Saturday, March 04, 2006
USA somewhat OK
We just got back from a mini trip that we took down into the States. We left here early Wed a.m. and drove 4 1/2 hours to Pittsburgh. Shari and Ryan did their thing (shopping) and Matt and I went to a Penguins game against Ottawa. Pittsburgh is an ok city, I like it.
The next morning we took off to drive 2 1/2 hours to Cleveland. Shari took Ryan to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame where Ryan had a great time looking at guitars and bought himself some records. Matt and I walked up to Jacob's Field (Cleveland Indians play) and Gund Arena (Cavaliers (basketball) and Barons (San Jose's AHL team) play.
Cleveland has some cool places to visit however, I can't say that it was a good city to walk around in. I have been in many places where I was the minority but felt comfortable, however, the black young people are everywhere and their language and behaviour is unbelievable. Matt and I sat down in a little mall because it was so cold outside and we sat down with a drink. Just beside us was a store selling pictures. One of the pics was a large pic of Martin Luther King and when he asked me who he was I tried to explain. Matt does know a bit about racism from a cartoon show he watches (Proud Family), a black family that incorporates the theme into the show every now and then.
However, on this trip, he got to be exposed to the "N" word, from one young black man to another. I thought, of that picture and wondered, how horrible it must have been for their ancestors to have to hear that word to describe them. And now, they call themselves that.
The next morning we took off to drive 2 1/2 hours to Cleveland. Shari took Ryan to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame where Ryan had a great time looking at guitars and bought himself some records. Matt and I walked up to Jacob's Field (Cleveland Indians play) and Gund Arena (Cavaliers (basketball) and Barons (San Jose's AHL team) play.
Cleveland has some cool places to visit however, I can't say that it was a good city to walk around in. I have been in many places where I was the minority but felt comfortable, however, the black young people are everywhere and their language and behaviour is unbelievable. Matt and I sat down in a little mall because it was so cold outside and we sat down with a drink. Just beside us was a store selling pictures. One of the pics was a large pic of Martin Luther King and when he asked me who he was I tried to explain. Matt does know a bit about racism from a cartoon show he watches (Proud Family), a black family that incorporates the theme into the show every now and then.
However, on this trip, he got to be exposed to the "N" word, from one young black man to another. I thought, of that picture and wondered, how horrible it must have been for their ancestors to have to hear that word to describe them. And now, they call themselves that.
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I've always wondered about that phenomenon: calling each other a name that represents the intense prejudice, racism and even terrible cruelty their people have experienced. Why is this? Do you think it's simply a way that they deal with this past? I mean, they are still oppressed in a lot of ways, so is this a kind of oddly soothing thing, like hard punk metal to a depressed person? Know what I mean?
- Troy
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- Troy
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