Forum: My first visit . . .

Posted by: Phootsy

Before I start, if someone could email me and tell me how to get back here I’d certainly appreciate it . . . Can’t remember how I did it . . . :)
I don’t belong to any political group or purport to be well studied. So as for contributing to this discussion I am very much a “lay” person. I find some of the discussion here very lively which is the only reason I am posting.

I have my own opinions base on my own observations and personal experiences and like to hear about others. It really hurts me when anyone attacks another person’s “culture” whether it be spiritual, physical appearances, traditions, etc. etc. There is so much diversity to be celebrated. I have personally found that two families can be strikingly different even within what we commonly think of as “groups of alike individulas” (Which sounds contradictory to begin with doesn’t it?). For example, my brother’s family culture is very different from my own family culture and neither of us would consider doing things alike.

However, I do tend to associate with those who share my common interests and beliefs. Depending upon which group I am with there can sometimes be a wide variety of skin color, but share 100% of my interest because it is why we are there. In another group about 90% are of the same color, and we share the same interest. In another group there is diversity in color, religion and interests.

I also feel very strongly about another thinking they are superior to anyone just because of education, skin color, religion, gender etc. We should be sharing our differences to compliment one another not to the exclusion of one another.

However, as far as my business . . . I find a need to expand and recently talked with some government agencies about getting loans, assistance etc. They would not even talk to me because I did not officially belong to one of three groupings of people (Black, Hispanic, or Native American). So when I read the articles about DNA and testing for racial heritage, I was excited and wanted to see if it could work for me.

My family, for generations, has been below poverty level. The reason for this is because they did not believe in asking for help or assistance. My wishing to improve myself and admitting that I need assistance is against my family culture, and wanting to use a tool such as DNA goes against another culture. To that I say “whatever” to all of it, but do not deny me to use the tools if they are available.

2003-06-19 10:53:00

3 comments

  1. That sounds frustrating. Unfortunately, there was a time when minorities could not get a loan for anything – how do you think that slums came about? If you purchased a home and the banks refused to lend you money, your house would fall apart.

    That doesn’t justify your difficulty in getting a loan. As far as I know, you should be able to get a loan because you are a woman.

    I don’t know what kind of business you are in, but if your genetic testing doesn’t work (long shot) consider getting yourself a minority partner.

    My business partner is a white male. Now that I think of it, I think that it would be a great world if all of us minorities would go into business with white people, particularly white men. That way, we would all have to work together and learn how to get along.

    Edited 6/20/2003 12:53:58 PM ET by A. Resa (NOREGRETS62)
    Edited 6/20/2003 12:54:51 PM ET by A. Resa (NOREGRETS62)

    2003-06-20 12:52:00

    1. “Finally found my way back . . .”

      That sounds frustrating. Unfortunately, there was a time when minorities could not get a loan for anything – how do you think that slums came about?”

      (Good point, which is why my family has been in their socioeconomic position for generations. My grandmother’s birth certificate actually has “black” on it, but in the southeast we are told that basically meant “non-white”(and no one really has a definition about that category either). The story told in our family is that my grandmother married a “white” Methodist Minister so she could stay in her homeland. Many family members hid in the mountains of Georgia and the rest were ordered to Arizona of which many didn’t make it)

      “If you purchased a home and the banks refused to lend you money, your house would fall apart. That doesn’t justify your difficulty in getting a loan. As far as I know, you should be able to get a loan because you are a woman. ”

      (Women do not qualify just for being a women, checked this one out . . . thanks for the suggestion tho)

      “I don’t know what kind of business you are in, but if your genetic testing doesn’t work (long shot) consider getting yourself a minority partner.”

      (I have many friends, but not interested in my business and it seems kind of risky to go into business with someone I do not know, doesn’t it?)

      “My business partner is a white male. Now that I think of it, I think that it would be a great world if all of us minorities would go into business with white people, particularly white men. That way, we would all have to work together and learn how to get along.”

      (I like this one . . . :) . . . especially the getting along part . . . :) . . . Funny thing about all this is, we never really cared what we were other than we were all family. We always made references to our family reunions being the most colorful.

      2003-09-16 09:14:00

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