By Fausto Fernós on July 11, 2007 | Share & Save | Link | Print |
Words are hard to kill. That being said, I applaud the NAACP this week for bringing up into our collective consciousness the “N-Word” by staging a mock funeral burying the word as a symbol of racism and social injustice.
Something tells me that word isn’t dead yet, so watch out for the zombie “N-word” stumbling around in your neighborhood. Shoot it in the brain if you have to.
At the funeral Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick said:
“Today we’re not just burying the N-word, we’re taking it out of our spirit. We gather burying all the things that go with the N-word. We have to bury the ‘pimps’ and ‘hos’ that go with it.”
The NAACP is a national treasure and an organization that has defined the paradigm of what a civil rights organization is and can achieve. We owe so much to them and the people who started the organization for helping to make us a better society.
But the misguided attempt to metaphorically “kill” a slur word might drive a wedge between the generation gap. I know Richard Pryor is turning in his grave (even though he also renounced the use of the word later on in life.)
Don’t tell me you think of Northwestern Air Lines anytime you see the letters NWA. Some words are deeply tied into the consciousness of a society and are hard to get rid of. It’s hard to kill an idea.
Words for me carry a great deal of power and meaning, and racial slur words are some of the most powerful around. So like a ninja, in order to defeat your “enemy” you need to acknowledge it’s power before you can stab it in the heart with your sword.
I’m grateful that the NAACP made such a gutsy action and hope that this inspires everyone who hears of the news to start a conversation about race, culture and language.
On today’s show Miss Ronnie (pictured here to the right with her new Star Trek phaser) joins Marc and me, Fausto Fernós to talk about race and language, Ronnie’s recent trip to San Francisco and Mister Rogers being a new target for conservative pundits.
THE Mister Rogers? You heard it right.
Several ultraconservative personalities are trying to discredit the legacy of Presbyterian minister Fred Rogers television programs, better known as Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. They are trying to say that his message is directly responsible for what they perceive as an outbreak of “self-entitlement.”
Why are they doing this? Because the way the economy is going, babies no longer have candy you can steal from.
What these arrogant folks really want you to believe is that people, starting with children, have no intrinsic value except what they can provide their employer or the top 1% of the world’s financial elite.
How dare we feel a sense of entitlement to civil rights? To universal health care? To decent schools?
Read the Wall Street Journal Article here.
See the FOX news video montage here.
The only people I see wreaking havoc on the world around them due to their overinflated sense of self-entitlement live in the White House at the moment. Next thing you know they’ll be blaming Mister Rogers for the events surrounding Sept. 11 or global warming.
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Miss Ronnie says:
July 11, 2007 at 12:21Rob,
new or used the fact that you thought enough of me
warms my heart, thank you baby I took it to school
and I stunned all the students that I didn’t like… it was really quite
at school today.
blessings baby, you get the best of my love
Ronnie
PupDon says:
July 11, 2007 at 12:56This show struck a nerve with me because I’ve worked in retail, a hotel and the worst of all, a customer service call center. The last of those three was eight hours a day of people being nasty and vicious 90% of the time. But someone who had been there a while gave me the best nugget of wisdom I think I had ever received. They said, “the person on the other end who is yelling at you is not yelling at you as a person, they are yelling at you because they don’t have enough money to pay all of their bills, they’re daughter is dating a boy they don’t like, their son has been arrested for selling drugs and their husband or wife is cheating on them. You are a nameless, faceless place for them to vent their anger. Remove yourself as a person and their anger from the equation, deal with the issue and end the call”. That is the way to get through a tough day.
Having said that, Miss Ronnie’s quote of “and when I’m done fetching would you like me to roll over” was classic and I agree that sometimes people just need to be put in their place. Why would anyone be rude to a server. I mean, the people I am nicest to in this world are the people who will be holding my plate of food in the next room where I can’t see them.
Rob says:
July 11, 2007 at 12:59Too funny, thanks Miss Ronnie, I feel better now.
Yeah, I know a few people around my job I would like to stun too !
PupDon says:
July 11, 2007 at 13:02Oh, and I must say that I ate at Miss Ronnie’s restaurant and I have never seen a better server. She took a few moments when she could to hang out and chat, given the busy evening, but there was not a minute where she didn’t have her eye on the room and jumping up to help someone who needed something. And for one person to have to work a whole room like that, it can’t be easy. If I was looking to hire someone I would be lucky to have her on my team. And anyone to gives her shit, she would have my permission to read them out. I wouldn’t allow anyone to treat my staff with disrespect.
James Stoney says:
July 11, 2007 at 14:27Dear sweet baby lord thank you for the show today. Working as a waiter in high school and a bartender through college it showed me just how selfish and shallow people could be. I my opinion, the United States should make everyone between the ages of 18-25 serve in the service industry and maybe that would teach a bit of humility. Got me thinking, there have to be some awesome stories out there from those of us who have been in the service industry and I sure as hell would love to hear them.
Bologna says:
July 11, 2007 at 14:31Great episode! Luv it when the divine Mz. R is on. Lots of Sassafrassion. BTW, bit of trivia: the Sassafras tree is a fragrant lemony tree, dioecious (i.e., with male and female flowers on separate trees), with blue-black fruits, and essential oils used to make painkillers and Ecstasy. That’s the natural analogy to what the FOF and Sassafrassion are all about.
As for service, it’s totally different here in Italy. Clients do not expect fast service and respect that the service provider may have more important things to do. Sometimes it can get annoying if you’re in a rush, but I’ve learnt to work around it. As for the ‘N’ word, I hate it along with all other racial slurs. The NAACP should have buried all of them at once.
