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  • From: "Lisa Rollens" <rollens@fidnet.com>
  • To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] anti-semitism or naivete
  • Date: Mon, 28 May 2007 15:15:48 -0500

Toshio,

I know you are right that racism is alive and well in the USA. Bu have you ever been to very rural areas? Here we routinely comment about ANYONE who can construct a grammatically correct sentence, often to their face. It's evidence that the person graduated high school somewhere else. Even some of the local radio "personalities" cannot speak correctly or 'read' the news above about a 7th or 8th grade level. And you should hear the local advertisements! The grammar is horrendous. Oh, and everybody is white here. I wish it were different, and I am glad I am not raising my kids in such an environment where the young people have no opportunity to learn tolerance and the value of diversity, but that is the way it is. There are a lot of people like me who move into this area and we bring (hopefully!) tolerance and some openmindedness with us.

In the not too distant past it was well known that any black person had better leave town by sundown, or else. The "or else" meant they would be hanged. Apparently blacks around this area still know that and stay away. Terrible, I know, but I do not take credit or feel shame about it? No, I didn't do it, didn't raise my kids with that mindset and speak against such attitudes today.

Lest you think the locals are just racial bigots, fear not. They also are homophobic to extremes, very anti gay and lesbian. Of course, not all of the locals are like that. The ones who are generally have big mouths to go with their ignorance. Again, we do what we can by being tolerant, not accepting bigotry and racism and opening our hearts and homes to all.

As for asking about where a person's ancestors came from, I really think you might be mistaken on that account. We do that routinely, too. It's interesting to find out such information in this big melting pot we call the US. I especially ask questions when I find out someone has Italian ancestors. I ask what they eat for Christmas dinner! When I find out that they ate what we ate as children, it gives us things in common. And aren't we supposed to be finding commonalities and bringing people together? Oh, we had homemade ravioli when the grandfolks and sisters (my mom and aunts) were all alive to make it in advance. It was a big undertaking and the end result was about 600 ravioli to be split among the family. Those are our roots, and I don't think there is anything wrong with exchanging that information with others.

And yes, I also find it terribly sad that the parents around here do not teach their children "their language", which would be English. It's very hard to correct bad habits later in life.

You say..."There's a million half-conscious ways in which the dominant culture offends minority cultures without realizing it, without intending to, and definitely not profitting from it." Maybe, just maybe, since we don't intend to do that, don't profit from it and don't realize it, that the minority culture is being a little too 'sensitive'??? How can you hold something against a person if they don't know what they are doing is wrong?? (assuming their head is not in the sand purposely??)

And as for you last paragraph about being racist if one uses those statements...hogwash! the receipient is being told that their kind will never be as American as the speaker???? None of us are originally American, and that's what makes it all so interesting. I know there are a few 'blueblood' types who follow their family trees back to Plymouth Rock or Jamestown, but the majority of us Americans are a hodgepodge of foreign ancestors. We know it and like it. As a matter of fact, that's why I don't like the term 'African-American'...as it tends to separate rather than bring together. I think blacks are as American as I am.

Just thoughts, Lisa, in the MO Ozarks

----- Original Message ----- From: "Toshio Kuratomi" <a.badger@gmail.com>
To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Monday, May 28, 2007 1:39 PM
Subject: Re: [permaculture] anti-semitism or naivete


On 5/28/07, Lawrence F. London, Jr. <lfl@intrex.net> wrote:
Robert Waldrop wrote:

> Racism is alive and well in the United States. We
> just don't call it by that name anymore.

It isn't racism, Robert, its greed. Racism is a waste of time and doesn't produce profit;
its applied as a tool, unemotionally, to justify theft.

Nah. Racism is still very viable in the United States. How many
times is a "white person" complimented on how good their English is?
How many times do you make small talk with a white person by asking
what country they're from? How often do you find it sad that their
parents didn't teach them "their language"? How often do you talk to
a white person with blonde hair and say, oh, my sister-in-law is
Swedish, do you know the Fredens?"

There's a million half-conscious ways in which the dominant culture
offends minority cultures without realizing it, without intending to,
and definitely not profitting from it.

And for people who would like to deny that any of the above examples
are racist, consider: The effect of each of those statements is to
separate the "American" from the foreigner. The recipient of the
statement is being told that their kind will never be as American as
the speaker, not because of their abilities or where they were born
but merely because of what they look like or where their great-great
grandparents emigrated from. They, and their children are forever
destined to be identified as a "foreigner".

-Toshio
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