Rant of the Day

[yayfulness]

Well, if the police had to stop you, that's proof you were up to no good, right? I honestly believe that (when black skin is involved, anyway) that's literally all the justification plenty of people need.

[Zedability]

The knee-jerk reaction some people have to deny that racism plays a role in things just baffles me. And then I realize that a lot of people have a deep-rooted fear that anything that benefits black people and other minorities is going to harm them. No wonder the state of racial inequality is what it is when the people in power view it as a zero-sum game.

[Emiliana]

I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up murdered by the police one day. I wonder how they'll try to victim-blame me.

*hugs*

[yayfulness]

And now snipers in Dallas have shot at least ten police officers. Three of them are dead.

Innocent black men are dead.

Innocent police officers are dead.

I am honestly afraid we are on the verge of civil war. No sane person should hope for that. I have never been more afraid for the future of this country and its citizens both individually and collectively.

[Emiliana]

And now snipers in Dallas have shot at least ten police officers. Three of them are dead.

Innocent black men are dead.

Innocent police officers are dead.

I am honestly afraid we are on the verge of civil war. No sane person should hope for that. I have never been more afraid for the future of this country and its citizens both individually and collectively.

This one hits close to home, y'all - literally. My dad works like two blocks away. We used to go to that area on field trips to see where JFK was shot. My husband went to seminary with one of the protest leaders. A member of my parents' church used to be police chief in a neighboring suburb.

I have not been this glued to the news since 9/11.

[Craig Jessop]

Well, if the police had to stop you, that's proof you were up to no good, right? I honestly believe that (when black skin is involved, anyway) that's literally all the justification plenty of people need.

Seriously. My parents had the cops called on them once over a neighborhood parking dispute ("Your guests can't park in front of my house!" "...Uh, yeah they can..."), and the police showed up in force. Four squad cars, one in the driveway, one in front of the house, and two about three houses down in opposite directions.

The cops came to the door, hands on their guns, and made my parents come out and be questioned. They were extremely rude, and my parents felt demeaned. The cops presumed guilt. To this day, they don't know what the neighbor accused them of. My dad raised his voice and they felt threatened maybe? The cops wouldn't say.

Rich, middle-aged white people. The mayor is a personal friend. In pajamas, with bed hair. My mom was holding a pillow to hide that she wasn't wearing a bra. Coming out of their own house after getting a Gestapo-like knock at 10 pm. In a good, quiet, safe neighborhood.

I can't imagine what it would be like to be black if this is the way cops treated my family.

I can't believe people think everything is fine.

[Portia]

Well, if the police had to stop you, that's proof you were up to no good, right? I honestly believe that (when black skin is involved, anyway) that's literally all the justification plenty of people need.

Seriously. My parents had the cops called on them once over a neighborhood parking dispute ("Your guests can't park in front of my house!" "...Uh, yeah they can..."), and the police showed up in force. Four squad cars, one in the driveway, one in front of the house, and two about three houses down in opposite directions.

The cops came to the door, hands on their guns, and made my parents come out and be questioned. They were extremely rude, and my parents felt demeaned. The cops presumed guilt. To this day, they don't know what the neighbor accused them of. My dad raised his voice and they felt threatened maybe? The cops wouldn't say.

Rich, middle-aged white people. The mayor is a personal friend. In pajamas, with bed hair. My mom was holding a pillow to hide that she wasn't wearing a bra. Coming out of their own house after getting a Gestapo-like knock at 10 pm. In a good, quiet, safe neighborhood.

I can't imagine what it would be like to be black if this is the way cops treated my family.

I can't believe people think everything is fine.

On the topic of Being Detained While White:

- my brother once got pulled over for a broken tail light. Was let off with a warning
- he's also a fairly regular illegal drug user (oh well, white college dudes will do what they gotta do)
- I got threatened for "lewdness" ... twice ... by the same officer. Can't a woman get privacy in a Church parking lot?!
- I literally bolted from the transit police one time. So yeah, I think it wouldn't just be a zany Rebecca Bunch-type incident had I not be a small white woman

[Imogen]

it's scary. i'm scared for my future children. black and iranian? they're in danger.

[Giovanni Schwartz]

Well, if the police had to stop you, that's proof you were up to no good, right? I honestly believe that (when black skin is involved, anyway) that's literally all the justification plenty of people need.

Seriously. My parents had the cops called on them once over a neighborhood parking dispute ("Your guests can't park in front of my house!" "...Uh, yeah they can..."), and the police showed up in force. Four squad cars, one in the driveway, one in front of the house, and two about three houses down in opposite directions.

The cops came to the door, hands on their guns, and made my parents come out and be questioned. They were extremely rude, and my parents felt demeaned. The cops presumed guilt. To this day, they don't know what the neighbor accused them of. My dad raised his voice and they felt threatened maybe? The cops wouldn't say.

