Wannaskan Almanac for Tuesday, February 28, 2023 That's Racist!

It is the last day of February.  This is only true because this is not a leap year.  Leap years occur approximately every 4 years.  The reason is that a year is not exactly 365 days long.  A year is actually 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds...or 365.2422 days.  Since there is a little bit extra we add in a day almost every 4 years to make the seasons line up with the proper months.  If we didn't do this then there is the danger that in approximately 600 years Christmas would fall in the middle of summer.  Then how would Santa get his sleigh around to deliver all those presents.  Probably the same way he does in the Southern Hemisphere and tropics, but I don't have time to get into all of that.

Not this year you fractionally longer year!

I have a confession to make.  I like to tell jokes.  No, I am serious about that.  I have a strong attraction to bad humor, aka dad jokes.  The other day I told my class this one.  

"You know what rubs me the wrong way?"

Pause as the students rolled their eyes.

"A left handed masseuse."

Nobody laughed.  One student piped up, "That's racist!"  It didn't bother me.  If there is one thing I have learned it is that kids nowadays think everything is racist.  Especially if it is a joke that they don't understand.  They have been conditioned to believe in a racist boogeyman hiding in every corner of every interaction.  I don't get upset when they exhibit this.  Instead I try to open up the conversation.  

"How is that joke racist?"  I asked.  

The kids stroked their imaginary beards, and scratched their very real heads.  "Well, we just think it is," was their response.  

I stroked my own stubble and scratched my head.  "So, is it that whatever someone thinks is racist is racist?" I queried.  

"Yeah!"  they replied, obviously glad that I had figured it out.  

"Hmm," I said.  "I think that your statement is racist."  

They hate it when I out-think them.  But kids are resilient.   They let me have my little victory while they retreated, waiting for the next dumb dad joke to accuse me of racism.  At least they are consistent.  

Before you get all bent out of shape...racism does exist.  There are loads of people who justify their stupid behaviors toward people with different shades of melanin.  Me, I believe we are all children of the same God.  A good father harshly deals with people who disrespect his children.  That is a good reason to let go of your hate...toward everyone!