Quote:
Originally Posted by deacon blues
She also talked about waking up every morning in a house built by slaves. Is it possible to get over the slavery thing? You know, since it ended 150 years ago????
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I've thought the same thing. But then again, my family were not slaves. I haven't heard the stories retold by my grandmother at the dinner table that so many people of color have. Nor have I experienced the institutional racism that so many of them have.
I've experienced more discrimination over being a male than being white. For example, I sometimes call and try to resolve issues with the bills and creditors. They tell me what they can or cannot do for us and normally, they don't budge. However, Christina will get upset that I wasn't able to work out a payment plan or arrangement and call them herself. I've listened in on the conversations, they are nicer to her and bend over backwards to help her. One day in Wal-Mart I couldn't find a specific item and asked for assistance, they seemed uninterested in helping me. Gave it a quick glance and apologized for not being more help and walked away. I tracked down Christina and she became so frustrated that I couldn't find help. So, she asked this associate if they could help us find the item. The associate went out of their way for like 15 minutes looking for the item, even pulled in some help from two other associates. Eventually, they found it! LOL When you have long blonde hair, and are "easy on the eyes", you don't face the same challenges as when you're big and hairy like me. lol
There are now certain things she takes care of because she's female and we know how it will go if I call. I had her listen in on a few calls relating to bills and expenses on several different occasions and she was shocked with how "cold" they were to me and how unwilling to work with me. She waited an hour and called back. She was amazed with how friendly, warm, charming, and flexible they were for her. I tried to explain to her.... "try being a man stranded by the roadside". Few will even consider stopping to help you. However, if you're blonde and easy on the eyes like my girl.... you'll have a dozen "Good Samaritans" pulling over to "help" you. I told her that she's spoiled because of this. That's why she's so optimistic and I'm more pessimistic. She's used to things working out and people working with her. I'm used to being brushed off and left to fend for myself.
I look at racism much the same way. Until we actually focus on seeing it, we might not even realize how real the discrimination can be. If you sound black over the phone, will your utilities or creditors be as flexible? Will you be pulled over more? Will you stand to face certain dangers more? I believe it is quite real. We shouldn't disparage the reality of their experience.
Slavery was a genocide. It left several generations in deep poverty from which they are only starting to crawl out of. I try to be compassionate and understanding. They have a different cultural perspective because culturally the world is quite different for them than it is for us. Do some use it as an excuse? Yes. But it doesn't mean it isn't real.
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