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One Of Life's Lessons I've Learned | |
| 3-1-23 | |
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Hello Jeff, The incidents on social media would anger anyone…endless stories of black on whtie crime and black on asian crimes. However, I will state that I worked for 2 cable companies for nearly 6 years. I worked in the ghettos, projects and low-income areas as a disconnect technician and also as a bill collector. I may have had 1 or 2 black people over that entire time threaten me. In fact, I had more white people threaten me then blacks. Many blacks literally thought I was FBI, or some sort of undercover police asset. I am a big dude, and I was always carrying concealed (legally, but it was against the policy of the cable company and I could've been fired if they found out - oh, well) There is no question I got some different attitudes from them and some could be difficult to deal with but as a whole, I came out of that job with a good opinion of black people. They treated me with respect. I will always remember that. I recall one of the first warm spring days on a Saturday I was working. The whole block was outside their homes, out on the streets and in their driveways in yards. Hundreds of black people. I pulled up to this one house for business and there had to be 50 people in the yard. Not one of them gave me a single problem. By then, the word had gotten around the area hoods that I could be trusted...and I was just a guy doing his job. Not one problem at that house and they were partying. It was daylight out, too. If it were night, I don't stop. I resigned that position in late 2018, but it had nothing to do with not liking the people. It had to do with them restructuring our bonuses to where we would never get one again, cutting pay, etc. It was my third pay cut. I had black people always offering me to stay for dinner they were cooking or they would offer me a beer. I remember one lady who sent me off with a plate full of food covered with Saran Wrap. My life experiences with black people have always gone well. Heck, I even had the all-white 'Brady Bunch’ jump me in 3rd grade and start beating me up. The only friend I had who helped me was a boy named Malcolm Douglas, one of only two black males in the school. He started pulling them off of me and hitting them. I think 5 of them had jumped me. Since I left the job, the only thing I see are all these horrific videos which certainly would upset anyone. However, I want to state that there are many, many excellent black people out there who I used to deal with on an every day basis. They are probably ashamed of what some of their own people do. We should also consider and remember as we see all this black on white violence that they aren't all like that. Not many white people can say what I do. I worked in all black areas and projects-type places. I don't think too many white people would have the courage to do so.....and some would even probably call it crazy/stupid for me to accept the job. Well, they were wrong and I am still here to tell the story. I was that 'white cable guy' and I was invited to countless barbecues and, parties...everything. I saw black people on a daily basis. All of them for almost 6 years in the cities I was in. Once they get to know you, and you talk to them, they can gain respect for you. You treat them with respect (which I always did) and they sense it. Then, they respect you. It has to be real. The way you speak with them and act toward them. They sense fake people really well. This is what made me comfortable with them. The word gets around fast. That white dude is a good guy....etc. So, I was never uncomfortable being in those situations. Perhaps, it was a combination of things. Did many of them see the struggle of life in my eyes and identified with me? Did they see the same in my spirit? Did they see my dead-end job in my eyes? My employing company taking from me. Stealing from me? Cutting my pay? Cutting my bonuses? I didn't have to tell them because the eyes never lie. The moral of the story to me is show them respect and most will respect you in turn. The same with most all people. Be real with them, and they will respect you. And, by golly, I virtually always had black people be far more respectful to me than many white people were. I especially hate to see these incidents of violence against whites because I have only had good experiences with black people in my life. Regards,
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