have difficulty walking, and can barely bend down. Regardless, they carry these bags that definitely weigh over twenty pounds. What the heck are they carrying in there? No wonder they have back problems.

Another scenario arises while taking a history from a woman that I ask her a question and she responds that the answer is in her pocketbook and she will get it right away. Immediately, I know I am in for a five minute expedition while she searches the depths of this black hole known as the pocketbook. The search goes on and on as she exclaims I just had it, give me a second. She looks into pocket after pocket, compartment after compartment until I am ready to shoot myself while patients are waiting for me in the waiting room. Seriously gals, a pocketbook is just a bag of stuff thrown in no specific order that rarely gets cleaned out. It piles up loads of junk and it is nearly impossible to find anything in there.

The most surprising thing about this useless appendage that women carry is the obsession with them and the cost of these bags. They need a different one based on the color of their outfit and based on where they are going. And the costs of these pocketbooks goes into the thousands of dollars. Some women collect dozens of different bags. Not understandable to me.

Now I am not sure if it is my abnormality but I never notice a woman's pocket book. I never remember saying to myself wow, that pocket book just doesn't go with her outfit or it is so nice or so ugly. So I suspect the obsession isn't to impress a man but rather to outdo other women. They compete with other women over the beauty of their bags. Totally ridiculous.

I know I just do not understand women and certainly their obsession with a pocketbook. Maybe this is connected to a woman's inherent nesting impulses. Maybe there is a neurologic need to carry a portion of their belongings with them at all times. Who knows? Anyway, gotta go, I think that lady finally found what she was looking for in her pocketbook.

Racial Divide Deepens

It is amazing that having just elected a black president, this country is experiencing its worst flair up of racial tensions that I have experienced. Rather than promoting unity amongst the races, the administration is creating more polarization and worse is creating more radicals on BOTH sides. While BO, Holder et al. think they are doing black people a favor by treating them more favorably than the remainder of the population, in the long run they are creating more hatred and racism both against the blacks and black racism against whites.

A recent example is where the black panther in Philadelphia was engaged in voter intimidation and the case was dropped. An official at the Justice department testified that no case will be pursued where a black person is accused of racism. This exemplifies different standards of treatment based on the color of one's skin which is by definition racist. But by the law of unintended consequences, although BO thinks he is doing black people a favor by this policy, he is doing the complete opposite.

If black people feel there is no consequence to radical behavior then one would expect more episodes of these acts and perhaps much worse. If white people feel there is no law enforcement against black crimes then they will take the law into their own hands. It will also push whites into more radical racist groups. By treating people differently in front of the law based on skin color, people will see the law as arbitrary and lead to greater polarization of the races into more extreme ideologies.

We already hear a call to arms by black extremists and murder of cracker babies and their mothers. The administration does nothing to pacify these extreme voices. The media only reports about the radicals on one side and not the other. Both the administration and the media are unintentionally encouraging more radicalism by their inaction and bias.

This radicalism is likely to continue to worsen as this administration continues with its policy failures. Blacks will falsely blame BO's failures on racism as they have so much invested in this president's success. As BO become more unpopular and the GOP regains control this will further polarize the black community and they may become desperate as their great hope whithers. I predict we are heading into a time of extreme racial unrest and I fear where these trends leads to. Is it not logical to assume that violence will eventually be the outcome of this radical racial polarization.

To My Son

During the family vacation two weeks ago we went to see a couple of colleges with my son who will be a senior in high school this coming year. We often get into discussions of what he is interested in studying and I would like to give him good advice which usually just annoys him. The problem is I have no feel as to what would be a good and fulfilling job for the next generation. I don't suppose he would follow my advice anyway but let's assume he is at least listening to what I have to say.

Since I am a physician, naturally he has considered this as a choice but has pretty much dismissed it out of hand. I am not sure why but he has no interest in the health field in any capacity. Maybe he sees me and my life as an example (getting up in the middle of the night and going to the hospital and then complaining the entire next day how tired I am). He sees through me the negative aspects since I complain about the negatives more than I extol the numerous positives. I think because of this he has a distorted view of medicine and maybe he should reconsider.

Many people ask if I would recommend my children to go into the field of medicine. I usually tell them if my child truly loves medicine and that is their passion then they should do it. If they are looking at medicine as a field that will earn them a great salary then they should look elsewhere since there is no guarantee that the money will be there in the future. The amount of time spent in school and in training with intense competition and extreme work hours is an enormous sacrifice. The actual quality of life as a physician is mixed. It is extremely rewarding sometimes, painfully routine and boring sometimes, physically and mentally demanding, and highly stressful always.

So if my son has ruled out the health care field then what are his options. He says he wants to go into business but doing what? I have no business to give him so he would have to start from the bottom and work his way up. Probably very competitive and difficult to be successful. Law school may be a good option as a stepping stone into business, but if he becomes a practicing lawyer I would have to hate him. Ultimately, the only advice I can give him is to pursue what he is passionate about. Hopefully, the money will be there but if not at least he will be spending his time doing what he loves.