I don't understand why people who are ignorant, racist and offensive can say whatever they please and yet I have to be polite and keep my mouth shut.

I have an uncle who has lived in Texas my whole life, but by some random act of chance we are both living in the greater Cincinnati area at this time. It's no surprise that my political ideology is, in general, vastly different than somebody who has spent much of their adult life in Texas. Steve does seem fairly laid back, so he's not horrible (like another uncle who married my mom's sister and is just awful and always picks fights with me). Even though Steve and I have both been in Cincinnati, we haven't gotten together yet. When I speak to him on the phone he says random and slightly offensive things like, "People in Kentucky fly the rebel flag to keep the rif raff from Cincinnati out." (By rif raff I assume he means black people...how is somebody supposed to respond to that?)

Today we got together for the first time to meet my sister at the airport and help her make a connecting flight. I know, completely random. (Laura was flying from Detroit to New Jersey by herself and had a connection in Cincinnati.) I spent more time alone with Steve than I ever have in my whole life. He is a very loving uncle, probably moreso than any other aunt or uncle I have. He is the only of my mom's siblings who has ever called me to chat. So I'm in a sticky situation. How do you react to somebody who is so blatantly racist? I mean, he said to me today, "I'm not prejudice, but..." (You know that when somebody says that they are about to say something really racist) "I only want to live in a white city." How is that not prejudice? That is the definition of racist. I don't want to live around black people, but I don't have a problem with them. How is that NOT racist?!?! Don't even get me started on the ignorant things he said about the Middle East.

Another Uncle once accused me of living in an ivory tower. Maybe I do. But what am I supposed to do when somebody is spreading blatant lies and hatred? What do you do when you hear somebody say to you, "I think those Iraqis got what they deserved after what they did to us on September 11th." I replied, "What did Iraqis do on September 11th?" "They destroyed the world trade center" "They were Saudi Arabian. Not a single one war Iraqi. The government even admits that." "Well they are all the same, all those people in the Middle East."

Good lord. I know I need to learn to pick my battles, but why can he said blatantly rude, offensive, prejudiced, ignorant things and I am the one who has to keep my mouth shut. It is so damn indicative of the United States when the unintelligent idiots are making all the noise and the intelligent people keep their mouths shut in order to be polite. THAT is why there is so much damn mis-information out there.

I'm so mad right now.

I'm also mad because I just learned my 18 year old sister stole my mom's diamond tennis bracelet and my father's grandfather's antique watch and pawned them. My mother found the receipt while snooping in her room. When she confronted Nicole about it, Nicole denied it. DENIED it! She was caught red-handed and STILL lied about it.

The worst part is that the bracelet was worth over $1000 and my dad's watch is priceless. The pawn shop gave her $65 for the bracelet and $75 for the watch. What a flipping crook. (Nicole and the pawn shop guy) My mom is going to be able to get the stuff back, but she has to buy it back.

My dad kicked Nicole out of the house. He wanted to call the police as well but my mom stopped him. After a few days Nicole called and was told that she could come back as long as she got a drug test and went to counseling. I certainly hope Nicole takes my mom up on the offer. If she were my daughter I would never let her come back because I couldn't ever trust her again. I suppose I am like my dad in that way. I feel really awful for Mark and Laura who are trapped in this situation.

Nicole denies that she uses drugs. I certainly hope that she is addicted to drugs. If she isn't addicted to drugs and yet stole my parents jewelry then there is no way to excuse behavior that selfish. I couldn't even sleep this weekend. I have no appetite and I feel sick and nauseated when I think about her.