Quote:
Originally Posted by LNTT_Vacationer
It's becoming somewhat boring to see that some here are unable to parse the difference between simple phrases such as:
- "for the first time in my life I'm proud of my country" - Obama's wife
and
- sometimes it's difficult to be proud.
It really isn't that difficult. . . .
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It really isn't that difficult. . . .
... if you grew up taking for granted the fact that you were assured the right to vote - and that no one to try to prevent you from doing so
... if you grew up taking for granted the fact that you didn't need to worry about whether or not you would be able to sit at the counter in the local restaurant
... if you grew up taking for granted the fact that real estate agents wouldn't try to redirect you away from the nicer areas of town towards those more appropriate to YOUR kind of people
... if you grew up taking for granted the fact that the schools you attend would get the same level of funding as those of the kids across town who happened to have a skin color lighter than yours
... if you grew up taking for granted the fact that you would be offered jobs commensurate with your level of education and skill, rather than lower-paid menial jobs
... if you grew up taking for granted the fact that you could choose where on the bus you wanted to sit
... if you grew up taking for granted the fact that you need not fear that men in white hoods might come in the middle of the night to lynch you because you had the audacity to make a pass at an attactive woman who was not of your race
Yeah, I suppose if you grew up taking for granted all those things, if you didn't have mothers and fathers and aunts and uncles who had to fight (and sometimes die) to achieve all those things that others in your country had LONG taken for granted then YEAH, I suppose it wouldn't be that difficult to parse the difference between such simple phrases.
The fact is, though the country is MUCH improved in these regards, growing up Black during the time Michelle Obama did was still a LOT different from growing up White. Even if she didn't experience racism personally, she surely heard about the racism her older relatives had to endure.
You know what they say about walking a mile in someone else's shoes.
You should try it some time.
Ken