I don't know exactly what that means except it has to do with race relations and black men going to jail because they are black. From what I have experienced over my lifetime is that our parents didn't teach us to be prejudice. That is something we are born unto as a survival instinct. We have to be taught not to judge people except by who they really are. At school we call it bullying because you pick on the kid that is different. No ones parents taught them to pick on the fat kid, or the skinny kid, or the tall child, or the ugly child, or the child that is different from you. We have all done this at least once in our lives even if we want to deny it. Sometimes bullying goes to far and we have to step up to make things right.
I remember the first time I took a school bus to a city school. I was just starting the 10th grade and with the exception of a lady that was hired to take care of my brothers and I for a couple of weeks when I was thirteen I had never seen a black person. I do remember the lady and I was fascinated by her. Not because she was black but because she was beautiful and told such sad stories.
Anyway, on my first day we passed the black neighborhood and there were several black children walking on the sidewalk and another kid yelled "hey chocolate drop". I asked him why he did that and he said because they were white on the inside and black on the outside, just like the candy chocolate drop. Well the next day I yelled out the window too but a couple of the children looked up at our school bus and I saw the look of hurt in their eyes. That made me feel really bad and I thought about those stories Geneva told me and I understood.
I went away to college and when I came back I went to the Community Center hoping to see some of my friends only to discover it was now a private club. A young kid was sitting on the wall along the walkway and looked so sad and I asked him what was wrong. He said he had hoped to join the community center but all the memberships had been sold.
I went up to the people checking membership passes and asked if it was okay if I just went in for a minute or two to see if any of my friends were there. They told me no but I could buy a membership and go in for as long as I liked. I remarked that I thought they didn't have any left. At lest, I said, that's what I was just told. Oh, you mean that young kid over there. Yea, we sale memberships to keep his kind out. I said, oh, okay and purchased a year membership. I then walked back to the kid and handed him my membership card and told him he was now a member.
I don't know what ever happened to him but I know what happened to me.
To be perfectly honest, I'm like most folks and I am cautions around people different that I am. I don't like rap music nor any music that anyone plays too loud. I will ask you to turn it down. I don't like saggy pants, body jewelry, tattoos, foul language, people who use illegal drugs, liars, thieves,
people who pretend to be something they are not and snobby folks. I like people who are clean, nicely dressed, and genuine.
You can be anyone you choose to be. It's none of my business but it is my business who I let into my world and who I choose to let in. A lot of folks don't like me because I'm conservative and I'm not charming. I'm not ugly but I'm not pretty either. I'm just about as average as a man can get in most aspects of my life. I prefer you go live your life and let me live mine.
Of course being white it is easier to sum up another white person. I don't judge whether they are a good person or not but only if I would consider letting them be part of my world. There is no circumstance under which I would deny any one respect even if I determine you are not they type of person I want to be friends with. yea, you are right. There are plenty of people with tattoos who were saggy britches and body jewelry who are perfectly nice, descent people who are as honest as the day is long. Never said there wasn't. I can't be friends with everyone. Neither can you.
I don't like someone just because they are white anymore than I would dislike someone because they aren't. that would not only make me a racist but I would also be a bully.
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