It’s hard for me to share certain things with my E2 Family but I feel, regardless of the backlash, this is important that I share.
In my time on this pebble I have met people of all races and cultures except, for some odd reason, I had not met many people of the Jewish faith… until this past summer. Since then it seems I meet more and more. Not just Jews! Many, many other cultures were all together from their native countries at Culver, Indiana. Every time I meet someone I’m noticing the craziest thing, though being Christian and hearing undertones of the Christian Superiority attitude in daily life more and more, I am feeling something that should be great: I can’t find a reason to hate because of race or religion. Now, I’m not proclaiming some high and mighty position of perfect simulacrum with reality, I simply feel like I’ve reached a level of exposure to other cultures where I can understand how horrible racism and such is.
Let me reiterate. By not being exposed to a lot of other cultures early I just accept that yes, sure, racism is bad. But until I was put to the test, dropped into that situation, did I truly feel what it was like to despise racism. I’ve met people of lots of cultures that I love now. I’ve met people of lots of cultures that I can’t stand now. I love and loathe them all… by who they are. This sounds like it simply can’t be a revelation of a man of any age over 10, but it is. It’s experience. I’ve finally had a new experience in a new department and I feel like some things simply make more sense now.
I hope this isn’t the last time I feel this: New.