Rich, middle-aged white people. The mayor is a personal friend. In pajamas, with bed hair. My mom was holding a pillow to hide that she wasn't wearing a bra. Coming out of their own house after getting a Gestapo-like knock at 10 pm. In a good, quiet, safe neighborhood.

I can't imagine what it would be like to be black if this is the way cops treated my family.

I can't believe people think everything is fine.

If I recall correctly, it's because the parking guy yelled at little sister's friends (at 8 in the evening) telling them they couldn't park overnight, so mom went Momma Bear and told him off, and he "felt threatened" and called the cops on them.

[mic0]

Apparently I have deep-seated feelings about my birthday, because I woke up feeling sad, got sadder, got to work and literally cried, then came home early hoping not too many people noticed. Also I keep the date off facebook on purpose because I don't want the attention, but having not told anyone this of course my parents mentioned it. Social anxiety and unfounded sadness! WTF, brain?

[Whistler]

aww I hope you have a happy un-birthday on a different day.

[Emiliana]

Last Saturday I noticed that the power was out in our guest room. Texted the landlord, he said he'd come by this week to look. Thursday rolled around, hadn't heard from him so I texted again to find out when he'd be coming. Said he'd get on it soon. Yesterday afternoon, while my husband and I were napping, two electricians showed up. No notice from the landlord, no nothing. Just two guys ringing the doorbell.

What? We could have been out. We could have been having sex. Who doesn't even tell their tenants that someone is coming to work on the house? Our crappy landlord, apparently.

[Emiliana]

Last Saturday I noticed that the power was out in our guest room. Texted the landlord, he said he'd come by this week to look. Thursday rolled around, hadn't heard from him so I texted again to find out when he'd be coming. Said he'd get on it soon. Yesterday afternoon, while my husband and I were napping, two electricians showed up. No notice from the landlord, no nothing. Just two guys ringing the doorbell.

What? We could have been out. We could have been having sex. Who doesn't even tell their tenants that someone is coming to work on the house? Our crappy landlord, apparently.

Okay, so, my sister says that it isn't that unusual or weird or whatever to have someone just show up. She says it's just part of renting. Opinions?

[Zedability]

I'm mainly jealous that your landlord only requires one followup, as opposed to multiple followups and eventual withholding of rent money until the problem is fixed

To actually answer your question, in my current apartment the management will give notice if repairs are going to be done that you didn't request, but if you did request repairs, the maintenance man just kind of shows up and they assume that you're okay with that because you did ask him to come by. I agree that it's annoying, though, since you don't even know what day it's going to be and it's hard to prepare/not be in a state of undress.

[Indefinite Integral]

Last Saturday I noticed that the power was out in our guest room. Texted the landlord, he said he'd come by this week to look. Thursday rolled around, hadn't heard from him so I texted again to find out when he'd be coming. Said he'd get on it soon. Yesterday afternoon, while my husband and I were napping, two electricians showed up. No notice from the landlord, no nothing. Just two guys ringing the doorbell.

What? We could have been out. We could have been having sex. Who doesn't even tell their tenants that someone is coming to work on the house? Our crappy landlord, apparently.

All the landlords I have had asked if workers could have permission to enter when you weren't home, so you could at least choose that option and not answer the door. From what I understand, they are supposed to get your consent to enter when you aren't there, but other than that, it sounds fairly typical to my experience renting. My current place even allows you to specify hours when they are allowed to come, but our maintenance guy noted that having really restrictive hours might make it take longer to get looked at.

[Craig Jessop]

Yeah, landlord maintenance is the worst thing in the world. But in my experience renting two separate places, they just show up and let themselves in. One of my landlords even left all my lights on, the windows open, and the doors unlocked. All I got was a "oh, I'll tell the guys to be more careful about that." Not even a sorry.

We should all just buy houses with cash and live off our independent incomes, because that would be awesome.

[Zedability]

OMG our landlord was showing our apartment when we were on vacation and he left the apartment unlocked for the *entire weekend afterwards.* I was so mad.

[Marduk]

I say the same thing multiple times. I give examples. I even ask the specific students I'm worried about if they understand how to do it, and if they are going to do it in their paper. They demonstrate to me that they can do it.

And then they make the same stupid mistake in their paper. I wish I could just give everyone A's, I really do. But when students act like this....

[Whistler]

I say the same thing multiple times. I give examples. I even ask the specific students I'm worried about if they understand how to do it, and if they are going to do it in their paper. They demonstrate to me that they can do it.

And then they make the same stupid mistake in their paper. I wish I could just give everyone A's, I really do. But when students act like this....

When I taught writing I told them they could rewrite a paper for a higher grade. Maybe 2/90 students did?

[Marduk]

I've told them the same thing. In my class of 16 (this semester) one student has asked to do a rewrite. That's about on par for other semesters (although one time I had eight in a class of 23.)