Have You Ever "Edited" the Journal of Your Life??

I am so... confused? shocked?? stupidified??? Hell I am not really sure what the hell I am, so help me out and give me some advice on a situation, okkaaayyyyy?!?!

Earlier this week I was confronted by a good friend of mine about the contents of this blog. To be specific, the blog post titled "Hollywood's Stump Speech." I was told by my friend that she took "great offense" to me being "racist" in my writings. I was told that I made fun of how other races name their children and that I used words such as "n*gger" and "wetbacks" fluidly throughout the entire post. At the time I didn't have a computer sitting around to see what she was talking about. To be quite honest I just knew she couldn't have been talking about something I personally wrote. Me? Racist?? I can honestly say with a pure conscience that I have never said, exhibited, or even acknowledged anything about, or related to the slander of any race (well maybe white people a few times). And the ONLY time I have used the words I was accused of using is when I am referring to my closest friends and family, and even then it is never used in a demeaning way, nor would anyone within ear shot consider it racist!!

Well of course when I got to a computer the first thing I did was go straight to the blog. I read every single post! Twice!! (That's a whole lotta reading.) I never found anything that would be deemed "racism" or "racist" at anytime.

I will say that the particular post "Stump Speech" is HIGHLY opinionated and I understand that many people wouldn't agree with the things I wrote that horribly long overnight shift I was working in the ER. It does contain some foul language. It also contains phrases that could be deemed hateful, but none of those phrases are directed towards any race whatsoever. As for the name examples I used in the post... I gave examples that were meant as a joke, were fictitious, are joked about on a daily basis in the media and more than likely in every single social group that exists in America. I used 3 fictitious name examples: one that is "ghetto" (could be construed as African American); one that is obviously Hispanic (I was told that it was racist because of the length and number of names I used... I am sorry but in my family and where I grew up all of the Hispanics were given a 1st name, a last name, and the middle name(S) were predominantly every single last name that was blood related to that person. Am I wrong? I have a tia that has 5 middle names, all last names of our relatives.) AND SORRY FOR THE CAPS BUT I DID USE ANOTHER NAME EXAMPLE - I poked fun at the wonderful white trash, redneck, country bohunk, etc. names some people give to their daughters. WHEN ALL OF THE EXAMPLES I USED INCLUDED EVERY PREDOMINANT RACE IN THE USA, HOW COULD I BE RACIST? BETTER YET, HOW COULD ANY ONE PERSON TAKE OFFENSE?

Anyways, after carefully reading over the entire blog, each and every word of every single post since I started this blog, I questioned other members in the "circle of friends" of my friend that stated she was offended by what I wrote. Come to find out, I had pretty much offended the entire circle; all of them stating racism.

UGGHHH!!! Still not mad, I promise.

So here is my plea to all of you...

Would everyone please take a little time and review my blog (in particular the post "Hollywood's Stump Speech") and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE comment telling me whether or not you feel it is racist in anyway. I am not asking anyone to agree/disagree with my opinions I wrote concerning politics or any other subject matter. I just want to know if you would take offense to the writings in a manner that would be deemed racism. I need to know, after reviewing my blog viewed statistics, I have had readers in 17 different countries and average about 28-34 hits a day. I do not want to be considered racist or any other word/label associated to the hatred or slander of any race here in the US or for any other country on the whole planet.

Just so everyone knows I am still friends with all that confronted me about this. Yeah, there are some that I have been told talked a lot of crap behind my back. I was also told that when it was being discussed that the entire place was enraged. And I have also been told (when I questioned who initiated the killing mob against me) 4 different people, all friends, and I believe that the one friend I went off on hardcore wasn't actually the person who brought up the conversation. In fact, I was told (by many) that he was nowhere around the night I was hated on and cussed about, but hey... at least I was the topic of conversation!! Good or bad, I was on their mind! LMAO

(My friendship has not changed with any of them, I am not trying to disprove their beliefs, I respect the ones who confronted me face to face, and I have no hard feelings to the ones who didn't.)

Muchos Besos Mis Amigos!

H. Wood

PS - Going back to edit your journal is like trying to rewrite a History book... it just ain't right!!

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FACT #1 I have more Hispanic/Mexican members of my family than I do Caucasian.

FACT #2 Every single guy I have dated and/or had "beyond friend" relations with since I came out of the closet 16 years ago (with the exception of 1, ummmm better make that <4)>

FACT #3 The town I consider my "hometown" Marlin, Texas... I was the minority by a considerable percentage and I loved it!

FACT #4 I am a "legal" guardian of a 15 year old butt head smart ass boy (he's my heart) who just happens to be 1/2 black, 1/4 white, and 1/4 Chilean.

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