The Socially Aware

According to the guy in front of me in line at Home Depot, Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Maricopa County, Arizona is an expert at spotting Mexicans.  Arpaio’s office, which serves the Phoenix Metro area is being sued for racial profiling. It seems that this follows a long list of accusations against the Sheriff and the department from the local Latino community. While many feel that the Sheriff’s efforts are deeply rooted in racism, others claim that the deputies are simply not trained to properly deal with minority suspects.

Arpaio has been known to form posses, who make random traffic stops, raid work sites and neighborhoods with dense Latino populations, arresting anyone who can’t prove they are legal citizens of the United States. No sheriff in the country has taken the job of immigration enforcement so seriously, and because of his diligence, he is also the most protested sheriff in the country.  The voters backed the sheriff and part-time reality star with a landslide re-election, but the dense Hispanic community is enraged.  So I ask you: do racial profiling laws make it difficult to fight illegal immigration?

UsrNme1

News on the recent law suit:

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2010/02/23/20100223mcso-racial-profiling-suits.html

So I asked two African American gentlemen what their favorite events are in the Winter Olympics.  After they stopped laughing, I received a lecture on African American people and winter sports that went far beyond cold weather. I want to know what the general public thinks about the subject. Why are the winter sports racially unbalanced?

UsrNme1

This was demand I heard from a very upset frequent traveler.  Her reasoning??? American Airlines announced that as of May 1st, 2010 they will begin charging $8.00 for a blanket on their flights.  Oh it gets better, they are only charging the passengers in coach!!  Please remember this is also the airline that charges $25 per checked bag, while other airlines carry them for free.  It’s sad as hotels continue to try discount rooms and cut cost to lure us in to a few nights stay, but  this airline stabs us all in the back with additional charges after you’ve purchased the ticket.  “These extra charges make it nearly impossible for a family with kids to travel!”, she said.

I think she had a point, this doesn’t seem very socially aware for a company in today’s economic turmoil. What do you think? Read for yourself:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/02/09/american.airlines.blankets/?hpt=T2

Usrnme1

For many people this is a very sad day.  Much like a funeral reception that is filled with friends, family and a great spread of tasty treats, today we say good bye to the 2009 NFL football season for six long months.  The chores and family gatherings you were able to avoid because your team was playing, are now filling the calendar.  Those who love you more than the game, may secretly welcome this time of year to get more of your attention.  So tonight when the chip scraps the last bit of salsa from the bowl, will you:

1. Start spending more time with your kids or significant other.

2. Quickly switch your enthusiasm to another sport.

3. Enter a deep dark depression that can only be cured by the release of the 2010 training camp reports (August).

or 4. You don’t know Peyton Manning from Barry Manilow.

Does your social awareness increase after football season?

UsrNme1

I overheard a woman make that statement at one of my favorite coffee shops.  I was shocked by the blatant comment and had to find out why she felt that way.  I asked and she kindly explained that she feels access to more money and family support can lead to more abortions.  Her theory starts with the understanding that young women with Prada purses are no less sexually active then girls with empty purses. She said, “For a wealthy family, a $500 abortion is a quick fix to an embarrassing problem, while women like me would have difficulty coming up with that kind of money quick enough to safely have the procedure. It would take months for me to save that much money!”  Then she spoke of the “those girls” in high school and college, and I was left to assume they were wealthy/popular/ones that would not give her the time of day.  She explained how they would take “family vacations” during the middle of a school week and everyone knew they were abortion vacations.  So I ask, has anyone else ever heard of this theory or is this just the opinion of one angry woman?

UsrNme1