YOU DON'T OWN THE WHOLE ROAD!

This is my blog and I can bitch about virtually anything that I want to, right? Well, today I want to bitch about how drivers think that they own the whole road. Yes, I am of Chinese descent and we do have a stereotype stapled to us as bad drivers, but the way I see it, we're really not. At least, I'm really not! I've been driving for over 20 years now (I know, I just aged myself), and I have not been in an accident yet that I caused. (knock on wood) So, how am I the bad driver? The way I see it, and I hate to stereotype, Indian women, black women, and Jewish women are a hell of a lot worse. Okay, actually you can't omit the men either! They think they own the whole roadway and there's no one else behind them. The best part is that when you are behind them and you tailgate them, they don't like it and you end up being the bad guy. Well, this happened to me twice this week and that's what really set me off for today's blog!

My first incident was when I was on my way to class, and there was a Honda accord in front of me on this single lane two-way road. I noticed that the person was on the phone, and not a bluetooth. They were actually holding the phone to their ear. Who does that anymore? Anyway, as they were talking, they obviously did not care that anyone was behind them, so they decided to drive 35 miles an hour on a 55 mile an hour road. Are you kidding me? I was running a little late for class, and yes, I probably could have gone around this person, but when the hash lines came up on my left, there were cars coming the other way. I was trapped. So, I tailgated this person for a good mile and then I see them give me this gesture in their rearview mirror. Was this person kidding me? I'm in the wrong? First, you're driving 35 in a 55, and second, you're on your cell phone while you're driving, which actually is an offense! Where are the police when you need them? I finally came up to a left turn lane hoping that the Honda was not making a left and they weren't. As I got into the left lane, I needed to take a peek at my nemesis, and sure enough! It was an Indian woman! It didn't shock me one bit!

My second incident happened in the parking lot at shopping center. Those speed limits are like 15 miles an hour. I might have been going a little faster, but that's how I roll. I move fast! Anyway, coming towards me was this black BMW with his left turn signal on, so I had to slow down, but since I was driving a little bit faster, it looked like I had to stop abruptly. This guy though was making his left like he had all day though. Then he pointed at me as to say, "WTF?" Really? So, the guy who thinks he owns the whole parking lot is going to pick a fight with me now? Where am I? I thought to myself, just walk into the store, ignore him and avoid going to jail. I got out of my truck, and this big black guy got out his BMW. Then I hear, "Sorry that I was moving to slow for you...." I thought, "Oh great! He's apologizing!" So, I responded with a "Yup!" As he kept on staring at me waiting for me to react, he calls out, "ASSHOLE!" Oh, man! No one calls me an asshole! It took a lot for me not to go over there and punch this guy in the mouth. I also thought about going over there and saying, "Are you kidding me? Did I hit your car? Did I lay on the horn like I should have because your fat ass was taking your time making a left turn like you owned the whole road? But yet, I'm the asshole?" I felt that would have shut him up, but I also felt that this asshole was looking for a fight, so I took the high road and just ignored the idiot and decided to not waste my time or intelligence on such a low life. 

And this is why I hate human beings! Not all of them because there are actual human beings out there, but there are also some real scumbags out there too! Some of them actually think they own the whole road. All I ask is that when you're driving, to be mindful of the driver behind you or in my case, around you. You don't own the whole road. In fact the government does. You just look like an asshole thinking that you do own it! I know you guys have to have similar stories, so please share......

DANNY CHEN, AMERICAN SOLDIER DIES FROM BULLYING....THAT'S B.S.

Okay, before the jokes come out, I am in no way related to Danny Chen in any way other than the fact that we're both of Chinese descent, and I guess that's why his story hits so close to home for me. It actually kind of pissed me off because I thought that we were beyond all of this racist crap! What Danny went through was way beyond racism, and not to mention just plain B.S.

For those who are unfamiliar with the story, 19-year-old Danny Chen was a kid from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, who was said to be quirky and brainy with an offbeat sense of humor. He had dreams of becoming an New York City Police officer, but first he wanted to fight for his country and was shipped off to Afghanistan this past summer. This son of a Chinese chef and seamstress wanted to make something of his life, much like many Chinese who come to this country. It was when he joined the military when his nightmares began.

Even before they shipped him overseas, his fellow soldiers at a base in Georgia began teasing him about his last name "Chen" and crying it out in a Chinese accent. They would also call him "Jackie Chen", and everyone would ask him if he was Chinese, even though he was born in the United States. Okay, this is where I start to rant! First of all, how old are we when we're in the army? Seriously, you ignorant assholes? I, too, grew up in an all-white suburb in New Jersey and often dealt with being called Bruce Lee or Bluce Ree. I was also often called a chink, gook, egg roll, pork-fried rice, zipperhead, etc. You get the idea. Then again, those were kids. As I got older, the teasing stopped and I was treated as an equal. My uncle always told me that if someone asked me if I was Chinese, my correct response should always be that "I'm an American of Chinese descent" because Chinese people are born in China! A black man born in China is Chinese, a white man born in China is Chinese. I was born in Paterson, NJ making me more American than most of you reading this right now! I believe the same went for Danny Chen.

Chen kept a diary when he was shipped overseas, and in the diary, there were examples that showed his bullying got even worse. For instance, soldiers would drag him across the floor while pelting him with stones. They would also force him to hold liquid in his mouth while hanging him upside down. From what it sounds like, Danny was being tortured in another country by our very own men, who are supposed to be defending our country and our rights! Because of all this torturing and bullying, Danny Chen took his own life back in October, as he was found dead in a guard house in Afghanistan with self-inflicted gun shot wounds. This didn't have to happen if people just grew up and focused more on what 's important, like defending this country rather than making fun of this American kid. Man, does this story anger me!

This past Wednesday, the Army announced that eight soldiers were being charged in Danny's death saying that he was the victim of illegal hazing. Five of the accused are being charged with involuntary manslaughter and negligent homicide. The alleged offenses also include maltreatment, assault, and threats. Good! These guys should all be tortured and threatened the way they made Chen feel. I can't say that I've ever felt that I was bullied to the point where I wanted to take my own life, but it does make you think about what kind of people they are enlisting in the Army. The way Chen was treated, you would think that those guys never saw someone of Chinese descent before, and in a melting pot like America, that really, really surprises me.

Like Danny, when I was made fun of as a kid, I would use humor to get away from the racist taunts. I might still even use it today, but I also noticed that if you have fun with it, people don't really turn it into a harassing situation because they see that it doesn't bother you. Unfortunately for Danny, he was stuck with these guys and had to see them everyday, so I'm sure those jokes eventually ran out. Trust me, I'm proud of my Chinese heritage, and I'll always remember where I come from, but I am an American, and like I said, I might be way more American than some of you, and as an American, I have to say that a fellow American should never have been treated in this manner! It's absolutely disgusting and makes me embarrassed to be a proud American!