Joe Guy wrote:... I have more years of experience than anyone here at being attacked emotionally and have had countless attempts made by others to drain me of my will to live, so don't even think about challenging me on this subject.
Sadly, JG, you are shoveling sand against the tide. Status quo is your nemesis, and will forever be your measure of accomplishment.
My best advice? Stay away from pills and alcohol -- or not.
“In a world whose absurdity appears to be so impenetrable, we simply must reach a greater degree of understanding among us, a greater sincerity.”
I got the Colin Powell picture too--10 out of a 100. "Your not white" That is ok I knew that . There is a notorious test for 'Blacks' involving a brown paper bag. Stand in front of a mirror and hold a common brown paper bag next to your face. Is your face darker or lighter than the bag? If lighter, you are a 'good' black--like Colin Powell. If it is darker, well then you are a real black and go to the metaphorical back of the bus, even today.
So I have down this test with not a paper bag, but a piece of cheap printer paper, the stuff marked 85% bright. I am not any where near that color, I clearly ain't white.
The test linked the top is appropriate. "Black" "White" in American society is completely arbitrary with criteria that have nothing to do with skin color, biology or any objective measurement.
And another thing. I just came back from an academic seminar comparing and contrasting the community impact on written traditions vs oral traditions. On thing I learned is that individuals who default to oral traditions tell more stories. Scholars recognize oral traditions that have been reduced to writing because story tellers frequently begin sentences with 'And'.