In observation of Martin Luther King Day, and maybe in advance observation of Black History Month, I thought I would include this entry. I had a friend in college named Darnell. Darnell was black-he knew it and I knew it. I wasn't around black folk much in my small, white Indiana town. When I got to college, a few were in my major and we became friends. We had a class trip to Chicago, and I'm not sure why, but Darnell drove the van. We were in a rough section of the city........a van full of white kids with a black driver........and Darnell made the music decisions (rap) and had the windows rolled down. A strange sight to see, a van full of white kids listening to rap music on the south side. One of Darnell's friends, another black fellow, would come into our studio at school and the two of them would start calling each other the "N" word. That really bothered me. We didn't say that in Indiana. Val was another good friend of mine-she would ride with us to the cafe' downtown and I liked to mess around while driving. She had enough of it one day and said she didn't want to ride with a bunch of crazy white boys anymore.As much as I can, I try not to see color. In fact, I feel like I over-compensate, which isn't right either. Way back in my family history a Klan story emerges, gee, in Indiana?-that really bothers me. We've try to raise our kids without seeing color, or status....my 7 yr old son was drawing out special holidays and did a picture of Martin Luther King Day. He drew stick figures and colored in their faces, except for one, Dr. King. I was surprised at what I saw. I asked about the stick figures and explained that Dr. King was also black. He looked perplexed.
I guess the point here is that it is foolish to try to ignore that their are differences. What we should concentrate on is understanding, embracing and putting a stop to hate. But, Dr. King was far more eloquent than I in saying this.
5 comments:
Whoa! I can't let this one go by..." we don't use the "N" word in Indiana.....not out loud anyway!!! I know you take great pride in your Indiana Heritage but don't for a minute try to white wash the extensive Klan history that consumed Indiana and Marshall County. There were cross burnings in Culver both driven by race and religion.....but you can go even farther back to the way we treated the Native Amercians that were marched out of here......
Now, in HR's defense, I must say that in all the time growing up, none of us ever used the "N" word. I don't believe HR was trying to "white wash" the Klan history of Indiana and Marshall County. I will acknowledge that when we were teens that there was a definite undercurrent of racism in our community evidenced in the fact that there were almost no black families in the River City or Marshall County. I have not lived in the area for almost 10 years so I am unable to comment on the current situation of my hometown.
no, no white-washing the klan past on my part. My grandpa talked some about it, in the region, and commented that sometimes crosses would be burned in the front of drunk's homes.....but I also knew how much of a racist my great grandmother was (the same stalwart republican from an earlier entry) so I accept my family's role in racism in our community-hence my "over-compensation".
Whether it is or was native americans, blacks, catholics, or latinos-I wished to God we could see each other the way He does.
HR
I fully understand HR and PNW....but to get a real appreciation for the continuing undercurrents that flow in river city go to a basketball game when the opponent is a say South Bend Washington or South Bend St. Joseph and listen closely for the comments that are made....we still have a long way to go baby!
No doubt. Or, you can point to the extreme difficulty in accepting a sister city in Mexico, and the split vote by the council to do such, as an indication of the racism toward latinos.
A very long way to go indeed.
HR
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