“I know you’re different, you know I’m the same…”
everyday glory January 15th, 2007Monday – 15 January 2007
Today is Martin Luther King Day in the U.S.
(Previous MLK Day-related posts: 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002)
I am taking the day off from work. I joked with (or “teased” or “taunted”) some of my coworkers that I was taking “I’m Black, You’re Not Day” off. I said it mostly to see their reactions; I wasn’t disappointed – it disarmed and confused them for a few moments. There was, however, more of a reason behind it than just trying to catch them off-guard: I did it to make them think.
A couple of them actually got it.
I am the sole Black employee – and one of a few (less than five, I think) non-LDS employees – in our office. There are times, I think, when some of them fail to consider the impact of being so much of a minority in an environment: Most of the employees in our office are, to quote Ben Folds: “…male, middle-class, and White.” And LDS. It’s Utah… that’s to be somewhat expected. I have been told, point-blank, that there are times when some of them don’t really think about what it means to be an “outsider.” I find this odd and somewhat amusing since many of these people – or members of their immediate families – at one time served a mission for the LDS Church, which made them a distinct minority in whichever community/state/country they served.
Do I wish to be treated differently or preferrentially because I am different? No.
Do I think that the differences between us should be swept under the rug or ignored? No.
Do I think that that we should be comfortable enough with each other to accept and appreciate the things that make us different? Yes.
To that end, I talk with my coworkers about things that I don’t understand about the local culture. Some of them, in turn, feel comfortable to ask me about things they don’t know/understand about my background. That’s a good thing; I actually enjoy that kind of dialogue. I wish that more people were able to do that.
What am I going to do with my day? I don’t know.
Thanks to the efforts of Dr. King – and many others who do not have holidays named in their honor – I am free to do whatever I choose. I can spend it in the company of friends. I can go out and enjoy the City Library. I can… just go for a drive (too cold to go for a walk or a bike ride), if I choose. If I choose to do nothing, I’m free to do that, as well.
If you have never had to worry about the freedom to do these things, why not take a moment to consider what it means to live in a country where people have had to fight for their freedoms and equality.
Be good to yourself.
Be good to others.
Namaste.
One Response to ““I know you’re different, you know I’m the same…””
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
January 15th, 2007 at 11:58 AM
Rob, I don’t recall if you read Metafilter or not, but I thought you might be interested in this if you haven’t read it before:
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkatimetobreaksilence.htm
More bold words from Dr. King, and not inapplicable to the current state of the nation’s soul. Cheers!