What it takes to stand for your convictions.
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Posted By: Marta Fernandez on December 23, 2008 Many times , we find ourselves in the company of persons who say things we disagree with. If it's a formal setting such as a debate, it is expected and we respond accordingly. But what about when it's your favorite, rest stop? or someone you have developed good personal dialogue with with, you respect one another, and you like them as well? For the past 2 years, I have been ingesting my coffee, and Portuguese roll at a local confectionary store , owned by a Jewish and Italian couple respectively. Jewish people are as sensitive to their Jewishness as Black people are about their Blackness, if you will. Italians, have a love/hate relationship with people of color. Assessing the cultural mores in which they function, I try to enjoy the lively discussions, ignore some racist commentary, and speak up to enlighten the ignoramuses when I can. Once, a wanna-be-politician -Mr. O'Grady made a really disparaging remark, about people who dont' pay their school loans, (oh of course it's always us isn't it) after I told this gentleman that he was so the letter that begins after "e" stupid, and that he should go see all the Irish people on welfare here from Belfast, then told him to have a nice day, and the next day it was " George hi you doin' as usual." At the school where they gave him a job as an attendance officer though he was really computer illiterate, he speaks highly of "Sister Muhammad" one of the workers, as well he knows Cubans literally built Elizabeth, New Jersey when it was a run down town. So what is it with these people? He grew up, with black friends, and his dad taught him to respect everyone. Roseann, is Italian, and her father never let them utter the "n"word in their home , as well she has 2 nieces that are black. So what's up? For these two years, Roseann has been an ear, to the Court case involving my mother, and the dirty lying cheating individuals that run the Jewish Nursing home that tried their best to keep her there against her will and the family's. Literally fighting me for control over MY mother,for money. In this time I have taught Roseann a lot about the law, because you know "white people think they KNOW everything." Roseann claims she was a teacher, and has a degree from Rutgers U. Today all of that became suspect. During Obama's candidacy, five or six of her regulars, including one Puerto Rican made all kinds of remarks. I don't think I need to elaborate, as you can imagine, because you have heard the comments in the news. After he won, Frank the Italian cop married to a Columbian, looked like he just lost his best friend, so being gracious I said nothing. The silence was deafening, then he meekly said,you know Palin is going to run in 2012, to which I retorted-wouldn't you want a statesman to lead the country and not a hockey mom? OK. Another raggedy,wanna be white boy like the Puerto Rican I mentioned above, is into Metallica and Marilyn Manson, used to talk to me, but the day after the election he avoided me and turned his back when I came into the store one day.. Okay , I said nothing. Now, brothers come in there too. Some are down on their luck, a few are "respectably" working. It became apparent to me that our people will sell their souls--to get along with a white person. So when a discussion turned to black crime for instance,they sided with the "master." I watched. The beginning of this month I paid Roseann $144.00 for magazines covers of Obama , some that I planned to give as gifts, pretty good customer eh? in ADDITION, to other items I buy in her store. She did always look out for me, if I didn't have any money on me, or forgot my wallet, the store is around the corner from my house, I could buy on credit, on the honor system. So we were cool like that. For the past few days, I have been hearing a bunch of comments about Obama. 1. He is against guns; no he is not, he is against the indiscriminate use of guns, but sanctions guns for hunters. So now Richie, the motorcyle guy cannot buy his 357 Magnum because of Obama's position thus creating a "huge " demand, and now the gun seller is selling the guns fo r $900.00--instead of $238.00 and it's all Obama's fault. No compassion, no understanding doesn't care about the gun violence in the communities .I had volunteered to bring in Obama's voting record in the Senate, but today I said "remain ignorant." Today was the last straw. Another one of her customers, a smart but slow unemployed white man was talking about his wife's job. Supposedly a Master's degree'd teacher working as an aide? please go tell that to someone who does not know..so I kept reading the paper, then I heard MUSLIM WOMEN ARE NOT ALLOWE D TO GET AN EDUCATION- AND ROSEANN SAID, YEAH, THOSE STUPID MUSLIMS COUNTRIES THEY DON'T ALLOW THEIR WOMEN TO GO TO SCHOOL. I said Roseann, why are you saying that ?that is not true. I further said -this is why there is so much, racism and ignorance in the world. And just like that, I put my fur coat on, paid my bill, left her an extra dollar and as it advises in the journal Jesus Christ,CEO..cut away that which is toxic, to my emotional, intellectual and physiological well being. Not withstanding her lovely Christmas card addressed to her" most glamorous and sophisticated customer, I don' t need to sell my soul for feel good compliments. Another "gift" to myself for Christmas " A clean Conscience." If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Marta Fernandez
From Queens, NY CUNY -Queens College class of 1985 Member Since July 2008 |
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