Racists are too ignorant to be taken seriously

I have raised my youngest son to respect everyone for who they are and not the color of their skin. Unfortunately, other parents haven’t shared the same message with their own children. For example, my son is constantly the butt of many Mexican jokes and rants. Although he can pass for being Mexican, he's Asian. Anyone who has ever studied geography should know the difference. His racist peers are too ignorant to be considered intelligent.

I shared a racism story with my son that I heard on the radio. It was told by Colin Cowherd, one of my favorite sports radio guys. Cowherd said he was disturbed by the ignorance of a few racists. His story included boxer Manny Pacquiao and Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano.

Because of Pacquiao’s intense boxing skills, he is referred to as the “Mexi-cutioner.”

Regarding Zambrano, baseball fans have arrived at baseball parks wearing a tee-shirt stating "Carlos Zambrano mows my lawn." The shirt depicts a man mowing grass while wearing a sombrero. There are a few different versions of the shirt but the message is clear…Zambrano’s Mexican heritage is the joke.

Now here is where ignorance comes in: Zambrano is from Venezuela, so he is Venezuelan, not Mexican and Pacquiao is from the Phillipines, which makes him Filipino…not Mexican. So if he is Filipino, how can he be the Mexi-cutioner? Wouldn’t the Filipino Finisher be a more fitting title?

I know how my son feels because I have been confused with being Mexican, Japanese, and Indian. I told my son it’s all about the ignorance of racists and those who love to stereotype others.

Yes, it's true, my son and I are both of Asian descent, but neither of us own a laundry mat, eat cats or know Kung Fu. When I was a child, people always assumed I knew some type of martial art…another Asian stereotype.

I asked my son how serious he should take any racist that thinks a guy from either the Philippines or Venezuela is Mexican?

As Jesus might say "forgive them father, for they are ignorant racists." I have never had a problem with anyone inquiring about my nationality or heritage but I dislike false assumptions based on a foolish stereotype. I am not even sure why my race matters since it doesn’t define my character.

My son and I accept racists, we just wish they could at least get their rants correct and not be so ignorant.

If they were a little less ignorant, we might take them more seriously.