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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsToday I met one of the young blacks with whom the parents have had “the talk”.
I live in the South.
And my neighbors have guns. But I forget that. And often I realize I shouldnt - or that I shouldnt have!
Not til it was all over, and I ruminated about how strange I felt about the incident, did I put it together.
The talk had told the young black man to not come onto a white persons property because they could have a gun and their life might be in danger.
My layout is a huge, mostly graveled business like back yard, fenced, with a 10 foot gate, and it was open because I worked on a project and expected a visitor.
I saw a young black man stand at the gate, and he obviously wanted my attention. So I waved him in. He would not come.
I was busy, I waved him in with grand gestures next - but he still would not enter through the property perimeter.
I walked towards him then, irritated really, because why did he make me do that when obviously he was the one who needed me, not the other way around.
It turned out he needed to call someone, and asked me for the use of my phone.
I actually had to go get the phone, take it to him at the gate and then go pick it back up from him later.
NO WAY
No earthly way
would a person with white skin have had to jump through the hoops of such considerations, they would have walked up after my gesturing without second thoughts.
I so wish America could face up to what it has done and is still doing to its black citizens.
Im an immigrant who came in on a coal freighter from Europe in the sixties, and because my skin is pink I was never stigmatized.
I once asked my (Democratic) Mother-in-Law who thought it was so great that her son had married a German how she would feel about that if Germans were black.
That would make a huge difference she said.
What I witnessed today, and of course often do in many ways, shows you that difference.
I'm sad about how this very simple incident shows our white folk privilege is inherent and does not extend to our fellow citizens of color. Jim Crow is alive in so many ways.
I'm glad that Germans are rarely black makes my life a whole lot less complicated.
riversedge
(70,197 posts)But, he probably still would not 'get it"
Response to Mira (Original post)
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myrna minx
(22,772 posts)Response to myrna minx (Reply #3)
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myrna minx
(22,772 posts)You need to try harder.
Response to myrna minx (Reply #7)
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Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)with the lowest post count?
strawberries
(498 posts)holy comoly, not funny
Response to strawberries (Reply #5)
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strawberries
(498 posts)virtually slapped here, held off on being able to post because of things I have felt.
Maybe I didn't express myself properly or maybe I was too direct. Not sure
But you, OMG are digusting. don't even comment on my comments
kelliekat44
(7,759 posts)Stellar
(5,644 posts)and to show your white privilege/ignorance and on your third post.
Response to Stellar (Reply #11)
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coldean
(47 posts)I Live in the south as well and am very aware that gun owners are the majority here.
I had to have that talk with my son who is white. When he was 16 his girlfriend snuck him into her bedroom. I told him "Are you crazy?? This is Texas, fathers shoot boys that are sneaking into their windows and they are not going to wait for any explanation"
It's definitely a common sense talk we have to have with our children but I cannot imagine being black and having to talk to my kids about being safe around police, white neighborhoods, inside stores etc..
It's very sad that I was able to teach my children that if anything happened to them to go find a police officer. And black moms are having to teach their kids that whatever they do they need to stay out of the way of policemen.
Keep their heads down and don't cause trouble.
Of course I taught my kids to keep their heads down and don't cause trouble but that is because I didn't want to pay fines because I have unruly children. But our black citizens teach their kids this to keep them alive!
coldean
(47 posts)I'm new to this forum and am very happy to see that the comment filled with hate and ignorance was removed!
yuiyoshida
(41,831 posts)And thanks to the MIRT TEAM.
coldean
(47 posts)I'm happy to be here