We Live in Different Worlds

We Live in Different Worlds

I have wanted to write this article for a while but had trouble grasping where I should start. Recent events in my life let me know I needed to address it and say to those who take forgranted their privileges as citizens of the best country on earth, "we live in different worlds though we are in the same country or even the same city." I, being a man of African descent, nearly 62 years old, had thought I would out live overt racism and being treated differently than other citizens. I was very wrong and seems now it not only continues but in many ways has increased in its intensity. I sigh from the frustrations after dedicating the bulk of my life in using the theories that if I do well, if I assimilate into the larger society, if I do the best job, be the best neighbor, smile the most, help as much as I can and all those other cutesy expressions society told me I needed to do I would be treated the same. That was and is a lie. We live in different worlds within the boundaries of a common community.
 
You might feel the total freedom to stroll relaxed through any park in town. Me? I must always be aware with my skin being darker than yours that people like me don't stroll through parks. We only lurk in public places to case the area in planning some sort of crime. Have you ever been questioned by a policeman or park ranger why you were sitting in the park on a bench reading poetry or while lingering outside a lovely floral display (The Jewel Box) why you were loitering? Get inside my skin one day. I love the parks in St. Louis but they are not all inviting to me. I will never forget my first fishing trip to Caroundelet Park while walking from my vehicle to the lake with fishing poles in hand being asked what I was doing. What the hell does it look like I was about to do with fishing poles in hand? We live in different worlds.
 
I get so damn tired of being lumped in with the worst of people of my ethnic group. When a bank robber or car thief turns out to be AfricanAmerican why am I supposed to share the blame for what he did? Are you guilty when a thief is of your race? Of course not; so why am I guilty or responsible for his actions? That goes right back to "you people." You people need to learn how to act in public. You people need to work and save money and buy a house or go into business. Did you know "us people" are able to buy a new car with no money down much easier than to get a mortgage on a home with 20 or more percentage down? Did you know that us people do have a few who (like me) reach for as many opportunities we could to get ahead and make a different life yet were still being lumped in with the lousy ones? Like I said we live in different worlds.
 
I've grown tired and weary of the lies and the bullshit. I was on several committees to help guide more companies and individuals to increase active participation with companies of African descent. After years of the same old excuses, the same dribbling wishy washy promises I stopped wasting my time. Mr. So and So would call and ask me if I could help him find five good experienced carpenters for a project he is about to start. I send him five (5) folks with a combined experience of over 100 years and get a call a few days later with him sultrily speaking something about lack of experience. Then a couple weeks later I'm at a lumber supplier and butt into his lead man. The fella doesn't know the difference between wet and dry lumber nor a 2 X 4 from a 2 X 6....but he is the qualified one. Now picture this. Here's a fella who has a job in "MY" neighborhood who drives nearly 100 miles one way to get here but I/we are told we are not qualified enough though any two of us has as much general experience as his whole crew. We can do the work blind folded with one arm tied behind our backs but we are not hired. The excuses run the gambit of a comedian's performance yet we are supposed to accept it. Every step forward is a struggle with not only government agencies, the city, the state but unions who shuffle names around ignoring my seniority in favor of another. We live in different worlds.
 
Tell me a situation where you knew someone had been kidnapped and every policeman in town was aware of it. Can you imagine it not making any news media? Karen was a captive for eight days yet not once was she mentioned on the news. During that same period there were several articles about missing children, missing pregnant women and the like but not one word about Karen. Does her honey brown skin make her less of a person? Less news worthy than another? We do live in different worlds.
 
Lets look at a few other situations which have worn me out. A simple thing like sweeping the streets. I noticed the signs had changed in my neighborhood that the streets would be swept only once a month. A call to city hall told me the city budget didn't' allow for twice a month street cleaning. That's fine but when I noticed a few days later that many wards in south St. Louis where still being swept twice a month I gave it more thought. I did a personal study to determine where this was happening. Yep, you guessed it. Only the wards with a majority African population had been cut down to once a month. Why? How is that explained legitimately? After enough calls and letters now the whole city is swept only once a month. A look at building inspections show a lack of inspections in many of "them peoples" areas indicating that their property is not as important as some others. Like I said we live in different worlds.
 
Yet, today I paid the same respect to those who had given their lives for the freedoms we have as you did or should have. I never asked for any more than what I was promised through the constitution nor our basic laws. What makes me so different from you? Do I deserve any less? Does my and my family's military service count for any less than yours? Why do we live in such different worlds though in the same city?