It's News to Mark

Stereotypes exist in peoples minds for a reason. For instance the gay stereotype of the mincing, lisping, effeminate, gay guy. That guy is in peoples minds because he is the most visible of gay men, and for the purposes of television and movie comedy the easiest to parody. Black stereotypes are rampant because for years movies and television ghettoized them, portraying blacks as lazy, stupid, and violent. For most white Americans, because that is all they know of blacks, the stereotype is perpetuated. The fact is that the more you surround yourself with people who are different from yourself, the less prejudiced and bigoted you become. I have found however, that Mark does do one stereotypical black thing. He talks back to the television and movies.

My source for the news of the world has always been quite varied. I watch CNN, MSNBC, and the various network evening newscasts. I read the local newspaper's web site, other cities newspapers on the web, and many foreign news web sites. One other news source I watch for a few minutes each day is FOX News. It is, by their own admission, slanted to the right, but in keeping with my liberal views, I feel it is necessary to hear all points of view. A few days ago Mark discovered FOX News, and has become mesmerized by it. I was in the living room when I heard Mark's loud, squeaky, voice arguing with someone in the bedroom. "Crap, who is Mark berating on the phone now?" I wondered. I stuck my head in the bedroom door and there was Mark, in front of the television, gesturing wildly and shouting at the people on television. "Alan, you should see what these people on FOX are saying. How can they get away with this?", he screamed. So now every day, I can hear Mark in the other room, yelling at FOX News, and I think he is really enjoying it. I'm so glad he got a hobby.