White? Privilege? How Do You Judge Me?
"No juzgues un libro por su portada. ¡Puede que te pierdas una historia increíble!" Perhaps you just saw the title of this story post and already you may be ready to fight! Well read on if you will, I am not here to offend anyone. As for me? Folks don't offend me unless I allow them to. Cuz no one has control over my feelings and emotions In the end, it's all about Love! So Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover, Until You Read The Entire Book. As a rule, I tend to avoid controversial subjects such as politics. And especially identity politics and political correctness. But I believe that when I write a story post that I am moved by God to do so. And Yes that is a very special privilege to me. And when I ask God what he wants me to write I usually get to write what I want to write too. I just choose to ask first. It usually is better than what I would write on my own, alone. So I am going to express my feelings and emotions about a divisive topic since feelings and emotions are dividing the nation. I thought that I might choose to explain my point of view so that perhaps someone who is easily offended by when I say, "Have A Nice Day" and they reply with, "Don't Tell Me What Kind Of Day To Have You Fascist!" they `might have less anger. Wow! Happy Much? Hmmmm? Maybe I am just too old to understand the new ideologies of anger being the new overjoyed. Anyway, it seems to me that since the 1960s of "Peace and Love", all the while burning The American Flag and spitting on our Veterans after returning home from a political war that really wasn't our war to begin with, according to my own personal researched opinion, that I am thinking all of the continued, anger has been escalating every decade. Was it that after the 1960s there was so much brain damage from taking so much LSD? Or was it from the withdrawals from stop talking all the drugs when they had children and, got jobs and started paying taxes? Wait! Who stopped taking drugs? Then there was the 1970's and you couldn't use the bathroom in the dance clubs because all the stalls were full of disco freaks doing coke! LOL! Funny but true. And as a former addict myself, I know from personal experience coming off of drugs isn't exactly the best way to maintain a pleasant attitude. To say the least. Ok, enough fun at your expense Baby Boomers! LOL! So about this 'White Privilege'. I am assuming, that you are assuming, by looking at my photos, that I am White? Well, my mother and all my relatives on her side are Mexican, And since I am a Proud Texan, you can call me "Tex-Mex" culture. But I look White right? Well if you hate me because I am White then I would think that constitutes racism as I understand it. I mean judging another person on the color of their skin? But guess what I'm not White. But you didn't know that did you? And my last name is "Burton" on my father's side, so again, you may be assuming that I am only Welsh. But look closely at my physical features? Do I look like I am a purebred from Wales in the southwest of Great Britain? Now let's talk about the "Privileged" part of this story post. Ok since there are so many others, that may be assuming I am White because I look White to them, then I suppose I do have more "Advantage" and "Opportunities" in this world. but hardly any privileges. Besides, who can you prevent being born what and who you are in order to not be hated? Isn't that the same thing that has to happen to oppressed people of color? To me, it isn't about Dr. Reverand Martin Luthers King Jr's Dream. But instead trying to gain the power that was being held over the oppressed people so as to oppress the ones that were the oppressors. To me, equality and justice ls not about repeating wrongful history in order to seek revenge through entitlement. Be not like those who anger, but rise above and try to forgive. Why would we pray for our enemy? Not so much only for them to find peace from their anger. But so we can find peace too by removing the anger from our hearts. Ask God who is entitled to anything on earth that was never ours, to begin with? We are only passengers. We are not in control of anything. We do not need to be controlling others by force or intimidation. However, I can see privilege! I mean if I had kids I couldn't send them to an Ivy League University because I am so wealthy that I could Bribe the college exam administrators. My Dad was a womanizing, abusive man, a raging alcoholic, to my mother and brothers and he was a factory worker, so I couldn't use his name or the money he didn't have (or claimed that he didn't have) to get ahead in life. Yea! It was the 1970's in Texas and I was getting my butt kicked every day by homophobic bullies and I did not even know I was gay at that time. But apparently, they did. When my Dad found out he nearly killed me literally and I had to leave home at 15. From then on I did what all teen-age runaways do and sold my youth and my body to survive. And several times I nearly got killed that way too. So I have been fighting all of my life and still am today trying