Is Offense in the Eye of the Beholder?

It turns out that the Olympic Russian ice dancing pair created some controversey even last month, before the games began in Canada. Their darkened skin, Aboriginal make-up and leaves attached to their costumes got some Aborigines and experts on Aborigenes heated up.





But ask around, and some will say, "Enough of the PC crap, it's just ice skating!" But, as I have argued countless times, even if you don't intend to be offensive doesn't mean you're off the hook.

What do you think?

Meanwhile . . . Back in the Jungle

I'm minding my own business in the back of a cab and the driver strikes up a conversation. As always, I'm happy to oblige in chit chat:

Driver: Where are you from? Are you Muslim?

Me: I'm American. No, not Muslim.

Driver: You never know. Dark skin, you could be a Muslim. I have friends from Sudan. Good people. Why are you here? Why do you speak German?

Me: My husband is German.

Driver: I'm from Turkey. But I was raised here. Germans, ugh. They are not easy.

Me: How so? (like I don't know, but for the sake of conversation. . .)

Driver: I was married to a German. Oh. . . that wasn't good.

Me: No?

Driver: They're not like us. They can't help it, they're naturally racist.

Me: But she married you.

Driver: Yeah, but she still couldn't help being racist.

Me: Are you two, um, still--

Driver: Of course not! And let me tell you, my family is happy about that. I bet your family wasn't thrilled about you marrying one of them.

Me: Well--

Driver: (interrupts me again) But you know, you and me, we can live here because of the Jews.

Me: (long pause before I speak): The Jews?

Driver: That's right. If they weren't here, you and I would be dead. The Germans would let those crazy skinheads loose. The Jews keep them in check.

Me: (sounding like a parrot) The Jews?

Driver: They're everywhere. They run the government.

Me: Angela Merkel is Jewish?

Driver: No . . . you can't actually see them, but they're everywhere. They keep peace in this country.

Me: Ohhhhkaaay. . .

Our eyes meet in the rearview mirror. I can't decide if he's messing with me or simply out of his mind.

Me: You know, you can let me out right here. . . the sun's out. I, um, I think I'll walk the rest of the way.

We are the World, Yes, Really

If you're of my generation, then you can recall at least one parody of the charity hit We Are The World. Even if you won't admit it today, you may have even put on a pair of headphones and re-enacted the highly emotive studio singing with your high school friends.

Although it was considered superficial and downright sappy by some music critics, We Are The World raised almost $45 million to fight hunger in Africa. And let's face it, in 1985, it wasn't yet hip for Hollywood stars to adopt babies from Africa.

We Are The World was, in its conception, a great idea and it still is today, 25 years later, in bringing attention and aid to Haiti. Stars in this new version include Barbara Streisand, Mary J. Blige, Celine Dion, Fergie, Pink, Kanye West (I know, if you can stand him), LL Cool J, Snoop Dog and, of course, Wyclef Jean and many others.

Sing along, you know you want to. . .

The Time "Trip"

A month ago today, we made a pirate birthday cake, hid chocolate gold coins in the snow for a scavenger hunt, and wearily blew air into colorful balloons. We couldn't believe our son was already six. Where had the time gone, we wondered?

Hours later, we watched the news and our fast-paced life suddenly stood still. With cake still on our plates, our lives were yanked upside down and we focused not here in Berlin but toward Haiti. Our office became a help Haiti center. My blog, usually a place for my observations about life in Germany, was transformed into a Haiti blog. There was nothing else to blog about, there was hardly time to think about anything else.

Our children, unsure of how to handle this odd piece of truth, the earth shook, began playing "orphanage" with their stuffed animals. Lego houses crashed to the ground.

Once we began planning the fundraiser, our daily routines were slacked on. We couldn't focus on our work (the stuff that pays the bills). Our kids spent more time at daycare. The laundry piles turned into mountains.

But then, suddenly, I looked up and today happened. The twelfth, already? I thought? Even in our bubble, life continued to race past us. Our son proudly wiggled his first loose tooth. "Costumes," the calendar scowled at me, "have to be sewn for Mardi Gras." The Berlin Film Festival is upon us. Haiti is, nowhere, a top story.

I looked at the calendar in shock, almost offended by its impatience.

Then it occurred to me, too, that all those Haitian babies that dared to be born amidst the rubble are already a month old today. I tried to remember my son at one month of age. Had he smiled yet? Was he already cooing? Was he already sucking his thumb? Sadly, I realized that I couldn't remember, at least not exactly.

. . .today is the twelfth. Life feels like it's spinning, fast, scary, whizzing out of control. It's a good thing instinct reminds us to hold on.


Photo: flickr

Haiti Lives!

THANK YOU to Maybrit Illner, Irmgard Knef, CubaKlassik, Gerlinde Boehm, Hans Werner Meyer, Tyron Ricketts, Muriel Baumeister, Nine Gnaedig, Rike Schmid, Simon Licht, Claudia Michelsen, the Berliners in the audience and the fabulous team of volunteers who helped make this event possible.

Haiti Lives raised 14,000 Euros with corporate sponsorship (thank you trnd.com, Blue Man Group and Taxi Deutschland!)

Thank you to Amanda Herman Tischbier, Olaf Tischbier, Deborah Giese, Tara Cain and all the generous raffle donors:



Meryl Prettyman

Cynthia Barcomi and Barcomi's

Philip B

Brille Badstrasse

Rike Feurstein

Ole Berlin

Sweet to Go

Deutsches Theater

breathe-fresh cosmetics

Physio Aktive

Dorso Fit

Uwe Stylisten

Rachel Moss

Aspria GmbH

TBWA/Berlin

Semmel Concerts

Berlin Brands

Cafe Bondi

Alex Marashian

Patti Ferer

Storytime Books

Anschutz Entertainment Group

Schuhtick


And for all the help behind the scenes. . .

Barbarella

Thomas Peter

Jens Hoehne

Christine Boock/Fuego Film

Babylon

Die Buchholz Architekten


Photo: Me, my husband, Georg Kemter with Jean Robert Saget, The Ambassador of Haiti

"I'm Not an Orphan, I Still Have My Parents!"

This quote is from a crying nine year-old Haitian girl taken by a group of Americans on a supposed "child rescue mission". The Baptist church group was stopped at the border for attempting to transport 33 children out of Haiti without papers. Many of the children taken were not orphans.

Help us take care of Haitian children in Haiti.


HAITI LIVES!

Sunday, February 7, 2010 at 18:00
Babylon (Rosa Luxemburg Str. 30)
25 Euros

An event organized by The J. A. Clermont Memorial Foundation/Clermont Center for Homeless Children
In Germany: Hilfe für Waisenkinder in Jacmel, Haiti (i.G.)