CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

My journey in music has taken me to many places, one being a burn camp for children in Northern California. It is a place where kids with severe burn scars come together every year. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

One day at the burn camp I saw two boys, about ten years old, fighting. I stopped them.
"What happened? Why are you fighting?" 

"He called me black," one little boy said in anger.

"You are black," I responded. "And there is nothing wrong with that! But if you fight about it you are saying that there is. When someone calls you black just say thank you and be proud of it." Then I hugged him and told him I loved him.

Then there's the politically correct Thing. This wears me out. I never understood why they took that cute little Chihuahua out of the Taco Bell commercials. I loved that little dog. "Yo quiero Taco Bell." (I want Taco Bell) BRILLIANT! That commercial always made me hungry for a burrito. 

I say let's celebrate cultures. Who doesn't like a good taco or enchilada? Taking the Chihuahua dog out of the commercial says Mexican is not OK. So should a golden retriever be in the commercial? Would that make it politically correct? PLEASE!

My Tita was born in Chihuahua, Mexico. She was my grandmother. I loved my Tita and still do. I wish I could cook like her and make her Spanish rice. Every day Tita would have her "copita" at 4pm (tea time). Many times it was a glass of Jose Cuervo gold tequila with salt and lime and some snacks. Jose Cuervo you are a friend of mine was the number one country song of the year in 1983. I wrote it. Thank God I have that Mexican blood in me. The song just would not have been the same if it was about beer, wine, scotch, gin, whiskey or even moonshine. I owe my songwriting success to my Mexican heritage and my Tita. That makes me proud. I always tell my Mexican friends, "I'm in the club!" These days I am working on speaking Spanish better.

To understand something it is best to look at its opposite. Wonder if all of us were the same race, spoke the same language, ate the same food, listened to the same music, wore the same uniform, had the same hairstyle, had the same ideas and so on? We might as well be robots. BORING!! 

And then there's the religion thing. One day at Curves I got into a conversation with a Hindu woman. "Tell me about your religion," I asked her. She started talking about love and brotherhood and all kinds of beautiful things. "Really?" I commented. "Maybe I'm Hindu." She even invited me to her temple.

Now Jesus... he had the right idea! He loves everyone! He told us that we are ALL brothers and sisters. I don't think he would have ever participated in the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition or joined the Ku Klux Klan even though they call themselves Christians. Personally, I am all about LOVE just like Jesus. And what about those forms where you check off your race? I always check OTHER (if they have it) and then write in the word HUMAN.

I say, "Viva la difference!" Diversity makes the world more interesting. Embrace it! It makes life a lot more fun to live in harmony and celebrate our differences. Have you ever been in the Its a Small World ride at Disneyland? Now that's what I'm talking about.

If you haven't experienced the ride here it is, Christmas 2015. It makes me smile. LOVE TO ALL!