In the heat of battle I made a mistake. Not my first nor will it be my last. I am very happy for all of the different point of views that I get on LJ. Many is the time that I've fought, tooth and nail, with someone here on LJ who's opinion differed from mine.
bellaanne is one such person. I simply don't agree with the way she thinks. It touches me on such a personal level that I lost my head. In doing so I made the mistake of not seeing the very reason why she added me "a black man" to her friends list. In a reply she reminded me of why and I have to admit that I'm a bit embarrassed. I got so angry that I couldn't find a way to persuade. I was only able to attack and defend. Once a person assumes those stances they have already lost any moral ground they thought they had. In this particular case, instead of me making points in order to show her another line of sight, I pounced. I put her on the defensive and lost any chance I might have had in showing her something different to see.
Its hard to talk about race. Especially with someone who doesn't happen to be from your particular neck of the woods. I'm black but that does not define me in the least. It shouldn't define anyone, in my humble opinion. I spent my young adult life fighting the "stereotypes" that so many of us use when we think of another race. I am black, but I'm not only proud to be black. I'm proud to be an American, I'm proud to be a Texas, and I'm proud to be a sexual dynamo!! Well, you don't have to agree with the last one, but my woman does so thats all that matters.
I guess it all comes down to where you come from. However, it debate that we use to persuade our dissenters. When we rise and argue with them then we can only fail. When has an argument gotten anyone any where? I do not know. For myself I can only say that I am sorry for not speaking better than I did.
Below is the reply that kind of made me see the error I made. I will say this. I stand by many of the things i said. Its wrong to judge all for what a few have done. Many people hated Germans after WWII because of the Nazis. However, few people know that the Nazis were a political party, just like our Republicans and Democrats. Not everyone like what the Nazis were doing but they held the power and so they rode out the wave of Nazi rule. We're only human. I know it sounds so old, but we should judge by the quality of our actions rather than the color of our skin or the name of our god.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. Sometimes seeing our errors really does help.
One killed my mentor. He was with a white prostitute. I don't blame them individually.
They both took part in her murder.
personally injured me? I believe there have been at least three...
but why does it matter?
and I am not racist.
I am entitled to my opinion and, so help me, I shall have it and you are more than welcome to yours but don't get pissed off when I don't agree.
How's this for racist?
I don't feel like I owe anyone anything because I happen to be fair skinned.
You can't prove my ancestors owned slaves.
I'm sick of all of it.
Both my parents came from poor families and they BOTH worked hard and struggled terribly to be where they are today.
"the rich white folks."
They worked HARD for what they had. I expect NO LESS from anyone else.
I also expect people to take personal responsibility for their actions.
I hold everyone, reguardless or race, gender, religion, sexual preference, nationality, or otherwise to the same standards.
If those standards are not met I find it difficult to even TOLLERATE them.
I don't mean an entire race. I mean the ones...the individuals that "enforce racial stereotypes."
I don't discriminate. I hate idiots from all races.
You are on my friends list because you bring a fresh perspective to the table, because you are intelligent, and also because when I met you you seemed very open minded and I found that very rare (yes yes...with someone of your race might as well avoid the beating around the bushedness here) and was intrigued by it and wanted to get to know you better.