Saturday, May 30, 2020

On the problems between differences (in America)

I'm missed a couple of Sepia Saturdays...sorry about that. I'll be reading what you all composed.  In case you missed it (easy to do) I had a heart attack a week or so ago, and spent 5 days in the hospital. Now I've been home a week, and am slowly getting back into some kind of routine. Being alive still is the name of my game. I don't seem to have many physical limitations, beyond low stamina.

Now let's see what SS has to make me dig into archives to share...

6 hrs
On May 28, 1963, the Woolworth sit-in took place in Jackson, MS. "This was the most violently attacked sit-in during the 1960s. A huge mob gathered, with open police support while the three of us sat there for three hours. I was attacked with fists, brass knuckles, and the broken portions of glass sugar containers, and was burned with cigarettes." -- John Salter, seated in photo with Joan Trumpauer Mulholland and Anne Moody (author of Coming of Age in Mississippi). Photo: Fred Blackwell

The ongoing racism that is flashing now in Mineapolis with the recent police-caused death of George Floyd...it just continues. It's called racism.

But it's part of the hateful attitude that is separating people from each other, which focuses on differences and then is fed by determined people who want to feel better about their identity by blaming any problems they may have on a different kind of people.

I kid you not. It's not just between races. It's between those who have more and those who have less.  Lack of tolerance exists between neighborhoods, or clubs, or especially sporting teams and rival schools. It represents the differences in political parties, as well as those with different ancestral roots.  It's also the basis for many wars between different political divisions called countries. These are the invisible areas that create borders along the ground, which are sometimes fenced off, and sometimes just invisible no-man's-land.

Being angry, and unhappy, and then having these emotions spread into daily life...into violence. An awful situation. What is fair and legal is pushed with that anger into breaking the law.

Only love defeats hate (Dr. Martin Luther King.) Think for a moment of someone you disagree with completely, maybe someone who is powerful and hateful themselves.  And then think of how you might someday be able to forgive that person/persons. This is the challenge of love. It takes imagination for me to even consider someday finding forgiveness for the awful hateful people in our lives today.

Here's a link to a great article on racism in America today, published May 28, 2020. 

"They Too Are America" by Karen Leslie Hernandez 


The daily TV news is focusing on the violence and what they consider worthy of attention, not the many leaders who are working to find justice and a peaceful answer to the situation of George Floyd's death at the hands of a white policeman.

23 comments:

  1. Hello, these are sad times. There is so much hatred, people seem to think everyone is not entitled to their rights any more. I wish for peace and love, less hate. I hope are doing well, taking good care of yourself.
    Have a happy day!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Eileen. Hope you have a glorious weekend. Weather here just turned nice!

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  2. When we thought that times had changed . . .

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    1. I wasn't writing about anything much but history, then suddenly another black man died and there were riots again. It is still news. Sadly.

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  3. Like I have just commented on Fresca's blog, why can't human beings see that they are all just human beings, whatever colour, religion, race, etc...?

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    1. I think we have a tribal affinity to those we look and think alike, which might help us survive at some primal times...but has become crazy these days.

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    1. But we should take heart that many folks do abhor the hate. A lot of the positive doesn't get in the news.

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  5. It's still the same as it was back in the earlier days, it's sad and terrible.

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    1. I'm reminded of feuds between families that carried on here in Appalachia over generations.

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  6. HEART ATTACK??? No! I missed that. So sorry. I hope you are recovering well. You must be, if you're blogging.
    And yes, I agree - it seems the more things change, the more they stay the same. And really - how did that police officer think he could get by with a knee on that man's neck??? Just awful.

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    1. I can remember so many injustices of white police towards black people...I do hope we're beginning to see the end of this.

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  7. I'm so glad you are recovering well from your heart attack. Scary! And especially at this time when so much attention is directed toward the Coronavirus! What boggles my mind these days, when police and others have to know someone is very likely filming what they're doing, is that they still do such awful things? Apparently they are so incensed, they're lost in their own rage to the notice of all else. Why aren't these officers of the law psychologically tested for inability to control rage before they receive their badges? And if that is already done, it seems to me stronger more accurate testing needs to be developed! Beyond that, if the human race is ever to have peace, it must come fully to the embracement of acceptance and compassion for all races, creeds, and persuasions. I have no idea when that day might come? It's too far in the future for me to see personally, so I'll just have to keep hoping that SOMEDAY, the human race will finally see the light. That, or someday, the human race will simply cease to exist!

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    1. Yes, it's our final mandate, peace between us or perhaps not even to survive as a species. Maybe COVID-19 will have something to do with that as well. The protestors, the violent people, sure weren't concerned about catching the virus.

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  8. Thank you, Barb, for these thoughtfu words. Your challenge-- to consider forgiving a hateful person with whom I disagree-- made me think of 45*. Wow--I don't know if I'm up to it. I can focus on the ways his upbringing probably damaged him and find a little sympathy--but only a little. I'll have to work on this.

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    1. Yes, that's exactly who I had in mind, but it's even harder to consider some local folks who have abused their power as well. Justice is a difficult road, and we've sure had many people hurt in the meantime.

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  9. Barbara, I hope you are well on the road to recovery and taking things easy , after what must have been a dreadful shock. Thank you for being able to,write such a though proving post on a key issue that is bedeviling society today.

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    1. I had written this prior to all the rioting, and so I have to go back and see if I would change any of it. Violence is certainly the last and worst level of expression of anger, and there are certainly a lot of unemployed, hungry, almost homeless people who have a right to be angry. But I don't think that's the answer to any of those problems.

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  10. So sorry about your heart attack and pleased you are on the mend. You made many thoughtful comments through the post...especially about forgiving. Very tough times but right now you also need to look after your health.

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  11. I am glad you are on the road to recovery and blogging again. I cannot even try to forgive those doing evil. I would rather see them unable to continue doing violence, hate and murder, even if they have it in their hearts.

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  12. Just when we thought things were bad enough, a single tragic event of injustice sets off a chain reaction of anger and outrage that feels like humanity's gigantic cry of pain. With so many crises that confront the people of the world right now, this anguish is hard to bare. Hope and love are more important now if we are going to bring change.

    I hope you soon feel better and stronger.

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  13. Your post is so well poised. I wish it were unnecessary, but sadly the injustices and consequential hatred from back in the 60s that you posted here seems to be making a resurgence in a big way, once again. Maybe it never really disappeared, but we need a strong compassionate leader to help get us through this horrible time in which we live. Currently what we have spews hateful rhetoric and violence. On another note, I hope that you are well on your way to a speedy recovery. God Bless!

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There is today, more than ever, the need for a compassionate regenerative world civilization.