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DomYngBlk -> RE: African complicity in the slave trade.... (4/28/2010 11:20:47 AM)
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I am not going to get into this debate here. I stated my opinions on it way back on the first page. But Bull's post about earning things and what all people can do brought up a point that reminded me of something.
Years ago I was working in a hospital as a respiratory therapist. There was a Chinese man (a respiratory therapist also) who worked in my department on the night shift. This guy worked nights in respiratory at the hospital, and by day he owned his own business in real estate. I asked him once what gave him the desire to have a successful job at night (which paid pretty damn good and even better with the night differential pay) and also dedicate himself to his own real estate business.
His response was when he was living over in China, the people of China had limited information about their gov't and aside from that did not always have the right to work in any field they wanted to. He said when he came to America, found out as much about the gov't as he did and that the sky was the limit on what he could do, he wondered why all Americans didn't seize that opportunity.
Cute story. But know what? When Mr. Chinese Man walks into his local bank for that loan alongside of me who do you think will get the loan? Him.
When Mr. Chinese Man goes to show a home in a gated community will he have to show ID and watch for the local Police to come round to ask him what he is doing there? No, I would.
So please save me from the "Gotta take yourself from your bootstraps" song and dance.
His wonder was a good one. His race didn't stop him for success, despite the fact that english was not his first language and he was not always easy to understand and didn't always understand American wit and sarcasm (I laughed my ass off when he told me he tried to put an oxygen mask on a drunk man and the man refused and his response to that was laughter and he added..."he must be a bare head" (he meant skin head! lol)
But it rang home obviously to me that opportunity is there for the grabbing. Do you want to grab it, or do you want to blame someone for you not grabbing it. Its a choice we all are entitled to make. Looking at the number of black politicians, along with the number of sucessful black, jewish, chinese and whatever else race I look at, the sky is limitless for all of us if we want to take the time to make it ours. Of course, you could very well face prejudice, if you aren't lilly white and a part of the American 'norm'. But its your personal reaction to that prejudice that will keep you down or not.
My husband is black. I detest racial prejudice...or any prejudice. But sometimes we shirk accountability in the name of prejudice. [sm=2cents.gif]
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