Cripple

R****t, I was one, all those years ago. R****m use to be worse than it is now. Some people are extreme r****t with no excuse. I will never be r****t again. I owe it to a very special person who changed my life.

The year was 1971, Vietnam. I was a young Marine sent on a mission. I was a quiet person, always serious. At the time, I felt I was saddled with a black man who couldn't shut-up. He talked all the time. He was a fairly new Spotter and when it was time for him to do his job, he did well, but so did I.
I told him some things I learned like never shoot out of a tree, never hide in a hole, always have two escapes, study your target, know the area around you, on and on. The mistake was just as much mine as his, they hid well. We set-up and finally the target was exposed enough to take advantage of it and we did. There were two of them, jumped out just after I shot. I think this Corporal saw them just a second before me. He was on-top of me saying "Watch-out!" by the time I looked up his head was shot in two. He saved my life.

If something like that has ever happened to you, it is a life-changing event. Men died all around me for almost 3 years in many circumstances but this one made a bigger impression than the rest.

Anyone who thinks/says people of a different color are less than he/she is is a pee-wit. I will stick to that to my dying breath. All those years ago the South Vietnamese use to say "White Man Arrogance" and they were right and I was one and just ignored them. There is no person in the world who is better or worse than you due to the color of their skin, national origin, religion, disability even language but you can't tell that to whoever has that "White Man Arrogance".

I sincerely dislike the r****m with reason. I was able to change, awaken, open my mind to another thought in conflict with my own. Can you?

bahmer

That sure brings it home. I have had many friends of all kinds of races from hispanic, black, Indian from India Indian from America and we are all the same we all have feelings and hurts and likes etc. Sorry what it takes sometimes to get that message across to us isn't it.

maryjane

A great lesson. But, such arrogance/r****t is not, and never has been, limited to white people. R****m and mistreatment of people who are different in some way, has been part of mankind since the beginning of mankind, and I feel sure it will exist as long as mankind does. But, we also see this behavior in other animals such as lions, elephants, monkeys, etc. So, maybe the tendency of animals, including humans, to cleave to their own kind and be suspicious of others is part of DNA. Humans all over the world are constantly fighting among their "tribes" for dominance. Though our similarities and differences certainly include skin color, all the other differences humans latch onto matter also. This DNA does tend to make the claims of diversity and m**************m being best, not only not necessarily true but, in some ways, does harm to a society. Though I completely understand human beings settling with others most like themselves, to make any judgements about another person solely on the basis of skin color is THE most stupid action possible. Skin color or where we were born are things no person has ANY control over and, so, are irrelevant. The characteristics inside that skin are what matters.

SilentGeneration Loc: Michigan

Amen!

saltwind 78 Loc: Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

Cripple, I couldn't agree more. Thanks for telling it like it is!
Do you remember those 5 inch naval rounds in Nam? I'm the one that pulled the trigger.

Cripple

WOW saltwind, that was you? Yes, those 5" I saw a few of those.
You saved quite a few men.

debeda

Well said Mary Jane!!!

Cripple

Yes, Mary Jane did say some good things, pat on her back. I re-read both a couple times, what a terrible memory I can't seem to shake. Nothing in the writing limited the "White Man Arrogance" to just the white man. Yes, animals do the same but we should be a bit better than animals. Yes, we have a history of r****m does not mean we should continue such. Yes, there will always be r****m, well probably, but I suspect those will find themselves at the lowest or most disregarded of people. The harm to society, in my opinion, are those who hold onto r****m.
I'm not argumentative, if someone has a different opinion, well good for you. All I can do is be responsible for myself, lesson learned also. If my life wasn't saved by a black man, then I wouldn't be here to chat.
Good luck Mary Jane & debeda

debeda

The whole point is skin color and/Or physical appearance doesn't matter one bit. What matters is the essence of the person. That young man who saved your life instinctively was one heck of a person and a hero.

maryjane

I apologize. Obviously, I did not make myself clear, and, maybe, veared off topic somewhat. In no way did I mean ANYTHING negative about your post. Your story was wonderful and a great lesson to all of us. Please forgive me if I offended in any way, was not my intention.

Cripple

MaryJane, no apology needed. I take you as a good person. Thanks for your attentiveness.

dongreen76

You should not whip your self so vigorously,and ask your self were you a r****t, or like so many others we are alluding to merely a bigot/duped pawn;because thats what most of sort are.Preconceived notions of what other people are or are alike are embedded in you for the most part,or you judge all by the few as most people do.This is so because although the country is officially/legally desegregated,birds of a feather inherently flock together,hence a scenario of ignorance prevails,PEOPLE DON'T KNOW comprehensively.This occurs in other facids besides race.
You are to be commended,however,and should pay/spread that noble concept foward;in other words-THANK YOU!

Cripple

Thank you dongreen

TrueAmerican

And the sick nfl can't support veterans and honor the f**g sic sic sic !!!!!!