I'm old enough to have born personal witness to a great deal of pre-civil rights racism. I was also the white man at the bid whist table that became well enough known by the black people around me (late 70s-early 80s Georgia) that old people who experienced worse (including cross burnings and gunfire) became comfortable enough to talk ho…
I'm old enough to have born personal witness to a great deal of pre-civil rights racism. I was also the white man at the bid whist table that became well enough known by the black people around me (late 70s-early 80s Georgia) that old people who experienced worse (including cross burnings and gunfire) became comfortable enough to talk honestly to me about it. In the case of one old woman who made her low opinion of white men known to me, I think she got some satisfaction in putting that in my face. She needed that so I listened to her and accepted it.
I think that one reason that I was accepted is that when I showed up at the table a coarse and intimidating man stated his bid and I said, "You can't make that. I pass." He looked me right in the eye and said, "Ain't no white MFer gonna set me." It got quiet. When I slapped the set card in front of him I said, "You're set MFer. Get up!" (hot seat) More quiet. I didn't let him intimidate me and run me off. That's how men gained each other's respect in those days. As equals. There was no white privilege or respect in his challenge. That came after. We weren't going to fight in the break room, but we didn't have a parking lot meeting either.
I just wrote and erased some of it because it's most likely what you were told by reliable witness to Jim Crow. As you wrote, not internet stuff.
"She needed that so I listened to her and accepted it."
Oof, yeah, I've met more than my fair share of angry black people. Especially the older generation. 60s and up. Some of them just went through too much to fully get over it. I have little doubt that if I'd grown up in the sixties it would be hard for me to trust white people.
You've been here long enough to remember my conversations with Ray, right? I'm sad I couldn't get through to him, but I'm also not that surprised. Some of the stories I've heard honestly make me tear up thinking about them.
I'm old enough to have born personal witness to a great deal of pre-civil rights racism. I was also the white man at the bid whist table that became well enough known by the black people around me (late 70s-early 80s Georgia) that old people who experienced worse (including cross burnings and gunfire) became comfortable enough to talk honestly to me about it. In the case of one old woman who made her low opinion of white men known to me, I think she got some satisfaction in putting that in my face. She needed that so I listened to her and accepted it.
I think that one reason that I was accepted is that when I showed up at the table a coarse and intimidating man stated his bid and I said, "You can't make that. I pass." He looked me right in the eye and said, "Ain't no white MFer gonna set me." It got quiet. When I slapped the set card in front of him I said, "You're set MFer. Get up!" (hot seat) More quiet. I didn't let him intimidate me and run me off. That's how men gained each other's respect in those days. As equals. There was no white privilege or respect in his challenge. That came after. We weren't going to fight in the break room, but we didn't have a parking lot meeting either.
I just wrote and erased some of it because it's most likely what you were told by reliable witness to Jim Crow. As you wrote, not internet stuff.
"She needed that so I listened to her and accepted it."
Oof, yeah, I've met more than my fair share of angry black people. Especially the older generation. 60s and up. Some of them just went through too much to fully get over it. I have little doubt that if I'd grown up in the sixties it would be hard for me to trust white people.
You've been here long enough to remember my conversations with Ray, right? I'm sad I couldn't get through to him, but I'm also not that surprised. Some of the stories I've heard honestly make me tear up thinking about them.