learning something new

  It wasn't the first time and I 'm certain it won't be the last but yesterday I was called an old, white guy that lives in Maryland. I couldn't help but think, well whoever said that must not be a liberal. I can tell because they spoke the truth. I am old, white, a guy, and live in Maryland. Liberals wouldn't have known that, not without asking me how I want to be identified, you know, now that it's a choice. But I think that remark was meant to disparage me in some fashion, although the truth doesn't really bother me a whole lot. I've known I was white so long, I've gotten old. Seems I've always known I was a guy too, spent a lot of time trying to get a look at the girls, heard they were different. And all my bills are mailed to this Maryland address so I 'm certain I live here. Well that and the guys calling about my cars extended warranty.  So, anyway I was amused by that. Guess that was the extent of their intelligence briefing from my profile page, they must have skipped over the part where I graduated high school because that wasn't mentioned. 

 Now that came about as a result of a comment I made about a proposed voting law in Georgia. I confess to only reading the headlines about this proposal. The thing was about voting on Sunday. The headline proclaimed that traditionally black folks vote after church on Sunday. I said I hadn't heard of that tradition. That's when I was called an old, white, guy, from Maryland. Still I persisted in trying to understand why this was an issue, as the article said it was an attempt by Georgia Republicans to suppress the black vote! I asked about that, why would that be voter suppression? The general consensus I got from the replies was traditionally the black folks all vote for the Democrats right after church. If they can't do that, vote on Sunday, right after church, that is voter suppression! Why the church arranges transportation to the polls for those that need it, and help the elderly, and generally facilitate that ability to vote for the Democrat of their choosing! Of course the church only operates on Sunday so any other day of the week is just out of the question. It's obvious the Georgia Republicans are just trying to suppress the vote. When I mentioned that perhaps that was rather a racist view I was called, you got it, a racist! Hey I'm not the one saying all the black folks vote for the Democrats after Sunday services as a tradition. That does sound a bit racist now doesn't it? I was informed there are black churches. Hmm, glad I didn't say that, I would really be in trouble for that. 

 Well whatever. I wrote the other day that if the causality for your failure is always race, you are a racist. And that is how I view that these days. That is simply because that is what I hear all the time. I don't have this or that, I'm not successful, my education isn't as good, my house isn't as nice, my car isn't the best, I have too many children, my job doesn't pay enough, and on and on and the reason is always, my race. If I were a different race it would all be different. Heck if my third great grandfather had been a different race I would be different today! The causality is always race! Except of course if your race is white then you enjoy privilege. You mean the privilege of being labeled an old, white, guy from Maryland that is nothing but a racist, that privilege? Must be, because everything else I have I worked for. No "affirmative action" for me, no rather I funded all of that, along with all the other social programs in this country. Hey, it's my privilege to do so. It has nothing to do with race though, it has to do with being a productive member of society. Those folks come in all colors, sizes, shapes, religions, and some even vote Democratic on Tuesdays! 

 Well anyway I was amused for a short time. I know it's a guilty pleasure of mine, I like to rattle the cages. But between all the insults and disparaging remarks I occasionally learn something. Apparently black folks all vote Democratic on Sunday after church. Why, it's a tradition. Makes me wonder how that tradition got started. Traditionally the Democrats didn't support the black folks voting at all. Traditionally the Democrats supported separate but equal after losing their battle for segregation. Traditionally the Democrats tell the black community they can't make it on their own. They have to vote for the Democrats that will "provide" for them. But today all the black folks, at least in Georgia, vote for the Democrats right after Sunday service. Praise the Lord and vote for the Democrats. Learn something new everyday.