“I HATE GOATS,â€Â HE SAID. “THE ONLY INTERACTION I have with goats is when I eat them.â€Â
It was far from a comforting thought since we were on our way to a goat-milking competition for media at the Fresno Fair. But it was a statement, the likes of which I̢۪ve come to expect from photo editor Juan Villa more than the three semesters we̢۪ve worked at The Collegian together.
I share a desk with Juan. He welcomed me to the staff last fall by informing me that the Fresno State equestrian team, for which I had won a national championship, is not a real sports team.
The leaders of the world could stand to learn what working at The Collegian has taught me: You don̢۪t spend a lot of time with someone without becoming either friends or mortal enemies. If you take yourself too seriously, the latter is inevitable.
Here at The Collegian, the term “mortal friendsâ€Â might be apropos.
“I need a job,â€Â Juan told me this summer.
“You can come mow my yard,â€Â I replied.
A brief look of shock passed over the face of our faculty adviser, Jefferson Beavers, upon overhearing this exchange.
What he didn’t understand and I couldn’t explain was that this sort of “racismâ€Â isn’t really. Juan knows I’m poking as much fun at myself and the stereotypes whites have about Mexicans as I am at his horchata-drinking self. It’s kind of like African-Americans using the “n-wordâ€Â as a term of endearment. It takes on the meaning the person using it gives it.
When Chinese-American former news editor Joanne Lui calls Juan “Burrito Boy,â€Â or sports editor Jimmy Graben imitates the accent of Indonesian former photographer Shaun Ho, it’s more than a cheap play for humor. It’s breaking down stereotypes by refusing to take offense at them.
Humor removes all power from stereotypes.
Heck, Shaun would even ask Jimmy to perform his imitation.
The teasing isn’t limited to nationality. I referred to last semester’s very white, very imposing columnist as “Norway’s version of King Kong.â€Â I myself continually face jabs at my “redneckâ€Â background. Joseph Vasquez, a freelance photographer, whistles Clint Eastwood’s signature eerie theme when I walk into the office with my spurs on.
On our way to the Fresno Fair to milk goats, Juan told opinion editor Matt Gomes that I was going to carry the team, despite my protest that I̢۪d only milked something once.
“Don’t let me down, Heather,â€Â he said to me. “I’m only here because we need two people.â€Â Turning back to Matt, he said, “She’s done this all her life.â€Â I just shook my head and laughed.
One of last semester’s many Panda Express fortune-cookie fortunes said, “You will always be surrounded by your true friends.â€Â Joe Hollak, then senior multimedia reporter and recipient of the fortune, asked the newsroom, “Does that mean I have to consider you my true friends?â€Â
With a grin on my face, I said, “Maybe you’ll have a good evening anyway.â€Â
It̢۪s what mortal friends are for.
Heather Billings is a senior at Fresno State majoring in mass communication and journalism with emphases in print journalism and digital media.