A Response to a facebook Post
Just after Thanksgiving, 2015, I saw this post on my timeline, shared by one
of my FB friends. It went viral, eliciting a half-million shares and at least that
many comments on various users' pages. I seem to recall, rather dimly, that this
may have appeared one Monday some years ago under the "Metropolitan Diary"
subsection of The New York Times. Still, it is as relevant today as it was then
and, unfortunately, maybe more so.
"The man" has an obvious, pathologic need to control others. He is also
ignorant and wasn't educated in a manner that resulted in a respect for people
from other cultures, nations (incl. Navajo, Six Nations, Inuit!), and countries.
He could have been of any race, but the writer chose "white" to emphasize that
there is indeed some sad truth to the stereotype of Caucasian ignorance in the
U.S. But please: Let's understand from the get-go that white folks in the U.S.
don't have a local, national, or worldwide monopoly on these traits... right?
It's not enough to "wipe the slate clean" periodically or daily, like one
facebook comment stated. That's like erasing a hard drive of all of its data. It
ignores history and degrades our ability to build healthy relationships with our
fellow humans. What is necessary is for all of us to work toward making our
society here in the United States (note that I didn't say "America" — a
continental label that is much more inclusive!) one where we all embrace
knowledge, fairness, inclusion, kindness, and respect, one in which everyone is
motivated to constantly reevaluate their own weaknesses and endeavor to
correct them (see why you can't "wipe the slate clean"?), and one in which each
person — citizen or not — cultivates an inquiring spirit ("the man" would have
realized that Mexicans speak Spanish... but, like us, as their national, official
language, maybe not as their native tongue!).
This is what I get out of this reported encounter. Fight ignorance. Be
inclusive. Explore other [U.S.-resident] cultures. Here in NYC, every country
in the world and many sub-cultures within these countries, including our own,
are represented, replete with their sometimes rare and "dying" languages. What
a wonderful experience — every day! And, even though New York City is
extremely rich in racial, cultural, and language diversity, it doesn't mean that
other regions of the U.S. are diversity deserts.
Yes, we can encourage or even require everyone to attain a certain level
of fluency in English; after all, that is our official language. It brings us all
together as one nation and enables us to successfully perform governmental and
commercial transactions. But we cannot be "whitewashed" anymore — although
we've certainly tried, mostly unsuccessfully, in the past. Whatever we call
ourselves — a vast and multicolored mosaic, a melting pot, a smorgasbord, a
potpourri — it must be fully realized, preserved, and nurtured, so that we can
get around to the important business of building a better world for everyone —
now and for future generations.
Now:
► Turn down the volume.
► Gather ample data and evidence.
► Think rationally.
► Respond not with cynicism, anger, vitriol, or disrespect, but with
kindness, respect, levity and, especially, understanding.
► If we are to have a productive conversation, we need to keep on
subject and listen and think before responding.
By and through these logical and thoroughly moral techniques — probably
often used by our country's founders in conceiving this nation — we can be a
great people, because we can be a sum of all of our parts — one with a good
head on our shoulders!
