Life is fine when everything goes right. When we are in our groove, when we know just what to do or say, when everyone is happy with us. The trouble starts when we make a mistake.
A mistake. A misstep. A wrong word. A joke that offends rather than delights. That's when life gets tough.
The hardest part of offending another is letting ourselves feel the pain of the mistake. None of us likes to feel pain. Neither the person who is offended nor the person who offends. The easiest way to deal with the knowledge that we have offended another is to shut it out, to justify our act, to put the blame on the person who feels the offense. That's the easiest way, but that is not the best way.
We all watched the drama unfold on the national stage involving Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. He has spent his professional life dealing with the history of African Americans, the injustice they have experienced. That is his profession and no one in America is more aware of the racial profiling, lynching, discrimination, slavery--the most abject form of chattel in history--than he. Gates has attained a position of respect for his achievements.
Here he is. Most likely quite tired after returning from a long trip home from China. Having made many trips between Asia and that USA, I know the feeling. Not only have you endured the ordeal of many hours going back and forth to the airport, going through security, waiting to board, and then sitting in a chair for 12 hours or so that constricts your blood vessels at the legs. Not fun for the frequent flier.
So, Gates, full of the knowledge of injustice toward the black man in America, tired, ready for rest, found his front door jammed. It must have been a chronic problem, something that he neglected to take care of in the past. So, he, irritated, breaks the door open, then goes inside quite agitated. I think we have all be there, right?
Watching the drama, an "elderly woman without a cell phone" hails Lucia Whalen on a walk to a lunch appointment through Gates' neighborhood. She points out what looks like a break in. Lucia's phone call has been recorded. She never referred to the race of Gates and his fellow. Just a good Samaritan seeking to protect Gates' property! Her only intention was to do good.
Sgt. James Crowley shows up at Professor "Bad Day" Gates's front door, doing what the good people of Cambridge pay him to do--protect people and property. He didn't know Gates yet thought that he might actually be the home owner. But when Bad Day Irish-Black American Gates bad mouthed Irish Policeman Gates, he got arrested by his team of policemen, including black officers.
OK. So far so good. Gates would cool off in the brig then return home, meet with his lawyer, and do what he does best, rid the world of unrighteous behavior toward Irish-Black Americans. Life goes on as usual. Until the news story reaches the President of the United States half baked and a Chicago reporter asks his opinion at a nationally televised news conference.
I happened to be watching the news interview live when the reporter asked him about the case. Obama fell for it. He had a knee-jerk reaction, viscerally remembering the many, many cases of police profiling in Illinois, the bill he sponsored to stop racial profiling, the fact that Gates had been arrested in his home and blurted that the police had acted stupidly. There you have it! The first African-Anglo American President of the United States making a mistake on a very highly charged issue in America: racial profiling!
What a mess! Mistakes all around! No one got killed or hurt but lots of pain spread all around. Three highly successful, professional, competent leaders stepping on each other's toes on the public stage. And now they have the honor of drinking a beer together tonight at the White House, working through their little disagreement that came to symbolize all the racial injustice that every happened between whites and blacks in America.
What happened to Lucia Whalen in this forgiveness fest? The good Samaritan who did not have to make a call to the police about a break in, got the short end of the stick.
Why didn't Professor Gates thank Whalen for being a good citizen, for putting herself out on the limb to protect his property? Why didn't Officer Crowley call Whalen to thank her for being a good citizen? Why didn't President Obama call to thank her for acting the good Samaritan without thought of herself? Instead she bore the brunt of insults and taunts, called a racist far and wide, the racial profiler. And she didn't even get an invitation for a beer at the White House with the guys! I guess the lesson here is, think twice before you act the Good Samaritan. All things will be forgiven but that.
UPDATE: August 1, 2009: YES!!!
Gates sends flowers to passerby who called police
UPDATE: August 2, 2009: Gates racial drama ensnares minor characters, too
A mistake. A misstep. A wrong word. A joke that offends rather than delights. That's when life gets tough.
The hardest part of offending another is letting ourselves feel the pain of the mistake. None of us likes to feel pain. Neither the person who is offended nor the person who offends. The easiest way to deal with the knowledge that we have offended another is to shut it out, to justify our act, to put the blame on the person who feels the offense. That's the easiest way, but that is not the best way.
We all watched the drama unfold on the national stage involving Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. He has spent his professional life dealing with the history of African Americans, the injustice they have experienced. That is his profession and no one in America is more aware of the racial profiling, lynching, discrimination, slavery--the most abject form of chattel in history--than he. Gates has attained a position of respect for his achievements.Here he is. Most likely quite tired after returning from a long trip home from China. Having made many trips between Asia and that USA, I know the feeling. Not only have you endured the ordeal of many hours going back and forth to the airport, going through security, waiting to board, and then sitting in a chair for 12 hours or so that constricts your blood vessels at the legs. Not fun for the frequent flier.
So, Gates, full of the knowledge of injustice toward the black man in America, tired, ready for rest, found his front door jammed. It must have been a chronic problem, something that he neglected to take care of in the past. So, he, irritated, breaks the door open, then goes inside quite agitated. I think we have all be there, right?
Watching the drama, an "elderly woman without a cell phone" hails Lucia Whalen on a walk to a lunch appointment through Gates' neighborhood. She points out what looks like a break in. Lucia's phone call has been recorded. She never referred to the race of Gates and his fellow. Just a good Samaritan seeking to protect Gates' property! Her only intention was to do good.
Sgt. James Crowley shows up at Professor "Bad Day" Gates's front door, doing what the good people of Cambridge pay him to do--protect people and property. He didn't know Gates yet thought that he might actually be the home owner. But when Bad Day Irish-Black American Gates bad mouthed Irish Policeman Gates, he got arrested by his team of policemen, including black officers.
OK. So far so good. Gates would cool off in the brig then return home, meet with his lawyer, and do what he does best, rid the world of unrighteous behavior toward Irish-Black Americans. Life goes on as usual. Until the news story reaches the President of the United States half baked and a Chicago reporter asks his opinion at a nationally televised news conference.
I happened to be watching the news interview live when the reporter asked him about the case. Obama fell for it. He had a knee-jerk reaction, viscerally remembering the many, many cases of police profiling in Illinois, the bill he sponsored to stop racial profiling, the fact that Gates had been arrested in his home and blurted that the police had acted stupidly. There you have it! The first African-Anglo American President of the United States making a mistake on a very highly charged issue in America: racial profiling!
What a mess! Mistakes all around! No one got killed or hurt but lots of pain spread all around. Three highly successful, professional, competent leaders stepping on each other's toes on the public stage. And now they have the honor of drinking a beer together tonight at the White House, working through their little disagreement that came to symbolize all the racial injustice that every happened between whites and blacks in America.
What happened to Lucia Whalen in this forgiveness fest? The good Samaritan who did not have to make a call to the police about a break in, got the short end of the stick.
Why didn't Professor Gates thank Whalen for being a good citizen, for putting herself out on the limb to protect his property? Why didn't Officer Crowley call Whalen to thank her for being a good citizen? Why didn't President Obama call to thank her for acting the good Samaritan without thought of herself? Instead she bore the brunt of insults and taunts, called a racist far and wide, the racial profiler. And she didn't even get an invitation for a beer at the White House with the guys! I guess the lesson here is, think twice before you act the Good Samaritan. All things will be forgiven but that.
UPDATE: August 1, 2009: YES!!!
Gates sends flowers to passerby who called police
UPDATE: August 2, 2009: Gates racial drama ensnares minor characters, too
