I Won't Judge You

I love Similar Words. I have met/made many friends.

Every one is entitled to his or her own opinion -and more power to them, too.

But why do we judge everybody by the way we express our thoughts? If you don't agree with me on certain things, say so plainly. Don't get "smarmy" with me and tell me to go back to my "education" or refer to my history.

I loved the subject of history when I was a student. I followed things we touched on but never explored on my own. Because I was interested. I shared bits and pieces with others who mentioned a topic or two that I knew about. But (and you knew that was coming) - I never, ever, FOREVER saw or heard anything pertaining to people killing and eating babies to prevent famine.I got sharp-tonged replies telling me to go back to my anthropology studies and my history. Then the Cherokee nation was downgraded, saying it was a "white way" of saying "wannabe". Hey, -no! I take offense! My brother-in-law IS a Cherokee Indian (half) and his father was a chieftain, full-blooded. I am PROUD of this knowledge and won't STAND for any one downgrading him. The Cherokee people were a strong and proud tribe, a credit to their present-day descendants.

If you see something posted that you KNOW is objectionable, question the writer - but don't downgrade their education or their studies of history. I studied both Early World and Modern World History, and a full year of U.S. History.. too. I think I am well-versed enough to know and remember a few things...

But I don't recall beating and eating children on rocks.

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Heartlander · 80-89, M

I have to imagine that regardless of our cultural makeup we probably all had ancestors that did horrible things, horrible things to those they didn't like, or to their neighbors, or their own family members, or children or parents.

Some of my own ancestors departed France in the 17th century at the height of a period of religious persecutions, and from an area regarded as the epicenter of some of Europe's darkest history. I have no idea which of my ancestors were torturers, and which were victims, if any. Some may well have been the ones that lit the fires that burned others at the stake, or been the ones tied to the stakes.

As horribly as some of my ancestors may have misbehaved in the 17th century, I can imagine that there were probably episodes in the 16th, 15th ... centuries that were probably worse.

Thankfully, I don't have to carry the sins of my ancestors, and I can choose to enjoy the gift of freedom and love, thanks to those who escaped and left the horrors behind. And I can pass that love and freedom to those that follow me.

MaryJanine · 61-69, F

@Heartlander Yes and no. Back in the 1960]s MLK and his family tried to move into a white neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. They burned crosses and threatened to burn him out. In the same city, the people against the draft and the Vietnamemse war used the Democratic National Convention as an excuse to riot. And back in the VERY early 1960's I had an accident in the first grade. Six decades later, I overheard a former classmate bring up the fact at a class reunion. His audience laughed, and I wanted to die on the spot. I was invited to another reunion this past week, and I told the organizer (a friend) "NO" and why not. He was angrier than I was over the incident.

Heartlander · 80-89, M

@MaryJanine

I was a hands on participant in many of those 60's headline events and in many cases got to see both sides.

Thankfully, by-and-large, even though they were bad and there was loss of life, our 60's bad behaviors didn't elevate to the horrors that we saw under the Nazis, nor the dark ages where people were brutally tortured.

I'd like to think that enlightenment helped prevent the 60s hateful behaviors from elevating to the level of the Nazis and the dark ages. It is, though, important to remember that Hitler's gas chambers were just 75 years ago.

Besides burning crosses to intimidate blacks, they also burned them to intimidate catholics and jews, depending on where in the US.

MaryJanine · 61-69, F

@Heartlander They still use the gas chambers in some prison executions. And I think it was Gary Gilmore who was shot blindfolded and against the prison wall in Colorado (late '60's / early'70's). Mostly now, it's lethal injections (Gacy for one).

You were "hands on" in a couple off those things? How interestingly cool. I never KNEW anybody who was involved personally. I was 13 at the time of the 1968 rioting and I was one terrified chick, let me tell you.

Heartlander · 80-89, M

@MaryJanine I just saw the last part of your post ... the part about the class reunion. No one needs people like that in their lives. It's hard to imagine them even remembering from that far back. Why did they single out you?

I think I hit most of the trip wires in the 60s and 70s. Was in Saigon at the cease fire, the Canal Zone at the riots there, delivered troops to Detroit and Chicago for the riots there, Dominican Republic (does anyone remember the war there?), Europe during the cold war.

MaryJanine · 61-69, F

@Heartlander About the class reunion...That jerk was in my first grade class and was present the day I had the problem. I wasn't the only kid that ever happened to, and I'm certain I wasn't the last one, either. It happened, it happened. I talked to Joey (the organizer) and he said that Raymond had admitted he had a "problem" with alcohol and he assumed he had a little too much to drink. Regardless, why bring it up six decades later? I was on the other side of the table but close enough that I could hear what he was saying. But why bring it up six decades later? I grew up with alcoholism for my first twenty years, and I know the emotional pain that comes from someone's embarrassing revelation.

Now to your involvement...wow, oh wow! You really made the news there, didn't you? Canal Zone, Saigon, Dominican Republic, Detroit, Chicago, and Europe. So many fiction stories abound about that era. I wish someone would write a true-life adventure. Maybe I should. Maybe I will.

Heartlander · 80-89, M

@MaryJanine

:) sounds like your classmates really had their hands in one another's pockets. I went to a tiny school, and had mostly the same classmates from grades one through 12. Though I was one of the few to move away, the rest mostly live in the same area and the pecking order today is much the same as when they were in the 2nd grade :)

Chance put me in close proximity to a lot that was going on in the 60s and 70s. Pure chance also gave me the opportunity to see things from multiple directions.

MaryJanine · 61-69, F

@Heartlander Most of the people still live in the Illinois area, but some have moved all over - California, New Jersey, Texas, Florida, Wisconsin. One came from Norway and after she completed grade school and high school, she followed her parents back to Norway. As for the pecking order, I was picked on pretty much as a kid - they made fun of my clothes, my last name (It's hard to spell and it's 11 letters long)and anything in general.

Maybe that should be the book I said about writing "Pure Chance" could be the title. What do you think?

Heartlander · 80-89, M

@MaryJanine

"Pure Chance" Bingo!

I can so relate.

I've always had a sense of destiny, where I have an appointment to meet up lady destiny; yet, I don't know where or when. As the years roll forward, I'm more convinced that it will be lady destiny finding me rather than me finding her :)

As so many good things for me by pure chance, so many bad things skirted by pure chance, so many bad things I couldn't skirt, by pure chance. But yet, so much seems to have defied the odds.

MaryJanine · 61-69, F

@Heartlander You made all those dangerous missions and risked you life over here when the VietNam war was at its height of American outrage/excuse for riots.

I promise, I'll work on it.

Heartlander · 80-89, M

@MaryJanine

:) in the realm of "pure chance", my Vietnam experience was very positive. Like I was elevated by the experience.

I hesitate to say that; personally knowing many that didn't didn't survive.

Some of the human remains recovered in Vietnam over the past few years were of people I knew. Some where "chance" played roles in their deaths.