ragalion

I don’t have a tattoo yet, but I have decided what I want. I want a tattoo of the name “Simon” in Hebrew. I don’t have a Jewish boyfriend named Simon. I watched a well made documentary about several men who all claimed to be the Messiah at the same time as Jesus.

Simon the slave’s story inspired me. There’s far more concrete historical fact that he existed than any of the others. He was hated, labeled a false prophet, and largely forgotten. Why? He and his followers successfully attacked and killed the Roman soldiers occupying Israel. Simon died a martyr. The Romans retalliated viciously. They drove every person of Hebrew descent out of Israel. The Jews were later given a new Isreal in the same area, in 1948.

Why would I want a tattoo to remember this creep?

Simon was hated then forgotten by the world. I’d hate someone who led to me and mine being kicked out of the U.S. But…

He also did what he thought was right, and did his best. Not enough people do. I personally feel that he was a “Renegade of Funk.”

“History is written by the victors. So let’s make sure we win!”
-Maya Walker (me)

It turned out that I have a thyroid imbalance. I take medication to treat the symptoms,so I am able to lose weight. Since I started seeing my current doctor, I’ve lost over fifty pounds. (I have a large frame.)

I stopped seeing a truly bizarre physicians assistant. She would tell me odd stories about how she hated her sister. And she pretended to be a doctor. sigh I love the US, but we need to do better about health care in this country. Mind you, I had to deal with her and I have insurance. Far too many people don’t. Meh.

My new doctor asked me how much I weighted a decade ago. I told him. He promised that if I work on it, I can get back there again. I asked if I could be ten pounds less than that, and he said five more was okay.

I’ve lost fifty plus pounds, so I’ll consider this done if not finished.

Hello. My name is Maya Walker. Chances are, you’ve never heard of me, and that’s okay. I’m not famous, and even if I were, I wouldn’t mind. I’m easy going, unless something hurtful happens to me and mine. Something did, so I decided to do something about it; I wrote a letter.

Here’s some background information: my dad is black and my mom is white. That makes me biracial of course, and hopefully you knew that. It does not make me “mulatto” because that’s a racial slur. It comes from “mule” and is a racist insult. Not everyone knows that unfortunately, so when people use it by mistake, I correct them.

When the Official Scrabble Dictionary used it by mistake, I wrote them a polite email. I gave myself a few days to be sure that I was no longer furious first. (I’m glad I found that hateful word and not my usual Scrabble opponent: my eleven year old niece.)

Hasbro emailed me back, and they wrote me a letter on their stationary. No, they didn’t promise to immediately take it out, but I didn’t expect them to. These things take time. I only expected two things. I recieved them and more.

1.) They apologized.
2.) They said. “Please be assured that the upper management team is reviewing your concerns.”
3.) They gave me the phone number of their dictionary partner Merriam Webster.
4.) They gave me the phone number for Hasbro in case I had additional concerns.

I’m going to frame the letter and hang it on my wall. I’m also going to keep on top of this, and update as needed. I’m optimistic When that word no appears in the Official Scrabble Dictionary, I’ll have a chat with my niece. I’ll tell her what Auntie Maya did. I’m not boastful, but I want her to know that one person truly can make a difference.

If someone is racist, homophobic or otherwise hateful, even if they don’t know it, please tell them and explain that it’s not okay. If you have the opportunity to make the world a little better, why not take it? It doesn’t have to be a big thing. You’ll be making the world a nicer place, and of course you’ll become a Renegade of Funk.