I remember that once upon a time that black people were considered ignorant and ineducable.
Yet...
I've seen photos from a time when people might not be familiar with the word 'electric' with signs that say "DANGER: Electric Fence" with black workers pictured.
Ineducable, ignorant and stupid, yet expected to be able to read. That underscores how stupid racism can be pretty well too.
Today we can't print words on a sign and expect people to understand the meaning, today it has to be an icon or pictograph.
Today when we're educated, knowledgeable and smart; we're not expected to be able to read.
It really slaps me in the face when I see a car ad on TV spell out MPG as emm pee gee. I sometimes wonder if they know that means miles per gallon.
I am dreading when someone says, "this engine makes 220 aich pee and 200 ftttttttt luhbuhss."
One big problem these days is that a lot of blacks "go to school" in schools where discipline and learning have gone out the window. I've read some really harrowing accounts of how much fun it isn't trying to teach in those places, and Heaven help anybody who actually wants to learn. And attempts to get things under control fall to screams of "Racism!" because the bad eggs being expelled or disciplined are predominantly black.
ReplyDeleteI want you to note WE'RE educated, knowledgeable and smart. WE'RE not expected to read.
DeleteThat means all of us not just the black people. I was contrasting our current state against a social group that had epically low expectations put on it that was still expected to more literate than we are today as a matter of course.