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This is a bit of writing done by Jim Forbes the Pastor of Riverside Church.
An 'inter-faith' church in New York City.
Jim grew up as the son of a black minister in a Baptist Chrch in the south.
One day, at the local Woolworths department store he sat down at the counter of the diner inside the store. This was the first time blacks had been allowed to sit at the counter with whites. As he sat down, a white woman who had just been served her food got up from her chair and quickly left the store. When he arrived back at home he wrote this:
"Why did she move when I sat down?
Surely she could not tell so soon that my Saturday bath had worn away, or that savage passion had pushed me for a rape.
Perhaps it was the cash she carried in her purse.
She could not risk a theft so early in the month.
And who knows that on tomorrow t'would fall her lot to drink her coffee from a cup my darkened hands had clutched?
So horrible was that moment, I too should have run away, for prejudice has the odor of a dying beast.
Whether racist or rapist, both fall in the savage class.
And the greatest theft of all is to rob one's right to be."
-Jim Forbes-
"Be excellent to each other, and, party on dudes"!
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This post is extremely poigant.
You said when you'd die that you'd walk with me every day
And I'd start to cry and say please don't talk that way
With the blink of an eye the Lord came and asked you to meet
You went to a better place but He stole you away from me
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smith
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On fire! |
Registered: January 1970
Messages: 1095
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caused by such stupidity and ignorance. J
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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I am not trying to justify the womans actions.... but....
The litigation and legislation that allowed this black man to sit and order at that counter does not make allowances for that womans cultural differences.
Albelt progressive in intent, the laws that made it possible for blacks to incert themselves into the comings and goings of whites at that time made no effort to reeducate the people of the south to accept these changes.
And the north was little better at that time.
Just because things are socially correct does not mean the "people" are ready to deal with them as quickly as the signing of a document.
Social change takes time....
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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Anne of Austria was reported to have said:
"Countries align faster than people." So I guesss that can be taken as well to mean laws change faster than people as well.
You said when you'd die that you'd walk with me every day
And I'd start to cry and say please don't talk that way
With the blink of an eye the Lord came and asked you to meet
You went to a better place but He stole you away from me
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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Exactly.....
Therefore who was right and who was wrong that day at the snack counter?
The woman for being caught in her world and not being able to change fast enough?
Or the man, who expected the world to change that day because he was ready to see it happen?
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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In a way, neither one was right, nor wrong.
For her entire life, that is what she knew.
When things change suddenly, people do not always react in the best way.
My best friend taught me this lesson:
"It is like this, it is like that. People live their lives parellel to each other. It is impossible to fully understand the reasons behind anyone's actions. What appears to be a random act, or comment, may in reality be the result of hours, days, months - years even of actions, thoughts, and reflections. Unless we have been living their lives, and not miss a second of it, we do not really know why things happen."
Not to excuse her actions, or criticise his.
You said when you'd die that you'd walk with me every day
And I'd start to cry and say please don't talk that way
With the blink of an eye the Lord came and asked you to meet
You went to a better place but He stole you away from me
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Seems a bit of a stretch to say he was in the wrong in any way.
That is like saying Mathew Sheppard was wrong to live in Wyoming.
Just doesn't hold up to me.
---
Prejudice in any form is a fact of life, but that doesn't make it right.
Just my thoughts,
Kevin
"Be excellent to each other, and, party on dudes"!
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saben
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On fire! |
Registered: May 2003
Messages: 1537
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When it comes to emotional hurt, the recipient is able to choose whether or not they allow something to hurt to them. Matthew Shepherd had no choice, the man in the story did have a choice whether not he let her actions hurt him. Her actions were not right, but you need to think whether or not she would have done it willingly, especially if she was not so ignorant. I think very few people CHOOSE to hate, hate is something that comes from ignorance. The man, no, he wasn't wrong for being hopeful, either. It was merely a miscommunication, a misunderstanding, due to different backgrounds.
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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And being foolish to expect the world to change at the stroke of a pen is just as foolish.
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13801
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Thsi reply coudl be anywhere in this thread. I clicked at random
Possibly the original point is a parable. Quite possibly that act never happened. But it seems to illustrate the points everyone is making rather well, depsite being somewhat aged.
The world cannot chnage at the stroke of a pen. yet the pen stroke should not be needed
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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Marc, by your own logic you should expect to be bashed and not say a thing about it because you are gay. What kind of deduction is that?
Injustice is injustice.
That is my take on it.
Kevin
"Be excellent to each other, and, party on dudes"!
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I considered it more of a: "Consider the source" type of thing.
Accepting the person, although not approving of what they do.
You said when you'd die that you'd walk with me every day
And I'd start to cry and say please don't talk that way
With the blink of an eye the Lord came and asked you to meet
You went to a better place but He stole you away from me
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Perhaps your are right. If so my apologies to Marc for misunderstanding his point.
Thanks Christopher.
Many hugs to both of you,
Kevin
"Be excellent to each other, and, party on dudes"!
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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That may very well be...
But it is just as wrong for the man to be upset because the woman did not immediately toss out a lifetime of upbringing to ease his consumption of a hamburger.
That is a realistic take on it.....
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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