(no subject)

(no subject)

A (Pleasantly?) Awkward Weekend

Very VERY long silence while dressing this morning at the gym. There was this older guy near me who said 'hello' when I got back from my shower and 'goodbye' when I left. He's a nice guy. His daughter runs in events now and then. He's a retired accountant who volunteers at senior homes doing their taxes. Which I'm telling you to tell you that we casually know each other.

Only now, he doesn't know what to say.

He wanted to, but had no idea what to say. Or to ask. Or if speaking to me about the world around us would offend me. Or others in the locker room who might come to conclusions of their own.

Staff coming and going at the gym were also Extra Really Super Nice. Just like the random folk at HyVee yesterday during Pricey Brunch (almost $50 for two, no alcohol). They figure Hey, I'M not a racist and I didn't shoot anybody which is true, so being polite and kind to the first black person they see is a good thing, right...? But seriously, what else do you do?

The commissioner of our parent agency emailed every single person the Governor and Lieutenant Governor's statements about Dallas and Philando. Which probably wouldn't have happened, if Gov. Dayton hadn't directly appointed our current commissioner and she wasn't an African-American woman.

A new group of people started job training today. Nine people. Think they wanted 12 to 16.
Two are non-white. None are African-American.

Three Four dark-skinned men have been hired where I work in the past 22 years.
That includes me.

One dark-skinned stranger slipped in our office, snatched a purse and phone and left.

The thief's picture stayed on our office doors longer than half of the dark-skinned male hires stayed employed here.



Who would any reasonable person conclude is part of the real problem...?