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WE’VE COME A LONG WAY---OR HAVE WE?
By CarolynCHolland(9,534)
| We're on the downside of completing 7% mark of the new millenia, a new century. It is no longer the 30s, 40, 50s or 60s. We've come a long way. Or have we? Recently I met someone who told me fascinating tales of his Native American heritage illustrated with numerous museum-type icons. My new friend and I had a wonderful conversation. He provided fascinating and insightful material on the culture and spirituality of his roots in a mid-west Indian tribe. He discovered his Native American heritage at age nine while doing a school project on family background. His paper failed. His teacher, reading the Indian background section, accused him of "making it up." At age 11, his father told him not to share his Indian heritage because he would be "treated badly." Years later he researched his Indian history. What he learned made him feel better. "When you don't know your background, you are lost," he said. My friend has since participated in Native American rites, acquired an Indian name, and has a story of pride. But it’s a story he won’t share for the newspaper. While he’d originally indicated he would do so, he rescinded his permission for publication because he feared retaliation on his family members. Derogatory, prejudicial remarks about another situation in his life reminded him of "insults" hurled at him as a youth. He feared putting his family members in the firing line of hate arrows. Rodger Henderson, history professor at Pennsylvania State University, Fayette County campus, understands. "There is anti-Indian prejudice," he told me. "My knowledge came from my childhood experiences, reading American history and knowing what is left out of history texts." Henderson's family omitted his great-grandmother, from family stories. They made derogatory racist comments about her, words like "half-breed," which Henderson overheard and sensed were wrong. "As a child, I didn't have the power to confront my parents and grandparents about this," he said. I also understand my friend's reluctance to have his story published. My pastor husband and I have friends who were reluctant to visit us as we served different Western Pennsylvania churches. The bi-racial couple is aware that their presence amidst my husband's church congregations can somehow place us in a negative light, diminishing our ability to do constructive ministry. I hope it wouldn't. But I know deep down there is some truth in their fears. We experienced that prejudice when we met them for dinner at a rural restaurant and noticed patrons who came in much after we did were served while we continued to wait our turn. We finally left the restaurant to seek another where we could receive service. Readers and congregations are deprived of rich experiences because prejudice and fear still exist. We've come a long way. Or have we? Will it ever end? ---written by Carolyn We hope you've enjoyed the writings posted here and on the Beanery Online Literary Magazine. Visit our sites---www.ProBlogs.com/CarolynCHolland and www.ProBlogs.com/beanerywriters ---each day to read the new posts. Check out the INDEX category to find stories that interest you. Thank you for your patronage. | |
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Posted to ProBlogs.com on Monday, January 01, 2007
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