HOW I OVERCAME RACISM
This is a "re-publish" of a post i wrote Nov.2013 but due to the recent NBA scandal about bigotry
I felt compelled to do it again. Mrs.Birge
Simply Said: "Life to me appears too short to be nursing animosity or registering wrongs." Charlotte Bronte
"Man is the only animal, Mark Twain said, that blushes...or needs to!" He also stated that "when we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained!"
My son, David, told me if I was going to write a book, blog or personal diary it should not dwell on the child abuse i overcame, the Suicide of my beloved Dad,
all the reasons I could dwell on but....HOW I OVERCAME it ALL with values intact, trust damaged but retained and still loving others unconditionally.
In the wonderful musical, South Pacific, is the line "we have to be taught to hate!"
BUT, I will add we do NOT have to use that as a crutch to continue a behavior we find to be wrong.
I probably had the worst kind of Racism, I feel, and that was to not even think or question it!! I was born in the South but it wasn't always
considered "The South" in 1941. Neither of my parents ever "taught" me prejudice and I never even said the dreaded & ugly "N" word.....the time I was about 7 years old and my Mother and I were downtown St.Petersburg shopping at what they called a "5 & Dime" store. I was thirsty so asked Mom to take me to the water fountain at the back of the store. There were TWO of them! One sign
above it said "WHITES" and one said "COLORED"!. I thought that meant that one of them had FLAVORED WATER! I loved strawberry. My mother had to explain awkwardly that one was for US and the other for another "type" of people! The restrooms by them also had signs for WHITE and COLORED.I
didn't realize until much later that most stores didn't even have THAT accommodation for them. I was curious and puzzled about it but soon forgot...
At that time, I didn't know they had their OWN beach, schools, etc.& I went blissfully on in my ignorance. I never shared a classroom desk through High School or Jr.College with anyone but my own race. Oh, we had derogatory
slang for other ethnicity's than ours but I can't even say or write them out to this day cause I was super sensitive about hurting anyone else like I had been.
I just continued on as a self-focused teenager thru (the 50's.) I married in 1962 & quickly became a wife and mother that stayed home full time in my own "shell".
It wasn't until 1975 when I returned to college to complete my BS Degree while raising two children that I encountered an integrated classroom. Guess what?
The FIRST person who befriended me was a wonderful black student.It was still considered unusual to be in college in your 20's or 30's and I felt pretty alone that first day being the oldest student in the room(even older than the young teacher that walked in that I didn't recognize as my teacher!) From (1975-1984) when I graduated from Fla. International University in Miami I went to school with a really diverse group from all over the world. The INCREDIBLE FACT I LEARNED WAS TO GET TO KNOW SOMEONE ELSE INDIVIDUALLY WAS TO LOSE YOUR FEAR, UNFAIRNESS, and MY MYOPIC VIEW OF THE WORLD.
I started teaching High School in 1984 at Cooper City High School (Cowboys)and for the next 27 years had one of the most glorious careers a woman could ever have. They taught me as much as I taught them & I eagerly learned all the new facts I needed: (1)They helped my lack of confidence and low self esteem by their respect and love for me. (2) My FIRST day of school I had a student named "ROT" with purple Mohawk, black chains & all.He became one of my favorite students because I learned to SEE BEYOND my prejudice
to a smart, funny, loving student.(He later became an Undertaker.Seriously!)
(3)A beloved student named Mustari Akhi I will love forever as the kindest,smartest,loving person who helped me with Muslim prejudice! o.k. do you get the picture?....I had Black, Teenager, Muslim and even Elderly prejudice to overcome. I called myself the "Oldest Teenager" and it DID keep me young mentally for a long time. I taught until I was 70 years old and never "felt" old.
What my wonderful students gave me was priceless on many levels....
After 9/11 I actually called the local Muslim temple near our school to APOLOGIZE to them for our behavior to her family afterwards.She was afraid to go to the grocery store!!!!People glared & spoke & it upset me a lot. She was a Math teacher with two children and became my friend that year.
What I KNOW is that ALL ETHNICITY'S have "fanatics" and "haters"!! Muslims were just as ashamed about the Twin Towers as WE were (many Muslims died that day, also, in those business offices) I had dinner just the summer before 9/11 on the top floor with our Son who worked in NY at that time.
What i KNOW is that ALL people are the ROLE MODELS for their race!!
I have grown past it and so can you!! I am not perfect, by a long shot, but if you don't learn from your experiences here on Earth...you will have wasted a lifespan!
Here is how I do it:
1. I start by LOVING each person I meet until I have a valid reason NOT to.
2, I TRUST until I have a valid reason NOT to.
3. I am OPEN about giving a second chance to LOVE them.
4.The best way to teach others is by EXAMPLE!
5. I changed from the United Methodist Church that I attended since a toddler to
a "Non-Denominational" church where I LOVED CHRIST with other Christians of different faiths. Christians ARE on the SAME page! God is LOVE.
I hope YOUR personal "Journey to Fairness" for ALL comes soon and spreads as quickly as HATE spreads now. Mrs.Birge ....older but improving til the last breath!