I like the symbolism involved: just as easily as haters create these words we can erase them. It’s true though that the hatred and ignorance isn’t eradicated, but that’s the haters’ problem. Maybe that’s why we sometimes appropriate these words: to show that it reflects their insecurities not ours. As for Sicko, I’m dying to see it. One thing that I don’t miss about the States is the health “system”.
The government puts taxpayers’ money to better use here for the average citizen, which means I don’t have to be in an emergency room to get treatment. Rob, I used to live in the Boston area. Pity the FOF wasn’t on then - would’ve been nice to have a Beantown FOFellians Club. Thanks again Fausto, Mark, and Mz. R for a great show!!!!!!!
Maia says:
July 11, 2007 at 14:42Is it true that in Italy, if the server doesn’t bring you your check in a timely fashion, you are free to stand up and leave the restaurant without paying? That’s what an Italian friend told me, but I think he’s just being an asshole…
bowdownza says:
July 11, 2007 at 20:31ronnie could I start a thread outside the show notes inspired by your waitress stories about bad entitled customers - please please please?????
Aaron C. says:
July 11, 2007 at 21:14Great show folks! Good to hear Ms. Ronnie back safely from the coast. Mister Rogers was most definately from here in the city (Pittsburgh). He started here and actually SAVED PBS back in the day. His wife Joanne is still a figure around here…and a wonderful person. Very cool phaser! 
Marc Felion says:
July 12, 2007 at 01:53Wikipedia says he started in Canada, but I knew there was a huge Burgh connection. i want to come to Pittsburgh and see the current exhibit “Carryin’ On” at the Warhol Museum http://www.warhol.org/
Anybody up for a road trip?
Miss Ronnie says:
July 12, 2007 at 11:36BOWDOWNZA
you go on and start your thread, you know there was a time when I thought about starting
a website that would list the names of people I waited on and tell how horrible they were
but then I thought to myself that even that thought was just too much effort than they were worth.
Corey says:
July 12, 2007 at 11:47I used to work in the service industry and know exactly what you mean. Because of that I always try to be polite to my server and always leave a good tip for good service!
Bologna says:
July 12, 2007 at 13:39LOL. Thanks Fausto, Mark, Steven or whoever put that pic in my profile. Yes, Bologna is the hometown of that sausage; except here it’s called Mortadella. Another bit of trivia: Bolognaise sauce also comes from Bologna, except that the locals call it Ragu. Maia, even if your server takes all day to get you the check, there’s no way you can get out of paying. Your friend may be on some Mafia list somewhere. On the service thread, I think the solution to crappy customer behavior is an upfront service fee. Say 20% of the check. That way both parties know what to expect from each other and nobody has to jump thru loops just to get a miserable tip. I think that’s pretty much how it’s evolved all over the world except you know where.
Fausto Fernós says:
July 12, 2007 at 16:45I put the photo because there wasn’t one in your profile! Be sure to fill out the rest sweetie We DO really want to learn more about you, if not you, your alter ego.
By the way Ronnie, it’s GREAT to see you posting comments on the site!
Rochelle says:
July 14, 2007 at 17:09They already have a site for horror stories on the job, but i think thats anomous and letting the dillholes who are the problem get awat with it. then again, why give those people any power……And no one messes with Mr. Rogers. he’s my old school buddy. lol. much dorky love!
Jon-paul says:
July 21, 2007 at 10:28Ronnie, I wished I bumped into you in San Francisco. This show was particularly good. You guys are so gooooood.
Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Fausto Fernós created the Feast of Fools in 1998 as wacky artists variety show in Chicago, Illinois.
Along with his partner Marc Felion, he hosts the world's most downloaded talk show for gay people on the internet, Feast of Fools.
Fausto loves pomegranates, waterfalls and 70s retro funk music.
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miguelito | November 20, 2008
I don’t blame African-Americans; I blame the No campaign. They didn’t make a persuasive argument in their ads. They allowed the Yes...
15 comments on FOF #882 - Rev. Straight Talks About Prop. 8 - 11.18.08
brain-fork | November 19, 2008
Fantastic! Any chance we can get “Doing Time” in the Feast Blast?
Bobby In Oklahoma | November 19, 2008
Jann’s face in the iTunes podcast photo reminds me of Liev Schreiber…or is it just me?
DavidMcD | November 19, 2008
I am praying for all the world’s religions to stop pushing their beliefs down my throat. I agree with you Fausto, if all reverends were as...
15 comments on FOF #882 - Rev. Straight Talks About Prop. 8 - 11.18.08
DavidMcD | November 19, 2008
Great show, great interview and great music guys. You have the greatest photos of all your guests, nice work!
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miguelito | November 20, 2008
I don’t blame African-Americans; I blame the No campaign. They didn’t make a persuasive argument in their ads. They allowed the Yes...
15 comments on FOF #882 - Rev. Straight Talks About Prop. 8 - 11.18.08
brain-fork | November 19, 2008
Fantastic! Any chance we can get “Doing Time” in the Feast Blast?
Bobby In Oklahoma | November 19, 2008
Jann’s face in the iTunes podcast photo reminds me of Liev Schreiber…or is it just me?
DavidMcD | November 19, 2008
I am praying for all the world’s religions to stop pushing their beliefs down my throat. I agree with you Fausto, if all reverends were as...
15 comments on FOF #882 - Rev. Straight Talks About Prop. 8 - 11.18.08
DavidMcD | November 19, 2008
Great show, great interview and great music guys. You have the greatest photos of all your guests, nice work!
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Rob says:
July 11, 2007 at 06:11Hey guys, I did not and would NEVER send Mz.Ronnie a used phazer gun !! I opened it slightly so I could test it. I really didn’t want to send
her something that didn’t work. Be assured it’s brand new.
Glad she likes it.