Murder, Mass Incarceration, Militarization and Genocide in Progress

Since Dick does not strike me as the suicidal type, I suspect his
remarks were done tongue in cheek.
The fact is that few of us are able to communicate truthfully with
people who have different backgrounds than ours. Even when we make
honest efforts, our very words convey different images depending on
dozens of factors.
And in casual conversation we could easily make comments that offend
others without our intending to. Old George, owner of Georges
Tavern/Cafe, referred to the burly longshoremen and truckers as,
"boys". So when my helper, a young Black man, and I dropped in for
coffee, George greeted us with, "Okay boys, what'll it be?" My helper
jumped off the bar stool and from a crouching position shouted, "I'm
not a boy!".
Poor old George looked like he'd been kicked in the groin by a mule.
But even harder to deal with is the tone that is used, even when the
actual words are not offensive. Many times I was called into a VR
Counselor's office to mediate when they and a client were at odds.
Usually it was not what information was being exchanged, but the
manner and tone.
Certainly as a blind man I have felt the subtle changes when meeting
someone with whom I've spoken to over the phone and now are meeting
face to face for the first time.
For the most part I am not put off by these undertones, in fact often
times I am able to use them to move the conversation to where I want
it to go. But I can imagine how much more difficult it is for a
person of Color to dismiss hundreds of years of discrimination and
unspoken hatred toward their People. Just as we blind people sense
the attitudes of sighted folks, so Black people feel the undercurrents
of White people's words, even when unrecognized by the speaker.
How many times I've had some kind, caring person turn to me and say
something like, You people do so wonderfully well." This usually
comes while I'm tying a loose shoe string or buttering my toast in a
cafe. The remark is never meant to be offensive, and the speaker
would be deeply hurt if I suggested that their comment was a put down.
But isn't this the way we deal with those who are different than
ourselves?
We just can't help ourselves. We love to lump. "All teenagers", "You
Blacks", "Women are all so sensitive", and on and on. Let's face it.
All Human Beings do it.

Carl Jarvis



On 2/8/15, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@optonline.net> wrote:
> Dick,
>
> Most white men, particularly those over 60, have no idea that a very large
> number of Americans view our society in these terms. Few white people have
> honest political discussions with people of color. They seldom talk to them
> at all, except in situations where the person of color is providing a
> service for which the white person has paid. And when they are co-workers,
> the social arrangements of our society don't encourage honest or personal
> discussion.
>
> Miriam
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Blind-Democracy [mailto:blind-democracy-bounces@octothorp.org] On
> Behalf Of R. E. Driscoll Sr
> Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2015 12:45 PM
> To: blind-democracy@octothorp.org
> Subject: Re: Murder, Mass Incarceration, Militarization and Genocide in
> Progress
>
>
> All:
> My goodness, I had no idea that I was a participant in the society herein
> described. We might just as well all give up and commit suicide,
> matricide,
> patricide and etc.
> R. E. (Dick) Driscoll, Sr.
>
> On 2/7
>
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