CJ said:
Quote:Call me "nigger". Please. I'll wear the badge with pride.
I live in a community where forty-something folks still pretend they're in high school. Same message to all of ya - grow up.
and then he said:
Quote:Double dog dare ya. Here's a quarter. Buy a clue.
Now when's the last time I heard a forty year old say, "Double dog dare ya"?
And you're talking about your neighbors...
If you did say what you just said, they would call you a nigger - as in "Nigger, that is so played out...get a clue" or something.
And then ya'll could become friends or something...who knows what miracles might occur.
Nimh - Thanks - I'm glad you found it helpful or interesting or whatever. This has been my favorite teaching job bar none. I find these young people incredibly objective and resilient...as I said, I've learned so much from them - most importantly that I should never make assumptions not only about them- but for them. We talk about everything from Barry Bonds to that woman who bullied the girl over the internet (this is interesting - their first question was: "No offense Miss, but was she white?"). Then we talked about how white and black people might deal with conflict differently and why that might be culturally based - fascinating.
But anyway - I've been so surprised and impressed that the majority of them approach things that I'd think they'd be infuriated about with an almost fatalistic calm. On the other hand - it makes me sad about what it says about how they view the world.
I think they've been through the mill and have learned how not to let the small things (like idiots who would still call them names) shake them.