I was in my first week of community college when I learned the true nature of political correctness. It was in photography 101, my only elective. We were assigned an open project so the teacher could get a feel for our talent. My photo was a rich black and white of a beautiful teenage Latina. It was titled, "Shouldn't you be pregnant by now?". I thought it made a real statement.
When it was my turn I had to stand up in front of everyone, present my photo, and then listen to the other students criticize it. After a fairly awkward silence, this guy Mike said, "I think it's offensive!". The teacher asked him to explain. Mike continued, "It's based on an unflattering stereotype." I didn't say a word, even though the prick had completely missed the point.
I decided I would teach him a lesson, but I wasn't sure exactly how. So I followed him out of class and down through the hall. There was a sudden rush of students out of the nearby classrooms, and the hallway became cramped with an ass-to-elbow density of kids. That's when Mike got distracted, then looked down to see a girl who had apparently fallen to her knees.
Afraid that she'd be crushed by the mob, he swiftly crouched and lifted her torso up from behind by her armpits. I saw what was happening as I passed them. I laughed out loud and snapped a quick picture. The girl wiggled and screamed, "Put me down!". Still supporting her, Mike looked down with a puzzled expression to discover that she had never fallen at all. She was a little person.
Placing her down, Mike was clearly mortified by what he had done. The girl just stormed off into the crowd, so he didn't even get a chance to apologize. That's when I ran my ass back to the darkroom and developed the photo. Then it was straight to the library photocopier to put together some petition posters, which claimed that Mike had picked this nice girl up just to mock her in front of everyone.
By the end of that next week the petition to remove Mike from our campus had been signed by over half the student body. The school didn't even have time to issue a response before Mike just up and left. Apparently he had been getting shoved and threatened all week long. I'm not sure he even needed any further education after that. I had giving him the schooling of a lifetime.
_
38 comments:
that's wrong :)
They let midgets go to college?!
I'll bet that picture is hilarious! Do you still have it? Why don't you post it here?
so.. you ruined this guys life because he didn't like your photo?
Wonder if it was a pregnant Latina little person that Mike picked up.
Sound like someone cant take constructive critisism.
Nice teeth hag.
Let me see if I have this sequence of events/behavior right...
1. You take a photograph, and bring it into class, captioning it so as to make your political/social/cultural statement about stereotyping.
2. A member of the class finds this photograph with your caption objectionable and says so in an open discussion.
3. You take offense to his taking offense because in your opinion he has missed your point completely.
4. You decide to exact revenge on him for? Being obtuse? (In your opinion?)
5. You stalk him.
6. You see him mistake a little person for someone to whom you yourself say was "... a girl who had apparently fallen to her knees."
7. You see him, under this misconception of his (and apparently yours as well?) Try to assist someone he thinks is in trouble or danger or distress.
8. After he has done what he can to help a person he (and, apparently you?) Thinks is in distress, he'll end he saved that he mistook a Little Person for someone who had been knocked down.
9. Noticing that he has made this error you burst into laughter and take a photograph of him in that situation.
10. You immediately develop that photograph, make it into a poster and caption it with a conscious, willful lie about his behavior.
11. You spread the poster around campus, so as to give your line the maximum exposure.
12. You provoke a mob response that includes physical intimidation and assault - and results in your revenge target's being driven from the school by people who bought into your lie about him.
13. You then go online to brag about this.
Did I miss anything?
================================================
And, a few questions occur to me:
1. did you consider for a moment taking into account that however mistaken MIKE was when he assumed - in a crowd you yourself say was “cramped with an ass-to-elbow density of kids” and, presumably ,dense enough to suggest people could be knocked to their knees - that the young lady was someone of height who had been knocked down, he was acting on a gracious and chivalrous impulse to assist someone he thought was in distress?
2. Do you suppose your college administration has any position on your disseminating/publishing conscious lies to incite a mob response to drive your chosen enemy off-campus?
