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Sunday, November 11, 2012

Common Knowledge?

It's common knowldege that Repblicans are racsits right? Well, common knowledge isn't always true. Personally, I have worked for and with Republicans all my life and as a black man with a white wife (and even when we were just friends) I have seen infinitely more racism from my own people. I am not saying I haven't enountered racism from whites conservatives. I am saying that the vast majority of the racsim I have experienced was from other blacks. I was taught that to treat people according to the content of their character and that is what I have done all my life. I respect everyone and I am usually well respected. I have been called "Sir" but white men older than than myself while with my wife in the South. We have been in Oregon, Florida, Idaho, Texas, Nevada, Georgia and Arizona.

The worst rascism we have experienced together was in San Diego 3 miles from our first home together. A black waitress and 3 patrons sitting behind talked smack about us being together through our entire meal. The waitress wouldn't even acknowledge Carol. We had just returned from Walt Disney World in Florida where nobody looked at us cross-eyed or anything else. I know there is secret rascism too. But as God is my witness white Republicans have generally been the least of our "worries". I don't walk around waiting for an offense to come my way and I treat every one with dignity and respect.
                                                                                                                                                                         I have been pulled over for DWB in my  South Pasdena back in the day with a car full of gear after gigs at 3 in the morning. And when I was respectful I was politely sent on my way. I have been drawn on by the Seal Beach police fixing my car... because white friends saw legs sticking out of my car from their window and called the police in an attempt to protect my property. They were mortified to find out it was actually me! They were crushed! And the officer thought he was stopping a robbery in progress. No one could tell it was me and that I was black. It was just a pair of legs sticking out of a car and they thought someone was stealing my car. The officer was totally professional. He spoke firmly and I complied. I explained that I worked just inside the building where my car was parked. I gave my name and he let me get my I.D.. He called in the liscense plate. Everything matched up end of story. In the words of Will Smith in MIB. Sometimes, even if you are black, "If you don't start nothin' there won't be nothin'!"

I KNOW this is not always the case. I am not naive. There are gigs I won't play willingly out in the backwoods at certain times cause it doesn't seem the wisest idea for a black man. That has been the exception in my life. And that might even be a little paranoid on my part. I GET IT! Not everybody loves black people. But again in my life I have not had a lot of problems. And there have been more than enough opportunities for racism to rear it's ugly head. I dare say it starts with respect and expectation. If you are disrespectful and suspicious you are more like to find your disrespect suspicious counterpart on the opposite side and the fur will stand up on the back of both of your necks and it's on... But that has not been my life. In South Central LA not the case. In La Puente. Not the case. In Atlanta not the case In Charlotte and so on... Again I am not naive. I KNOW THERE ARE RACISTS OUT THERE. But the more trouble you expect to find the more you will find.

3 comments:

  1. I am developing a man crush on you, Mr. Gayden, and this is after I thought I already had one. Thank you, my bruthah from anuthah muthah ;-)

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    1. Likewise!One good thing about the e-age, Distance doesn't have to be quite so distant!Much, much love to you and the Crew!!!!!!!

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  2. As Dennis Prager says "there are only two types of people in the world, the decent and the indecent." You Sir are a heaping, helping of the former. Love you man.

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Please keep it civil. Disagreement does not have to be disagreeable. Thank you so much! I look forward to your input!