I’m back on Facebook which means I’m exposed to opinions without a filter or warning. On the most part, this is actually why I like Facebook. It’s a thankless, ceaseless exposure to thoughts rumbling around in people’s brains that they share (sometimes carelessly) online. It’s fun to see what strange and passionate things people voice their opinions about. It makes for a great read and an even better catalyst for Tumblr posts. Ha.

This brings me to the video I just saw (above) by the pseudo-news monopoly that is Buzzfeed, which I have found myself tirelessly perusing, because whatever it’s super fun albeit click bait. At least there is a section entirely dedicated to adorable baby animals and other “Cute” things. I can dig that. Who can’t dig that?!

Yeah.

Anyway, what really got me going were the comments below the video that-duh, I had to read, but got severely disappointed that instead of embracing the unavoidable discomfort that sometimes goes along with being a person of color in the workplace and laughing at it hysterically, people took offense. And not like cool offensive, where the opinions were enlightening, opening people’s eyes to different perspectives, but the other kind of offensive that doesn’t really make sense and is annoying. 

A lot of people in the comments found the video “racist towards white people,” which in and of itself is impossible, but let’s not get into that. It’s perfectly fine to have an opinion about the video, that’s why humanity is great. It’s full of a vast amount of diverse ideals that can be shared in moments thanks to the insanity that is the internet. However, it’s rough when people can’t just take a joke. 

I love talking about race because I find it fascinating and it’s because of comments left on harmless videos that touch on race that keeps me intrigued. A lot of people wrote in the comments that they were literally going to “unfriend” or “unfollow” Buzzfeed because they did not approve of this video, which makes me think of something called denial. I’m not saying any of the people who chose to dramatically unfollow this fun site are taking drastic steps to remove themselves from the race conversation but it kinda really sorta looks like it. I know, I know, it’s their prerogative to remove themselves from a threatening situation, but when it comes to racism, everybody is threatened. All I’m saying is, instead of immediately writing this offensiveness off, maybe try to understand why you’re so offended in the first place?

It’s scary to delve into yourself and find something you thought was impossible to ever develop in your mind- prejudice, a strange, impalpable love for Diner Drive-Ins and Dives. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, it’s something to take an effort to work through. I guess I could understand if I didn’t know whether or not I was being prejudice and then seeing that video and being like, “Holy crap, I’ve said that,” I would be super freaked out and unfollow Buzzfeed, too. 

Now I’m rambling. Anyway, all I want to say is that I thought the video was funny and I was surprised so many people took offense to it…. then I wasn’t surprised at all and really hope one day an open dialogue can happen. We’re all people, people. Geebus, why is that such a hard concept?