3. Do you wonder at all how the young lady, the Little Person from your scenario feels about being co-opted to serve a public lie to your purposes? (Have you considered approaching her and asking her how she felt about having her picture disseminated across campus in that situation? )
4. Does your behavior suggest anything about your character?
5. Does your behavior suggest anything about how you intend to live your life in the future, pursue your career, deal with other people you disagree with, use the Internet or other media to deal with people you disagree with or have a low opinion of?
6. Have you considered going to work for Karl Rove?
Jocelyn Testes-Harder said...
Dude, "midget" is not the preferred nomenclature.
June 30, 2009 11:36 AM
"Vertically challenged", please.
Wow Joss how do you get this many gullible commenters this fast? You have seriously hit the big time, congrats.
HEY JOCELYN,
GUESS WHO??? IT'S MIKE!!! I'm glad you think this little anecdote is hilarious enough to post on your worthless blog, but I just want you to know you single-handily ruined my life. I was in the top 75% in Richmond Community College's General Studies program, and thanks to you I was EXPELLED because my associate professor was a "little person." I want everyone to know that I have no problem with so-called "midgets," and I married one just to prove it (even though I personally find them disgusting). So now I am married to a nauseating midget and the only place that would hire me is that Baby Gap nobody goes to anymore. My wife is pregnant and the doctor says there is a 25% chance the baby could end up being a repugnant midget. Please everyone pray that I will have a goddam NORMAL baby!!! I don't want my suburban home looking like a freak show!
Jocelyn, if you need a "model" for some photographs, I would be happy to volunteer for a session or two.
You are a terrible person, that is a terrible thing to do, and you should have been expelled from school and sued.
You didn't 'correct' anyone. You ruined someone's college career because they disagreed with your picture.
Good god you are a horrible person.
Um, what was your point re: "shouldn't you be pregnant yet?"
You are, quiet possible, the most repulsive and inconsiderate, evil women, hah but your physical appearance makes me question the use of that noun, that I have ever been made aware of. Your apparent need to be accepted and your inability to accept criticism in, as one of the other sane posters on this board so clearly mentioned, an open forum, a place of public discussion and exchange of ideas,in a class that requires criticism to be taken and given for the betterment of your and others work reflects just how sad a human being you are. One of the previous posters on this blog described you as a hag but i think he did you a service to even credit you a hag. You are a sad mistake of a person and I hope you will someday be tormented in the same way that you tortured your poor classmate who did nothing but offer up a way for you to improve your art
It seems to me that the faux pas here is that once a midget is picked up, it must be tossed. I thought everyone knew that.
Jossie I think I'm in love with Ingrid, could you possibly pass along my contact info to her?
You are unkind. That poor guy has a right to go to college, just 'cause you're old does NOT mean you are more important than anyone else. You are mean, and I hope you realise this.
You're a vindictive, lying woman who can't even be trusted with a camera.
I can't figure out what is more funny. The actual blogs or the people that take them seriously. Keep up the good work, I love your sense of humor.
Your profile pic, you really should take it down.
First of all, you're hideous. More importantly though, putting a face to go with your textual account of criminally slanderous behavior just isn't all that bright. Mike could quite easily (and really should) sue you, not only for publishing a photo of him without his consent but for the immense damage it has done to him.
On the upside, you seem to be a gifted comedian. After the initial "EEK, kill it with fire!!" reaction I had to your photo/personality I saw the stuff about your open relationship and "what someone's gotta be able to to to get with you," and immediately fell into a quasi-epileptic fit of laughter. Your misguided attempts at being a tough gangsta-ish woman here in the comments section
(This is Richmond, bitch! We take what we want!)
are also hilarious. I imagine them spewing forth from the gaping hole in your teeth and LOL. Tell me, do you have a lisp and a blaring southern accent?
In the end, I'm sorry for poor Mike, but it seems you're dumb, ugly and stupid enough to damage your own reputation far worse simply by accessing blogger.
I see that once again you have angered many of your readers. That is understandable, since anger is a common reaction to being around short people, or even just reading about them.
