MindGraph wrote:
definitely believe in what annajon mentioned about pay it forward. I do things similar to what you mentioned alot. Strangest story was when I moved to the south back in 93. I always hold doors for people and after about a month of living here I happened to take notice that the african american people that I held doors for would look at me in a strange way as to the effect of approaching the door with a smile but at the same time had a look like I was going to slam it in their face when they got near. At one point I was out with someone at work and did it and they asked me "what did you do that for?" I told them that's who I am but realized they never said it when it was a white person. Pissed me off to realize that the "slavery" attitude was still alive in the south. I continued to do it because that's who I am and in time more people were doing it (not because of me) and now I don't notice it anymore. Same thing went with tipping in restaurants or diners. People that lived here would throw some change down after a big meal and only because they had some change in their pocket otherwise they wouldn't have left anything. I left this woman a $5 tip shortly after I moved here and she always treated me like a king whenever I went back there. I know I didn't change the south but I like to think that I encouraged others to just be themselves and not to live in the mentality that was in the air.
Good forum Joey and good thoughts from everyone. In a way this is paying it forward with what you all shared. I got alot out of it. Made me think of this story and how things have changed for the better.
Shut up MG! ok.....
I just read a book that you would probably love! It's titled "Black Like Me" written by John Howard Griffin. It is a book written in the late 50's to early 60's about a man whom changed his pigmentation, went to the South and recorded/ comments on his experiences. It is not a fiction, this author actually did it.
It changed my views on a few things about the civil rights movement... mostly in that I have always been a firm believer that "hate" is not a positive thing, and I still believe this. But it brought back a conversation that I had with my roommate about African Americans displaying racist actions or words (how if a white man were to say "I wouldn't have made it if I knew they would be wearing it" and in contrast, a minority saying "If I knew white men would be listening to it, I wouldn't have sung it") I had always thought that both statements where equal in many respects, and that the minority was displaying the same action/thought/notion. After reading the book, I feel clearer on oppression and it's effects, and the notion that the "oppressed" has a right to hate their "oppressor", for they are not seen as individuals, and so in turn it is rather impossible to view their "oppressor's" as individuals. It is too hard to know whom to trust, or not trust.
The idea can be seen more easily (at least for me) with this example...
A woman walking alone late at night. An individual is behind her. The individual turns out to be a guy. Now she doesn't hate all men, but how does she know that that guy behind her is ok or safe. She will never know in that moment, so she will make actions to keep herself safe (cross the street, be on the phone, maintain a steady pace with his, whatever it may be). And it is smart for her to do so! The same can be said for the African American man whom doesn't know who to trust based on his history of oppression (and we are fooling ourselves if we think there isn't any oppression anymore MHO!)
Anyways... Great book!