to take my seat at the table because my personality is "off the wall" "loud" "hyper' "weird" or how about "different?" Ya' know what they call that right? Prejudice, oppression, discrimination, judgemental. But here's the deal. I am not emotionally immature. I am not offended, All that happened to me, only made me stronger, because it didn't kill me. I worked my butt off too for many years trying to undo all of it. And when I discovered that I could not undo the past, then I had no choice but to make peace with my demons. Let Go! Today I can forgive, but will never forget. The scars and wounds will never heal. But they no longer rule my life emotionally. Today I am a volunteer "Life Coach". I don't have a degree, and you do not need one. But I do have the life training and a desire to help heal others who suffer as I once did. Today I am a productive member of society and involved in community service giving back what God's grace gave to me. I am not angry any longer and I have no hate towards anyone. But if I don't like you or what you do or how you live that does not make me a fascist or racist. Because I may like your brother. sister or cousin, but not you. I discovered from the simple fact, that from my resilience and endurance, that I'm a tough guy, very creative and intelligent. So don't hate me for that too. Because so are you!. So chill out folks. Cant, you see that we are being used against each other, by still others, so they can get what they want by convincing us that we are getting what we want? But never do. And the ones using us are being used as well by a greater negative force whose only purpose is to separate us all from our common wants and needs. Do we humans have far more in common than that which is so different? In a life and death situation, my enemy is my savior, If I am drowning in the ocean and the only lifesaver is from a person I despise. And would I accept it? Hell, Yes, I would! I'm no fool! We don't have to like each other, but when we both are faced with the same enemy, then it might be a good idea to set aside our differences at least until we defeat the threat together. Then you can go on your way and me on mine. But what could we have learned from each other and about each other as we fought side by side? And is that really what we want? Anger, hate, division, and resentment? Possibly from the past? Maybe not getting the attention, acceptance, support, and love that we feel that we needed? That's my story. I Love You! I may not like you, but I Love You! LOL! I Love You because we all want the same thing. Peace, Unity, and Acceptance. I have achieved all this by surrendering my self-will and my life over to the care of the God of my own understanding. A universal consciousness that loves some exactly the way I am. That I do not have a fight or dance and sing for anyone else in order to win over their approvals. And when nobody wants to Love me than my Father who art in Heaven does, and always will. As a matter of fact, I learned that he always did love me even when I was harming myself in ways that I thought he would never come 10 feet near me. Turns out that I was never alone. But I didn't realize it back then. Brain Washed? Religious-Cult Indoctrination? No that's for folks who are seeking something in their lives perhaps that they feel is missing. Then the cultist tells them what they want to hear. So that is how that works. Like certain politicians. LOL! No that was not my case, You see? I wasn't looking for God. God found me instead. I suppose it was just my time. When I say that I surrendered my will, I didn't know that I had. I finally realized that I was doing the same things over and over for years upon years and the outcomes were always the same and nothing had ever changed. My surrender meant I stopped fighting everybody and the world around me. I was so tired and it felt so good to not be able to get up off the ground. I rested for the first time in many decades. My teeth relaxed, my fist unraveled, and I cried for hours! The force from the release of my tears and pain could have knocked down all the walls around me in the room. Yes, the walls did come down that day. And to be honest with you. The only thing that had changed, in this crazy world, and all its people and problems, was "me, myself and I" How I respond, react, and feel about life is more positive. Because when I believed that God loved me, then I began to love myself! And you know what? I am not perfect, But I am perfectly imperfect! I May Not Be Where I Think I Should Be, But I Sure As Hell Ain't Where I Was! And I Wouldn't "Give Up" My Wonderful Life, For You Our Anyone Else On This Earth! But I will gladly "Give It Away" instead. Pass it On! Thanks for letting me share again! Live In Peace Not In Pieces!
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AuthorHowdy there. My Name is Clay Burton. I was born in Galveston County, Tx in 1963 and have lived in Hitchcock Tx. for at least 40 years now. but only the past year or so I have become a very active volunteer in local community services here in Hitchcock. Categories |