Nov 29, 2022·edited Nov 29, 2022Liked by Sharon Hurley Hall
I love your, " feel good" stories. My idea of a "feel good" story may be atypical. Maybe my cynicism is operative here. A person who is united with his long lost dog may mean something to the owner, but doesn't cut it with me. Sure, I happy for the two, but in the larger scheme of things it is hardly significant to other people. To me a feel good story also has to be a significant one- one worth remembering- something to learn from. See, I told my idea was atypical.
You may remember, I am a privileged white boy, trying to desperately to abandon the myths and stereotypes of Black people I was taught in my younger years. Your stories resonate with me, telling me stories from the black viewpoint, stories before I ignored at least or didn't even know existed at the worst. Thanks to people like you, Ms. Hurley- Hall and my wife, Tracey, I am making slow but good progress toward your more rational, plain to see goal..
I particularly enjoyed you interview with Dr. Keisha Jackson, JD. Talk about overcoming discrimination while she was growing up and in the workplace and showing what a young black woman could achieve. Quite heroic. She would not be denied her dream.
As for Dr. Jackson speaking of Malcolm X was truly enlightening- a breath of fresh air. As a young boy I was told that Malcolm X was a violent, radical protester of the status quo and someone to fear and avoid for he was a " dangerous" man. Now let whites get something straight. He was radical for the time- hell, drinking from a white designated water fountain was radical. He did protest about the status quo, a white status quo which was created by white people for white people. His incisive logic was very convincing if not defensive. In 1963 in his fox and wolf interview. He reminded black people that the liberal whites were not their friends. Sly like a fox they told black people what they wanted to hear, instead of trying to understand what the blacks wanted and needed. At least it caused me a lot of soul searching- did those traits fit me?
Being someone who likes to work, "outside the box," and being an incurable skeptic, I got tired of defending white actions against blacks. I questioned the accuracy of the white myths told about black people. Besides not being not able to trust white liberals or at least question their motives, Dr. Jackson mentioned another quote of Malcolm X which really effected me. He says, "I'm for truth no matter who tells it. I'm for justice no matter who it is for or against. I'm a human being, first and foremost, and as such I'm for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole." Is that really too much to ask? That quote really changed my mind about Malcolm X. To me Malcolm x was no longer the black monster whites made him out to be. He didn't look for trouble because trouble found him. Instead he was the good guy longing for three simple concepts. First we are all human and asking for justice and truth to reign supreme for all of us. I repeat the question, " is that really too much to ask."
Great profile. I am one of those working class white people who benefited from free lunch, and a lot of this landed with me. Also, that part about educating people on "offensive and defensive use of employment law regulations"...that's great positioning.
Building Our Own Table: Keisha N. Jackson, J.D.
I love your, " feel good" stories. My idea of a "feel good" story may be atypical. Maybe my cynicism is operative here. A person who is united with his long lost dog may mean something to the owner, but doesn't cut it with me. Sure, I happy for the two, but in the larger scheme of things it is hardly significant to other people. To me a feel good story also has to be a significant one- one worth remembering- something to learn from. See, I told my idea was atypical.
You may remember, I am a privileged white boy, trying to desperately to abandon the myths and stereotypes of Black people I was taught in my younger years. Your stories resonate with me, telling me stories from the black viewpoint, stories before I ignored at least or didn't even know existed at the worst. Thanks to people like you, Ms. Hurley- Hall and my wife, Tracey, I am making slow but good progress toward your more rational, plain to see goal..
I particularly enjoyed you interview with Dr. Keisha Jackson, JD. Talk about overcoming discrimination while she was growing up and in the workplace and showing what a young black woman could achieve. Quite heroic. She would not be denied her dream.
As for Dr. Jackson speaking of Malcolm X was truly enlightening- a breath of fresh air. As a young boy I was told that Malcolm X was a violent, radical protester of the status quo and someone to fear and avoid for he was a " dangerous" man. Now let whites get something straight. He was radical for the time- hell, drinking from a white designated water fountain was radical. He did protest about the status quo, a white status quo which was created by white people for white people. His incisive logic was very convincing if not defensive. In 1963 in his fox and wolf interview. He reminded black people that the liberal whites were not their friends. Sly like a fox they told black people what they wanted to hear, instead of trying to understand what the blacks wanted and needed. At least it caused me a lot of soul searching- did those traits fit me?
Being someone who likes to work, "outside the box," and being an incurable skeptic, I got tired of defending white actions against blacks. I questioned the accuracy of the white myths told about black people. Besides not being not able to trust white liberals or at least question their motives, Dr. Jackson mentioned another quote of Malcolm X which really effected me. He says, "I'm for truth no matter who tells it. I'm for justice no matter who it is for or against. I'm a human being, first and foremost, and as such I'm for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole." Is that really too much to ask? That quote really changed my mind about Malcolm X. To me Malcolm x was no longer the black monster whites made him out to be. He didn't look for trouble because trouble found him. Instead he was the good guy longing for three simple concepts. First we are all human and asking for justice and truth to reign supreme for all of us. I repeat the question, " is that really too much to ask."
Thank you for today's insightful article.
Great profile. I am one of those working class white people who benefited from free lunch, and a lot of this landed with me. Also, that part about educating people on "offensive and defensive use of employment law regulations"...that's great positioning.