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This is my first blogg here so I decided to cheat and use a previous blogg from a lesser site...
The night was really getting dark and it was a long walk to the old school building.
As I walked into the room every eye was upon me. No one spoke or moved, yet I could feel the hate pouring over me like hot oil; their eyes burning through me as I sat down. The man behind the podium was staring straight at me only speaking to ask, "What are you doing?" My response was simple and confusing to the man. "I am here to learn."
Grunts arose with a few muffled "Cracker" and "Asshole"s.
It was a sadly stereotypical meeting, consisting of bringing down "the Man," and "White Devils"...
Now, reasonably smart people realize that "the Man" hasn't existed in quite some time, but these young men and woman seemed to be the aggressors and the comments were directed at me.
After an hour or so I stood, the only white face in the crowd and asked a simple question, "Is the plight of this meeting for equality as your flyers suggested or for control, as you have stated here tonight?"
One young man stood to face me and shouted, "How are you supposed to understand the black man?"
"I'm not supposed to understand the color, just the man." I replied to more grunts and groans. I continued, "Today I came to listen, to learn how to better serve others, but all I got tonight was hate. You speak of racism and yet all of you here are angry with me because I am white."Another voice came booming over the others, "Your family wasn't forced into slavery and definitely didn't go through segregation! You don't know what it is to be black!"
"You're right," I said, "but I know about being poor and about inner city life. I know what pain is and I know hardship. What I don't know what is like to be you, personally, without color or status."
The room was silent for a while and the meeting was adjourned around eleven. There was still anger in the air as the people started to file out. Some people however saw my point and came over and began to talk to me about their experiences and asked if I would come again next week. And actually, I think I will.
The night was really getting dark and it was a long walk to the old school building.
As I walked into the room every eye was upon me. No one spoke or moved, yet I could feel the hate pouring over me like hot oil; their eyes burning through me as I sat down. The man behind the podium was staring straight at me only speaking to ask, "What are you doing?" My response was simple and confusing to the man. "I am here to learn."
Grunts arose with a few muffled "Cracker" and "Asshole"s.
It was a sadly stereotypical meeting, consisting of bringing down "the Man," and "White Devils"...
Now, reasonably smart people realize that "the Man" hasn't existed in quite some time, but these young men and woman seemed to be the aggressors and the comments were directed at me.
After an hour or so I stood, the only white face in the crowd and asked a simple question, "Is the plight of this meeting for equality as your flyers suggested or for control, as you have stated here tonight?"
One young man stood to face me and shouted, "How are you supposed to understand the black man?"
"I'm not supposed to understand the color, just the man." I replied to more grunts and groans. I continued, "Today I came to listen, to learn how to better serve others, but all I got tonight was hate. You speak of racism and yet all of you here are angry with me because I am white."Another voice came booming over the others, "Your family wasn't forced into slavery and definitely didn't go through segregation! You don't know what it is to be black!"
"You're right," I said, "but I know about being poor and about inner city life. I know what pain is and I know hardship. What I don't know what is like to be you, personally, without color or status."
The room was silent for a while and the meeting was adjourned around eleven. There was still anger in the air as the people started to file out. Some people however saw my point and came over and began to talk to me about their experiences and asked if I would come again next week. And actually, I think I will.
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12:00 AM
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