2011
So I went into town today to get Kermit, the barber, to trim my beard. He has cut back to four days a week and is looking for someone to buy the shop so that he can retire full time. He has had no luck in his efforts over the past year. As it were, completely by chance, a young man comes into the shop, introduces himself, explains that he has recently sold his barber shop in Florida, has moved to Alleghany County with his family to take care of his wife's 89-year-old grandfather and is looking for an opportunity to continue his career in Sparta.
Bingo!
But Kermit hems and haws, asks a lot of questions of licenses, what kind of barbering he has done (everthing), how long he has cut hair (16 years) and finally says he has to think about it over the weekend.
"Kermit," says I when he leaves, "it's perfect! Just what you are looking for."
"Well, I don't know."
"Why? "
"Well, he's, you know ..."
"Black?"
"Yeah. I don't think that would work around here."
So the ex-fire chief is waiting to get his hair cut and I ask "Terry, would you let the young man cut your hair?"
"Most likely not."
Alleghany County. 2011.
I can see no hope for the native community as a viable society in the 21st century.
Bingo!
But Kermit hems and haws, asks a lot of questions of licenses, what kind of barbering he has done (everthing), how long he has cut hair (16 years) and finally says he has to think about it over the weekend.
"Kermit," says I when he leaves, "it's perfect! Just what you are looking for."
"Well, I don't know."
"Why? "
"Well, he's, you know ..."
"Black?"
"Yeah. I don't think that would work around here."
So the ex-fire chief is waiting to get his hair cut and I ask "Terry, would you let the young man cut your hair?"
"Most likely not."
Alleghany County. 2011.
I can see no hope for the native community as a viable society in the 21st century.
People are basically afraid of the unknown. We may perceive something or someone with which we are unfamiliar as being evil or bad. We tend to fear what we don’t understand. We stand on what we know, and we denounce someone or their beliefs without knowing what they know. We may not even attempt to understand someone who may look different or whose beliefs may be different from that with which we are familiar..... to the point of believing that someone who is not like we are or doesn’t believe what we believe to be inferior.
ReplyDelete“.... until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned; ..... until there are no longer first-class and second class citizens of any nation; .... until the color of a man's skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes; ..... until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race; ..... until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained; ..... until bigotry and prejudice and malicious and inhuman self-interest have been replaced by understanding and tolerance and good-will ....” Haile Selassie, in a speech before the United Nations, October 1963.
Knowledge is our key to understanding each other. Knowledge about each other. Knowledge about our differences. The more we know, the less we fear. Sure, there are differences between all of us, but we don’t have to be afraid of those differences.
Understanding our differences will break down the barrier of fear that may exist between us.
Here in Alleghany County, Charles, just knowing a difference exists seems to have the counter effect of actually increasing the height of the barrier. Centuries of cultural isolation from the outside world has produced such a degree of insularity that any differences are automatically seen as "outsider nonsense" to be either ignored or denigrated. A common comment is "That's not how we do it here in Alleghany County."
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