BrownSuga's Sweet Spot: Getting to know you….

<>Getting to know all about you…getting to like you, getting to hope you like me…

It dawned on me last week that besides my first post I haven’t just come out and told you about me. Yes you can see what I’m about based on what topics I choose to write about and what I say about those topics. But I wanted to take a couple of weeks and just say outright some things I loved and some things I didn't....

So this week here are five things I really abhor. Hate is such a strong word so I try not to use it. But in high school I learned “abhor” and my hatred for things changed.

1. Starbucks – Yes I know many of you have to have your daily fix of what I call liquid crack but I don’t care. And I’m always for the small business that makes it but enough is enough. I live in a town that has 1 mall, 2 movie theatres no public transportation to speak of and one main street where 90% of the restaurants are located. This crap town is completing it’s 10^th We went from no Starbucks to 10 in ONE YEAR. The world does not need that much coffee. And what really pushes my buttons is they have crappy hot chocolate, which is the only thing I’d go to a coffee shop to buy. Starbucks is as annoying as this nonstop media circus surrounding Anna Nicole Smith and her all pink funeral. Please give me a break. Starbucks in less than a year.

2. Wal-Mart – This same town I live in is overrun with Wal-Marts. After going home to Philly a couple of times and realizing that a city CAN function without a Super Wal-Mart within it’s limits, I’m of the mindset that all those towns that get together to ban the Waltons from imposing their business on them are okay with me. Wal-Mart is a necessary evil for some places. And for others it’s an eyesore. The traffic that surrounds the store disrupts everything. My new goal is to live in cities where Wal-Marts are not located. (I may have to move to Mars, but what the hell…)

3. Ignorance – Whoever said ignorance is bliss was stupid. I respect people’s opinions (really I do J ) but I cannot respect your ignorance. Common sense, logic and simple humanity could probably solve many problems but unfortunately some choose to be ignorant. After the Michael Richards debacle many said “He might not be racist”, and someone replied “What does a man have to do to be racist, kill Emmett Till?” Scooter Libby used the excuse of ignorance in this latest trial of the CIA leaks, see where it’s gotten him?

4. Criminals – I don’t abhor all people in the system, but those who use their past as an excuse. Mark Foley, when he was caught claimed he did what he did because he was abused as a child and he had a drinking problem. So is that a good enough reason for you to turn around and abuse another child, just because you had the same done to you? Turn about is fair play? Personally I have no sympathy for someone who went through any form of abuse, chose not to get help and then abused someone else. I truly wish children weren’t abused but if they were then they need help. They need to talk to a professional to learn that 1) it wasn’t their fault and 2) they don’t have to repeat the cycle. They can be bigger than that. But people like Ted Haggert, ‘mister I’m not gay or a drug addict, I just like getting naked massages from my gay drug dealing prostitute’, just make me want to vomit. But don’t worry the alcohol made him gay and a user and after 3 weeks in REHAB he’s CURED! Someone please, please, please, please literally knock some sense into that man. Ted, you’re gay. It’s ok. But the drugs you need to quit, have you seen the pictures of meth addicts they show on the news? No one is attracted to that.

5. Stereotypes – Most people know I’m black. I’m proud to be black and have no problem with my race (although I’ve met some who do have a problem with my race). And this abhorrence is universal, I’m sure all races deal with this. All black women ARE NOT like ‘New York’ from the Flava Flav show and I don’t know a black man who remotely resembles Flava Flav. I’ve seen stereotypes of southerners, Indians, Asians, Jews, and many other cultures that are just ridiculous. Muslims all over America are being forbidden to fly because of a stereotype. And I’ve met some stupid Asians. Not all southerners live in trailer parks. But as a black woman, knowing there are people like the girl ‘New York’ getting airtime and Condoleezza Rice is being hated on is ludicrous. You don’t have to like what Condi says or what she believes but please have more respect for her and for what she’s accomplished than for someone like ‘New York’. Not all black people listen to the junk on the radio (I’m in love with a stripper? Or Throw some d’s on it). It’s a shame that I’m judged based on such trivial stuff as this but it’s true. And it leads right back to ignorance.

One night my best friend needed to get something from Wal-Mart so as we walked in, we didn’t really pay attention to the people around us but out of no where a group of 6 white boys began singing to us “I’m in love with a black girl” to the tune of I’m in love with a stripper. Thinking they were so hilarious, they began laughing. So I headed their way and as I walked in the middle of their little group and looked the little leader right in the eye they coiled down shut up. Like I said before ignorance is not bliss, stereotypes are usually wrong and I won’t say what I feel about the average Wal-Mart shopper in the town I live in, you can make your own judgment.