I felt compelled to do it again. Mrs.Birge
Simply Said: "Life to me appears too short to be nursing animosity or registering wrongs." Charlotte Bronte
"Man is the only animal, Mark Twain said, that blushes...or needs to!" He also stated that "when we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained!"
My son, David, told me if I was going to write a book, blog or personal diary it should not dwell on the child abuse i overcame, the Suicide of my beloved Dad,
all the reasons I could dwell on but....HOW I OVERCAME it ALL with values intact, trust damaged but retained and still loving others unconditionally.
In the wonderful musical, South Pacific, is the line "we have to be taught to hate!"
BUT, I will add we do NOT have to use that as a crutch to continue a behavior we find to be wrong.
I probably had the worst kind of Racism, I feel, and that was to not even think or question it!! I was born in the South but it wasn't always
considered "The South" in 1941. Neither of my parents ever "taught" me prejudice and I never even said the dreaded & ugly "N" word.....the time I was about 7 years old and my Mother and I were downtown St.Petersburg shopping at what they called a "5 & Dime" store. I was thirsty so asked Mom to take me to the water fountain at the back of the store. There were TWO of them! One sign
above it said "WHITES" and one said "COLORED"!. I thought that meant that one of them had FLAVORED WATER! I loved strawberry. My mother had to explain awkwardly that one was for US and the other for another "type" of people! The restrooms by them also had signs for WHITE and COLORED.I
didn't realize until much later that most stores didn't even have THAT accommodation for them. I was curious and puzzled about it but soon forgot...
At that time, I didn't know they had their OWN beach, schools, etc.& I went blissfully on in my ignorance. I never shared a classroom desk through High School or Jr.College with anyone but my own race. Oh, we had derogatory
slang for other ethnicity's than ours but I can't even say or write them out to this day cause I was super sensitive about hurting anyone else like I had been.
I just continued on as a self-focused teenager thru (the 50's.) I married in 1962 & quickly became a wife and mother that stayed home full time in my own "shell".
It wasn't until 1975 when I returned to college to complete my BS Degree while raising two children that I encountered an integrated classroom. Guess what?
The FIRST person who befriended me was a wonderful black student.It was still considered unusual to be in college in your 20's or 30's and I felt pretty alone that first day being the oldest student in the room(even older than the young teacher that walked in that I didn't recognize as my teacher!) From (1975-1984) when I graduated from Fla. International University in Miami I went to school with a really diverse group from all over the world. The INCREDIBLE FACT I LEARNED WAS TO GET TO KNOW SOMEONE ELSE INDIVIDUALLY WAS TO LOSE YOUR FEAR, UNFAIRNESS, and MY MYOPIC VIEW OF THE WORLD.
I started teaching High School in 1984 at Cooper City High School (Cowboys)and for the next 27 years had one of the most glorious careers a woman could ever have. They taught me as much as I taught them & I eagerly learned all the new facts I needed: (1)They helped my lack of confidence and low self esteem by their respect and love for me. (2) My FIRST day of school I had a student named "ROT" with purple Mohawk, black chains & all.He became one of my favorite students because I learned to SEE BEYOND my prejudice
to a smart, funny, loving student.(He later became an Undertaker.Seriously!)
(3)A beloved student named Mustari Akhi I will love forever as the kindest,smartest,loving person who helped me with Muslim prejudice! o.k. do you get the picture?....I had Black, Teenager, Muslim and even Elderly prejudice to overcome. I called myself the "Oldest Teenager" and it DID keep me young mentally for a long time. I taught until I was 70 years old and never "felt" old.
What my wonderful students gave me was priceless on many levels....
After 9/11 I actually called the local Muslim temple near our school to APOLOGIZE to them for our behavior to her family afterwards.She was afraid to go to the grocery store!!!!People glared & spoke & it upset me a lot. She was a Math teacher with two children and became my friend that year.
What I KNOW is that ALL ETHNICITY'S have "fanatics" and "haters"!! Muslims were just as ashamed about the Twin Towers as WE were (many Muslims died that day, also, in those business offices) I had dinner just the summer before 9/11 on the top floor with our Son who worked in NY at that time.
What i KNOW is that ALL people are the ROLE MODELS for their race!!
I have grown past it and so can you!! I am not perfect, by a long shot, but if you don't learn from your experiences here on Earth...you will have wasted a lifespan!
Here is how I do it:
1. I start by LOVING each person I meet until I have a valid reason NOT to.
2, I TRUST until I have a valid reason NOT to.
3. I am OPEN about giving a second chance to LOVE them.
4.The best way to teach others is by EXAMPLE!
5. I changed from the United Methodist Church that I attended since a toddler to
a "Non-Denominational" church where I LOVED CHRIST with other Christians of different faiths. Christians ARE on the SAME page! God is LOVE.
I hope YOUR personal "Journey to Fairness" for ALL comes soon and spreads as quickly as HATE spreads now. Mrs.Birge ....older but improving til the last breath!
