> Anytime you attempt to lump a category or race of people into one thought
> process or pattern, it becomes generalized and therefore, somewhat
> prejudiced. This is something that is a learned habit in speech which
needs
> to be unlearned and it goes across the board. The question I must ask
myself
> as a human being is this; Do I really know the thoughts of every gay,
> straight, black, white, nationality (take your pick), handicapped person
on
> earth? Then I should not categorize a people as if I do. I should say,
"The
> handicapped people I have spoken to, read about, feel as if they are being
> left out on being able to function as much as possible in society." It's a
> learned habit.
Sherelle,
My father used to say "we are all from the same cut." He also was almost
militant in his belief that each person is unique and individual and loved
to draw people out and listen to them whether they were 2 years old or 90.
He grew up in an era where societal mores of conformity and propriety were
dominant and had to literally hide his paintings, poetry and short stories
from his own family, who treated his "otherness" from the "norm" as if it
was something shameful to be covered up. There was a unfinished basement in
his house that nobody used, so he thought it would be safe to paint murals
on the walls there. As soon as the family discovered this they demanded he
paint them over. As hideous as this sounds today, his family was not
monstrous and were otherwise truly good and gentle people who were generous
and committed to many charitable works, yet were deficient in understanding
or respecting individuality. He still tells me these stories at 89 years
old - the pain has never gone away for him. His experiences gave him
bitterness but also much compassion and empathy along with that militancy
about seeing people as individual human beings. I feel this particular
influence from him is the greatest gift he has given me.
Throughout history "otherness" has been used as a perverse justification for
governments, religion and people towards their own self-interested ends.
Many of us heard about those bad old days thinking how much more progressive
and enlightened we were today. We were taught that the only "otherness" we
should condemn and shun is man's inhumanity to man. What happened to those
ideals, that sense of hope and that we were living in a golden time? Man's
inhumanity to man is as common today as it ever was. Why is it that people
are still lumped into facile and reductionist categorizations? I suspect
that our "fast food, get it now" culture hasn't helped. It's more efficient
and expedient in our rushed self-interested lives to have a quick sound bite
approach to explain the world around us. We don't have to take that extra
precious time to think or listen a little deeper. Joni has addressed this
issue in her songs so many times over the years. She keeps putting out the
message. If more could only listen.
Kakki
