Love that, Christine! I was not sure where the hell I was going this morning. When I write my thoughts out, things often crystalize. The character, Cora, despite all her struggles, offers me strength (through tears). This film is agonizingly slow and does not skip over individual and collective pain. Viscerally changing me into deeper le…
Love that, Christine! I was not sure where the hell I was going this morning. When I write my thoughts out, things often crystalize. The character, Cora, despite all her struggles, offers me strength (through tears). This film is agonizingly slow and does not skip over individual and collective pain. Viscerally changing me into deeper levels of what MUST NOT BE REPEATED in OUR COUNTRY, EVER again. I am trying to be patient with Justice. Am glad others warriors are lying in wait with me! Then I just scanned what Fern wrote below...those words all describe the depth of our need to apologize and plan to make reparations to my/our Native Peoples and African American peoples for such atrocities by our past and present white supremacists who think they are the chosen ones. But it is the responsibility of white people to learn what we were not taught about our country's history in order to not repeat it.
You know Penelope. I was in a convo with some people about white privilege. One white person talked about not seeing color. One white person talked about being uncomfortable referring to someone as African American because it sounded racist. I had to sigh. I finally said I think white people need to just quit talking and start listening. Most talking that is done just digs the hole deeper. The fear of reparations, blame, guilt clouds so many convos with excuses. I’ve bought so many copies of Caste by Isabel Wilkerson and gifted to friends. I still recommend to all whether you read the entire book or not or just a synopsis or review, please read, if you dare, the story of the encounter Wilkerson has with a Nigerian born playwright. Pgs 52-53.
I was so startled, I could not continue reading for several days.
Sometimes the simplest ideas are so dang profound, it renders reality as a stage.
My daughter, who is about to turn 28, has been so surprised, sometimes even indignant, about people always identifying others as Black, gay/straight/ Asian…. and so forth?!
She’s grown up in a world of ‘people’ who are either people who she thinks are ‘ok…to those who are not’… there are many variables, but essentially she sees people as givers, vs takers, and people who are b.s. and those who are genuine… I hate to oversimplify this… but she has been blessed with an incredible capability to reach people!
We have always shared our ‘gut feelings about those around us, and I am constantly grateful that in this we are simpatico!
My 20-something sons are the same way. With feminism also. They have integrated it into the operating assumptions, the givens of their ways of being. Hey, integrated integrity, they are Penelope's integritists! And yes, we get credit for having helped to shape them!
Yes, I have talked about this with a friend and how the stories are so overwhelming that they have to be taken in small doses sometimes. I am fairly tough and watch a lot of documentaries and films on the Holocaust and I thought I knew Black History. Knowing and feeling are very different things. My friend who is a few episodes ahead of me in The Underground Railroad, told me that my visceral experience in the first of the film is a torrent of violence against black people and if I can just stay with it, it will not be so violent, but what it teaches me will stick to my ribs forever. We do need to stop talking and start listening and witnessing the pain. It is our duty if we truly want to bring people of color into equality. We need to know their stories, their feelings and stop their persecution across the board. We need to Stand by Them and not be complicit. The only people who do not see color must be blind people. We have never walked this path, but I am sure we can do it if we are respectful, agree that we know nothing, be empty, listen hold hands and walk together. White folk might need to be carefully taught.
"Most talking that is done just digs the hole deeper."
Were truer words ever written or spoke?
Thank you for the timely reminder. These days, I'm all about listening and learning, and taking a page from my youth: Question everything. There has been too much willful blindness, and for far too long.
Love that, Christine! I was not sure where the hell I was going this morning. When I write my thoughts out, things often crystalize. The character, Cora, despite all her struggles, offers me strength (through tears). This film is agonizingly slow and does not skip over individual and collective pain. Viscerally changing me into deeper levels of what MUST NOT BE REPEATED in OUR COUNTRY, EVER again. I am trying to be patient with Justice. Am glad others warriors are lying in wait with me! Then I just scanned what Fern wrote below...those words all describe the depth of our need to apologize and plan to make reparations to my/our Native Peoples and African American peoples for such atrocities by our past and present white supremacists who think they are the chosen ones. But it is the responsibility of white people to learn what we were not taught about our country's history in order to not repeat it.
You know Penelope. I was in a convo with some people about white privilege. One white person talked about not seeing color. One white person talked about being uncomfortable referring to someone as African American because it sounded racist. I had to sigh. I finally said I think white people need to just quit talking and start listening. Most talking that is done just digs the hole deeper. The fear of reparations, blame, guilt clouds so many convos with excuses. I’ve bought so many copies of Caste by Isabel Wilkerson and gifted to friends. I still recommend to all whether you read the entire book or not or just a synopsis or review, please read, if you dare, the story of the encounter Wilkerson has with a Nigerian born playwright. Pgs 52-53.
I was so startled, I could not continue reading for several days.
Sometimes the simplest ideas are so dang profound, it renders reality as a stage.
You know what is so ‘funny’ about this?
My daughter, who is about to turn 28, has been so surprised, sometimes even indignant, about people always identifying others as Black, gay/straight/ Asian…. and so forth?!
She’s grown up in a world of ‘people’ who are either people who she thinks are ‘ok…to those who are not’… there are many variables, but essentially she sees people as givers, vs takers, and people who are b.s. and those who are genuine… I hate to oversimplify this… but she has been blessed with an incredible capability to reach people!
We have always shared our ‘gut feelings about those around us, and I am constantly grateful that in this we are simpatico!
My children the same way. Appreciate your comment.
Very beautiful, Cynthia. I think your daughter must have been raised by wonderful parents!
Cheers to Ellie, too!
My 20-something sons are the same way. With feminism also. They have integrated it into the operating assumptions, the givens of their ways of being. Hey, integrated integrity, they are Penelope's integritists! And yes, we get credit for having helped to shape them!
Yes, I have talked about this with a friend and how the stories are so overwhelming that they have to be taken in small doses sometimes. I am fairly tough and watch a lot of documentaries and films on the Holocaust and I thought I knew Black History. Knowing and feeling are very different things. My friend who is a few episodes ahead of me in The Underground Railroad, told me that my visceral experience in the first of the film is a torrent of violence against black people and if I can just stay with it, it will not be so violent, but what it teaches me will stick to my ribs forever. We do need to stop talking and start listening and witnessing the pain. It is our duty if we truly want to bring people of color into equality. We need to know their stories, their feelings and stop their persecution across the board. We need to Stand by Them and not be complicit. The only people who do not see color must be blind people. We have never walked this path, but I am sure we can do it if we are respectful, agree that we know nothing, be empty, listen hold hands and walk together. White folk might need to be carefully taught.
Preach, sister.
"Most talking that is done just digs the hole deeper."
Were truer words ever written or spoke?
Thank you for the timely reminder. These days, I'm all about listening and learning, and taking a page from my youth: Question everything. There has been too much willful blindness, and for far too long.