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Date:         Wed, 27 Jan 1993 19:39:14 -0500
From:         Username was LODEESEN <LODEESENJ@ADMINB.RFERL.ORG>
Subject: Re: Media/communicatioons

Phil, I'm probably one of those people you would consider a staunch
defender of the status quo, although I consider myself a staunch defender of
working with the status quo in order to change it.  I agree with you that
the maintenance of slavery and subsequent oppression of one segment of the
population by another (or of some segments by others) on grounds which were
both offensive and outrageously idiotic demonstrates the existence of a
conspiracy, partly spoken, partly unspoken.  It is not more than 35 years ago
that, during an informal job interview, I was "asked" one of the crucial
questions, i.e., I was told a "joke" totally lacking in humor and based on
characterization of assumed Black inferiority.  I understood the purpose of
the question.  I had been born and for much of my schooling brought up in the
South.  I knew that real live human beings, and not comic book characters,
had "serious" discussions about foot shape or finger nail moons or chair sitting
or other weird things designed to strengthen and perpetuate separation of some
in order to assure the bonding and preeminence of others.  But the question was
put to me in San Francisco and the man was running a field office of a company
from his home state, Ohio.  You and I are both offended by that event, I
assume.  I don't know whether you would approve or disapprove of my reaction
at the time.  I'm guessing that you might be mildly favorably surprised and yet
a bit disappointed, but I'm not submitting my own record for approval.  What
I am doing is looking at the perspective of change.  I had gone to a university
at which the only Black student I knew, and one of only seven (I believe) there,
was a law school student since Blacks were excluded from the undergraduate
program (as were women) on the grounds that there were other suitable
facilities for them.  My son attends the university Thurgood Marshall
desegregated, and lives a life which contains no element of the kind of
separation which was institutionalized in my time.  My own life is now
totally free of assaults on the dignity of myself or other people from
"jokes" or comments of the kind I met in San Francisco.  There are new targets
of bigotry or other groups for whom the reduction of slander has been less
complete (I'm talking about my personal experience from people who talk to me
rather than what I hear from the media about what is happening).  There are
still subtle putdowns of women.  There are some ugly generalizations about
Iraqis or Muslims or Arabs and the image of "orientals" seems to be recast in
something which is no longer "inscrutable" but is instead somehow rapacious.
  All of the generalizations stink.  All.  But I cannot look at the last
half century of my life and not see radical (a deliberately chosen word)
improvement in the protection of rights of human beings without regard to
their membership in previously formally oppressed and/or excluded groups.
  That experience is what makes me a "staunch defender".  The thought that
you would not want to discuss on a net which had "staunch defenders" saddens
me if it includes me.  If everyone who wants to use the system to improve the
system is the enemy of everyone who dislikes what he has experienced from the
system, I doubt that anyone will gain except for those who would rather tell
you that you must not eat in the same restaurant with me and that I must try
to keep you "in your place".  My view of the period through which we have just
lived is that it has been one which makes a better world in which to live, a
better world in which to work for further improvement.  Do you see it
differently?
Jon
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