What a great country this is. For me, anyway. I'm a fairly typical middle aged white guy, and it's amazing how I'm given wholly unearned respect, even deference, by authority figures of all kinds. Doesn't matter how I look; unshaven, ragged pants, slouched. People go out of their way to be pleasant with me. "Have a nice day sir".
But take the guy right next to me. A black man. What he gets is wholly unearned suspicion, incivility, even derision. And that disrespect heightens as the clothing coarsens. Neither one of us deserves what we get based on a first look. Neither one of us earned it.
What a great country it will be when a man is treated with respect as the default position; every man, every time. Young or old. Renowned or undistinguished. We've got our work cut out for us.
But take the guy right next to me. A black man. What he gets is wholly unearned suspicion, incivility, even derision. And that disrespect heightens as the clothing coarsens. Neither one of us deserves what we get based on a first look. Neither one of us earned it.
What a great country it will be when a man is treated with respect as the default position; every man, every time. Young or old. Renowned or undistinguished. We've got our work cut out for us.
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