I have a blog friend who writes The Cahokian, I read his posts everyday. Some days I agree with him and some days I don't, but I always listen to what he has to say because if I walk away with just a tiny bit of his wisdom sticking to me I know I am a better person because of it.
I probably should have begun a notebook when the President was elected so I wouldn't have to rely on my fading memory, but I didn't ... sigh... so these are just some random remembrances.
After the 2008 election my email box would fill with the usual Reps vs Dems jokes that spin around the earth so fast they no doubt have their very own orbits. Then gradually the R v D attacks changed to rather vulgar, very 50's racist jokes about a very black, fried chicken and watermelon eating president. Whoa! thought I - where is this coming from?
I would email back to these 'friends' that I found their jokes to be very racist and that I wished to be removed from their mailing lists as I was deeply offended by the content. In some cases they would write back to me that 'they weren't racist, they made fun of everyone'. Well not exactly EVERYONE, I never saw jokes about themselves: Scenario - a picture of a small insignificant little white person hiding behind the American flag pulling strings that opened or closed doors of opportunity, education, and assistance at his whim.
Occasionally the rare picture of the President morphed with that of an ape would made it through and even more disgusting use of "lynching lingo". We haven't gotten to where we need to be when actions of this type still go on. The Internet has afforded many that nice 'white sheet' of anonymity to toss over their heads as they spew out their venom.
So it falls on us 'the ones with eyes that see and ears that hear' to speak up and say "I don't want to hear that from you, it's inappropriate and wrong and you should be ashamed of yourself. Or as Mr. Knightley said to Emma after her hurting remarks to Ms. Bates: "It was badly done, indeed!"
"Big change always starts somewhere...let it begin with you and me!"
I never let any bigoted remarks go unchallenged. And since I'm 6'5", I usually get my way. What is wrong with these people? It's like the period of social progress we saw in our country from the 60s through the 70s never happened. These idiots were on ice all that time and unfortunately for us and the world, they're thawing out now.
ReplyDeleteHey Annie thanks for the kind words.
ReplyDeleteSome days I agree with him and some days I don't, but I always listen to what he has to say because if I walk away with just a tiny bit of his wisdom sticking to me I know I am a better person because of it.
You know I feel the same way about you. And it's one of the amazing things about blogging that it restores some of your faith in the goodness of people when you "meet" somebody from a completely different place, background and experience who reflects back a certain fundamental decency of human values.
I'm glad to know you!
Thank you Ian, you made me very good. Hope everyone has the best day possible.
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