The guy who draws "Zippy" went there, too
Very sketchy entry, seeing as I'm writing it over lunch at a cybercafe (Cyberia Chicago! Drop by and give them lots of money and stuff!). From the cover story of this week's Cincinnati Citybeat, The Banana Republic:
I hadn't realized how American, how numbingly national and stupidly patriotic I'd been toward Cubans until I deconstructed my ignorance of Cuba. Like most Americans, I assumed Cuba was forbidden, dark, dingy, diseased and filled with pitifully begging and dirty people blindly and loyally waiting for Castro to tell them when to take a shit.Then on Fridays they stood on line at company stores waiting to return to the government the wages they'd slaved all week to earn. Stepford Cubans.
How stupid. Why won't they come here? And why won't they fly? Why the inner tubes?
Our presidents don't like Castro so he must be evil, a brainwashing egomaniacal dictator. That's because neither America public education, media conglomerates scripting news reports this side of propaganda nor do popularly elected officials tell the truth of our relationship to Cuba and our accountability for why Cuba is the way it is or why Castro behaves the way he does toward us.
That's Kathy Wilson, Your Negro Tour Guide, taking a tour of Cuba. It's a longer piece than the column usually is, since, y'know, cover story. And that's a good thing.
Finally started the review copy of the book (also called Your Negro Tour Guide, do try to keep up) that I received from the publisher longer ago than I'd care to think about. Am I not clear enough about the suckage? I think I mention the suckage fairly frequently. Do people think I'm joking about the suckage?
I'm enjoying it so far. Possibly because no group I consider myself to be part of has been in the crosshairs yet. And the bit about dreads. . . yes, "I'm not your negro petting zoo" will be the response next time someone asks if they can touch them.
Unless I like you.
Then it's ok.
Comments
I want to go on wrekkid as having my first question to Aaron be, "Can you touch me?" though, it was hidden and subtly placed in the email and Aaron has professed that he doesn't actually read my email, which I have given him permission -- no, begged -- him to do.
I bet he hears that from all the girls.
The part about the touching, I mean. We'll get to the suckage part on the third date.
Posted by: Hanna | June 21, 2004 4:08 PM
When I was a dread sportin junglist back in the nine-deuce, my locks drew black folks from far and wide to sit next to me on the bus and ask to touch my hair. Apparently the non-negro dread has the same mysterious appeal to the negros as the negro dread does to the white folk - especially the drunken (hood rat! hood rat!) hoochie mamma. I'll say it again and wince, especially.
Word is born to my West-bank rasta neighbors from 1994.
Posted by: uppity-shinob | June 21, 2004 4:13 PM
When you are bald and people ask to rub your head for luck, it isn't any better.
Hell, baldness hasn't been so lucky for me and I've been rubbing the damned dome for years.
Stupid humans.
Posted by: dean | June 22, 2004 1:47 PM
there's a really good book by isadora tattlin called cuba diaries. not that anyone really cares, but it's about an american woman who marries a diplomat and moves to cuba for 5 (?) years. it's her actual diary and reference notes from a priviledged american's view. very interesting for those who like such things.
or are dorks like me...
Posted by: geto | June 22, 2004 2:43 PM
Hanna, am I supposed to bring the U-Haul on the second date? I get my sterotypes mixed up sometimes.
Also: thanks, you're very sweet.
uppity-shinob, see, this is corporate white folk, though. And then it's the ones don't even bother asking permission. Them, I'm thinking beatdown. But I'm possibly just having a bad day.
Dean, if there was actual summer-like weather here in Chi now that it's summer, I'd envy the baldness.
geto, nah, nerds like me are also interested.
Posted by: Aaron | June 22, 2004 6:38 PM
*passes out giggling because she is punch drunk and has a cold and not for any other reason*
*brief semi-consciousness*
How come nobody ever wants to touch my hair. :(
*return to unconsciousness, random mumbling in sleep*
Posted by: Hanna | June 23, 2004 4:32 AM
Don't try to sweet talk me. That's meaningless if you have a full head of hair.:-)
Posted by: dean | June 23, 2004 9:16 AM
LOL...I wish I had that saying for when I had a shaved head...
Although, Lesbian Petting Zoo could be taking horribly wrong...
*laugh*
Posted by: YankeeDyke | June 26, 2004 10:28 AM