The real point of my comment is this; I really need a copy of your photo. I have quite a collection of midget photos, and have spent many a happy evening laughing at them. I am willing to pay you $2.00 for the picture, or even $3.00 if there is a clown suit involved anywhere. Please respond immediately.
i, uh, personally think that people like you are what's wrong with America these days. just as you had a right to present the photo, he had a right present his opinion about it. i hope i'm nothing like you when i grow up. :(
"This is Richmond, bitch!
We take what we want!"
btw, i found that kinda funny. you trynna be hardcore? fail. lololol.
kthxbai, -teamredshirt.
1. I believe everything I read on the internets.
2. That is just f&*uing awesome.
3. Everything on teh internets is true.
4. Jocelyn, you so hot girl. Call me.
So sad.
This woman, so sad...
I saw what you did there!
You are morally repugnant.
I suspect that the reason you have an "open-relationship" is because this is the only way that you could convince the father of your children to stick around. Given the level of obvious self-loathing you harbor, but choose to manifest and project in the form of hate and spite makes you far less attractive than you already are. You might consider kindness as a motivator for getting someone to commit to you and your children.
Seriously, will you grow up? Swinging and open-relationships, although not palatable to most, are reasonable social experiments for responsible couples with no children. Once children enter the equation, you're just plain fucking selfish for maintaining that lifestyle.
Again, sadly, you are a prime example of the selfishness that pervades this nation, tarnishing our name on the global stage. Congratulations! You are a part of the problem, and not the solution. Your kids will likely follow suit, and one more generation will be subject to the fucktards that your offspring will likely become.
As for Mike, his good nature and reasonable critique of your "artwork" are an example of what it is to be rational and thoughtful. The guy simply stated that he found your picture offensive. He didn't imply that everyone else should to, did he? I'm sure he will have a less troubled life than you, however, as his quality of character reflects the depth of his humanity. I wish Mike well on his journey in life, and I hope that the responses your diatribe elicited force you to be a more thoughtful and considerate individual.
Finally, your "art" was lost on me, as well. Were you being facetious? I think I see what you were stabbing at, but your delivery just made you seem racist. That's the reason for the awkward silence you mentioned.
Good luck.
Woof...you are hideous. Seriously. Open relationship? What, does he open the doggy door or something? Is that what you mean by "open"? You are just so nasty to look at and I cannot imagine for the life of me that you have any artistic talent. At all. Just stick to popping out your hideous little inbred rotten-crotch fruit and watching Nascar, please.
Meh, it's a southern COMMUNITY college--what do you expect?
@Troll Trollington:
Please stop ruining it - you are no Mike - I can tell from the picture
@teamredshirt:
It's not Jocelyn what is wrong with America - it's the fat retarded people!
I bet that midget was fat
Jocelyn - can you shed some light to this topic?
That was immature and unnecessarily mean. You ruined tis guy's life over what? A picture?
I love you, Jocelyn. Don't listen to the haters. Take what you want, baby. Keep on keepin' on -- you make me laugh like I never knew I could.
I think I may have peed a little... the "anonymous" comments crack me up. I needed a good laugh today, I am so glad to have found your site.
Your genius is yet again proved. Half your readers exactly the people they seem to be. The other half are riding on the tailcoats of your intelligence.
This is my newest most favoritist blog maybe ever. Thank you.
This woman should be arrested for what she did. If anyone knows the college she attends please share that information here. All of us should write letters expressing our concerns and recommend that she be expelled. Furthermore, the police should be involved; she should be arrested, expelled from school, and incarcerated for what she did to Mike and the little person.
On top of that, what type of role model is she for her children? Open relationship, possible STD(s), or STI(s) if you prefer, sleeps with many different men, what message is she sending to her children? This woman needs help and society needs protection from people like her.
Haha you totally ROCK!!!! I love reading the people who don't get it! Keep it up! You are in the best!!!!
Your whats wrong with our country. You should be ashamed of yourself. I hope you get hit by a car.
Post a Comment