From a Different Perspective.

[Voxxx]

*Disclaimer
This isn’t so much a prose piece as a diary entry. This scene really happened. Names have been changed to protect identities. This is a racial piece. Don’t get your feathers ruffled. I’m just reporting the news, I don’t make it.


With an hour to go until the lunch bell, we were stuck in the gym with nothing to do. A few friends of mine were talking nearby. I wasn’t really paying attention until
“No offense or anything, but I just don’t like white people.”
I looked up.
“I mean, a like a few of them—my friends, you know?—but girls like Alexis and Tonnie? Hate ‘em.”
I must count as a friend, I thought wryly. I’m as white as they come. Ivory, my mom called it. I politely looked away so Maria, an Asian from my history class, could point out my glaring lack of color.
“And Carrie.” Alicia, the girl, smiled.
“You want to know a secret?” I asked, suddenly relieved. “White people don’t like them either.”
“No s**t! They were all up in my face in religion, asking questions about my boyfriend. I mean, Cris is MY boyfriend, you know? Why should they care so much?”
I shrugged.
“I mean, last class, they were all over him, calling him a w*****k. Stuff like that hurts ME, ‘cause I got Mexican in my blood too. I’m mixed, so just about any racial thing you say, I’m gonna take offense.”
“They’re just bitchy.” Maria offered. “They talk s**t to us, too.”
“I hate it when white people try to act all ghetto. I mean, it’s nothin’ to be proud of, it’s being ignorant.”
I let my mind wander as she continued on. One of the great things about Alicia was that she could talk for an entire period. She wasn’t the kind of girl who expected much from you, no more than an occasional “Yeah,” or “No s**t!” As they talked, every now and then I caught snitches of conversation. I learned that her boyfriend sometimes sold drugs, that her other friends did coke. She went to parties where it wasn’t safe to put your drink down. She was a virtual gang member—many of her friends and family members outside school were in the Bloods. And she had also witnessed gang violence—one of her cousins had been shot right before her eyes.

I reflected on my own experiences. I drank—In my family, it’s a more like a ritual than anything else. But I’ve never had to worry about where my wine had come from, who was planning to slip date-rape in my drink. I have never laid eyes on a bag of coke. Before Alicia, I thought the Bloods were a basketball team. I knew she had come from a different background, but I had never really known her until that conversation. As I sat there, I realized how astonishing life is—how two different worlds can be so close.  

[KirbyVictorious]

NO s**t!

For serious, Chi--wtf?

O.o  

[Voxxx]

I never knew until today. I guess I just thought that because we all went to the same school, we were all alike. I mean, I knew stuff like this was out there--I just didn't know it was so close.  

[NovaKing]

Gangs and drugs are serious problems, racism doubly so.


Also, wow.  

[Voxxx]

The worst part is, she doesn't expect better. She's already aked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding to the boyfriend. I'm scared for her.

And Nova? Wow, as in I'm shocked speechless by the rampant depravity in your community? Or that Voxxxie's involved with these people? Throw me a bone. I can't decipher comments tonight.  

[KirbyVictorious]

Chiiiiii. O.O

This is scary. *x's other mmebers of our grade*  

[NovaKing]

Voxxx

The worst part is, she doesn't expect better. She's already aked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding to the boyfriend. I'm scared for her.

And Nova? Wow, as in I'm shocked speechless by the rampant depravity in your community? Or that Voxxxie's involved with these people? Throw me a bone. I can't decipher comments tonight.

Depravity? I'm not certain.... Does she think she can do better?

More importantly, does society let on that it expects better? Now there's a real question. Do the dominant show enough compasion to prove that they are brothers and sisters to all in this country? Do the educated have faith in the ability to learn of those who they do not think are as educated as they?

We live in an age were there is battle between the have and have nots, as many have said, the haves fighting to retain what they have gained, and the have nots fighting to obtain what the haves possess.

What does this battle do to us? what does it stop us from doing?

How do we help the wounded without becoming wounded ourselves in the crossfire?

Long ago I beleived that thought would aid me in answering the questions I had, but I find myself only with more questions then before.  

[Galladonsfire]

I always knew racism was a common truth in todays society.... but hearing it said out loud where everyone can hear. Wow, well I only got one thought on this....why would they be making it to where you could hear? I mean (hypothetically) If I was talking about this..I would be as quiet as possible. I mean doesn't this sound a little like someone is trying to get to you on purpose?  

[KirbyVictorious]

No, they're saying what they feel.  

[Voxxx]

Depravity refers to the general bad-ness in my community. The druggies, etc.

As far as this one goes, we've been friends for a while, but hadn't really talked about important stuff before. Aside from just needing to talk to someone, there's no reason to draw me in--I'm not only a white girl (an outsider), I'm poor. There's absolutely no way I could help her situation whatsoever. I also have relatives/kissing friends who are police officers, and I know for a fact she doesn't want him sent back to juvie. She was being quiet. I was just in the circle.  

[KirbyVictorious]

*whistles innocently*  

[NovaKing]

Galladonsfire

I always knew racism was a common truth in todays society.... but hearing it said out loud where everyone can hear. Wow, well I only got one thought on this....why would they be making it to where you could hear? I mean (hypothetically) If I was talking about this..I would be as quiet as possible. I mean doesn't this sound a little like someone is trying to get to you on purpose?

Not all people are pragmatic and logical. Some actions are just set up on routine, others for conversation, others because they are considered, and sometimes people just don't think about what they say.

Situations vary -shrug-  

[Galladonsfire]

NovaKing

Galladonsfire

I always knew racism was a common truth in todays society.... but hearing it said out loud where everyone can hear. Wow, well I only got one thought on this....why would they be making it to where you could hear? I mean (hypothetically) If I was talking about this..I would be as quiet as possible. I mean doesn't this sound a little like someone is trying to get to you on purpose?

Not all people are pragmatic and logical. Some actions are just set up on routine, others for conversation, others because they are considered, and sometimes people just don't think about what they say.

Situations vary -shrug-

Yeh.. I guess you could be right. Course I mean this kinda conversation would strike me as something to be "hush hush" about, but thats jus me tho.  

[KirbyVictorious]

Nothing's hushhush unless you're a Catholic, then everything is.  

[Galladonsfire]

KirbyVictorious

Nothing's hushhush unless you're a Catholic, then everything is.

Good point... but I still see today contradictions in the religious values we are supposedly keeping to mind. Thats why I believe what I wish to believe now...

I'm glad we have that kind of freedom...