You can't play the race card without a full deck.

I'm going to start keeping track of how often my students call me racist. Today I was talking to a Filipino student about how much we like Jollibee, and another student loudly turned that in to a declaration that I hate Mexican food and am racist against Mexicans. Never mind that Mexican isn't a race. And neither is food, for that matter.

I love the narrow-mindedness of ethnic groups who think that their country is the best, their group is the best, and anyone who isn't them is racist. If (insert country here) was so awesome, why are you here? I've met people from all over the world, and never once has a single one of them said to me, "We came to America because it sucks and it offered far less opportunities than our own country did."

I'm somewhat of a unabashed patriot. I love my country, and I'm damn glad I was born here. I'm fortunate to live in a country that, despite all its problems and failings, is still better than most of the other countries on this planet. I'm always amazed by people who willingly come here and then bitch about how much they hate it. Look, the door swings both ways, pal. There are thousands of people all over the world who would give anything to be here. If you're not happy here, leave and make room for someone who actually wants to be here.

Oh, and please learn the difference between race, ethnicity and nationality, because you sound ignorant otherwise.

And you wonder why our schools are in trouble? Really?

There was an article in the local rag today about a special ed teacher at Mojave High who failed to report to police that two students bought a semiautomatic handgun to school. According to the article, the students had it out in class, and one passed it to another.

But that's not nearly as interesting as some of the comments on the newspaper's website about the whole incident. Here are some of my personal favorites:

Metro wants you to snitch on your neighbor, student, co-worker anyone. This is community training. This is conditioning to get people comfortable with the idea of reporting on their neighbors; a concept repugnant to most free societies, but one very common to police states.

Why are so many calling out for this teacher to be stoned in public when there is NO VICTIM? Where is the victim(s) in this incident? If we are not careful we are apt to allow our local police to become as militarized as California's. Nations behind the old Iron Curtain had less a police state than we do now. Where do we draw the line, people?

Perhaps the teacher and the students believe that the Constitution of the United States preempt the nanny playground rules? Infringed? Who is sworn to uphold the constitution and laws of the United States of America? How much longer will citizens tolerate this arrogant behavior from our public servants enforcing illegal gun laws?

This is all *so* unnecessary. Abolish public education. Nobody cares which private school students are carrying or concealing. Nobody cares what private school teachers see or when they see it. Except maybe socialist busybodies in the Legislature and the unemployed, public school bureaucrats, union members, and contractors looking for their chance to get back on the dole.

Four different comments from four different people. Gun in school? Good thing. Teacher not telling on students with gun? Good thing. Teacher getting in trouble for not telling? Worst thing ever. This is but a small sample of the anti-teacher, anti-school, anti-education mentality common in Las Vegas. It's enough to make me feel like I'm treading water in a sea of dullards and lackwits who think I'm their personal flotation device.

Blog. I has it.

Friends have suggested that I start a blog. I tend to rant and/or rave with increasing frequency on Facebook, and I suspect their eager recommendation for me to blog lies more in their desire not to be subjected to my bitchiness unless they are ready and willing to read it. Actually, this just gives me one more way to unleash my vitriol upon the world. And here it is.

Sorry, world...but you brought this upon yourself.