Russell Peters...again

I just watched my favorite stand up comedian, Russell Peters, in a new skit I hadn't seen before.  This man is a genius.  He just never fails to make me laugh and agree with whatever racial joke he's telling...he makes fun of every nationality and race in the world, including Canadians...and he hits the mark every time.  We're all a hoot when you think about it.

Something he said hit a particular note with me.  He said that it bugs him when black people refer to themselves as African Americans or Canadians, most of whom have no experience whatsoever with Africa and no connection to it other than their race.  He said he has always referred to himself as an Indian until he visited India.  Departing the plane to the smells of India turned him right back into a Canadian pretty darned fast.  This is how I see it, too.  My heritage is Irish and who knows what else but I'm not an Irishman.  I'm Canadian.  A black woman born in Buffalo, New York is not an African American, she's an American.  Doesn't this make sense?

Russell Peters gets away with his racial jokes because he makes fun of every race and also himself.  There is no meanness in his jokes, just making us laugh at ourselves and the idiosyncrasies we all have.  If we are ever able to live together in unity, one of the first people we have to thank for it is Russell Peters.  He understands.