"We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights."
MLK, five years before his death, naming that *one little thing* that only a fool would think could ever effect individuals, a people - or their country - long after he was gone,...
Ach, suffice to say that the entire race conversation is like a scab we constantly pick but never clean out.
ReplyDeleteIt probably involves far more than just race, is based on layers upon layers of myth, and would involve the goring of many sacred oxen on all sides (there are many sides to this one methinks) -- which will make people angry and upset, which means it will likely not be addressed. It will also include accepting our like of godlike powers at omniscience are a myth too, which will entail acknowledging that our understanding will always be flawed and we should perhaps apologize for thinking it didn't. I'm not taking any bets on this happening, not anytime soon.
Suffice to say that I think one of the few ways I can properly address this is to not give people a free pass for exemplary behavior and moral rectitude if they chant "MLK" like a mantra (or lie about marching with him) -- what really are their motives for doing so? And slam people like IL Rep. Davis (and Police Supt. McCarthy -- there's plenty of fun to be had with this latest in light of some of the back story) for being the disreputable little vultures they are...although this is a slam to avian carrion eaters, who at least perform a valuable service; Ms. Davis and Mr. McCarthy, as far as I can tell, do no good service to anyone (which, by the way, the narrative there is being constructed on some lies -- the youth criminal culture and gang issue in Chicago isn't germaine to just one racial/ethinic group; it's a problem all the way around...but the narrative has been built and is proceeding apace...again, nothing constructive will come going forward because myth rather than reality has been used in the construction of the narrative -- oh well, so it goes).
Suffice to say about the only thing I can think of here is to admit to my own bias and lack of full understanding which will probably always be there due to my own special niche in American society/culture, but there are at least other places in the whole where my personal views may align very well with someone else who on other things we can't understand each other at all, maybe we should just get used to that and let it abide within reason. That's life I guess.
PW
*sorry, this whole thing warrants a better response, but honestly this is the best I could come up with for the time, and again, I'm rambling, so I'll stop
Oh what the hell...
ReplyDeleteAnd above all else, suffice to say that it really does not matter if one points to an abolitionist in one's pedigree or a slave holder as a point in one's favor or disfavor (it only points to why someone would care to bring it up -- a topic in and of itself interesting). At some point in everyone's family tree one will find saints and sinners, the good shepherds and the evil bastards. We're all freaking bastards (in more ways the one, I'll wager).
Suffice to say that Americans are undeniably bastards...but as bastards go, generally speaking about the entirety of our people (which contains every pigment, hue, shade, and variation under the sun) , comparatively speaking, are overall, generally very benign bastards -- loveable bastards if you will.
Of course, this is my own bias speaking perhaps, but it's there and can't be denied.
PW