Perspectives

My dad makes a lot of money now. He hasn't always, but we were at least always comfortable. There have been times where I secretly wished (but never fully admitted) that I was from a slightly more disadvantaged upbringing, so that I could have more "experience" with the "real world" and could thereby have more "things to say." This of course is rediculous. Most people would kill for an upbringing like mine, and if I feel a little guilty, then I should consider it my responsibilty to do something good with the opportunities I have. A young man my town who lived on the other side of the train tracks, coming from one of the families that perhaps worjs in our yard or scrubs our floors, or makes our meals in restauraunts, he would more than likely do something great if he had the resources I have.
As far as aloft goes, it really accentuates those different perspectives which I am beginning to become more aware of. I couldn't believe Jerry when he wondered if his daughter and her friends would turn in their "black edgar allen poe capes" for a chance at popularity and boys. The character is endearing, for he seems to honestly try his hardest, but his points of view are so shaped by his particular experience, he can never really see things from the point of view of someone like Paul, event hough his wife was asian. Only from my perspective can I consider my uprbinging "bleak and cultureless," when most other people would consider it the most desirable lifestyle in the world...winde cellar int he garage, pool and hottub outback, comfortable funriture, spacious rooms, quiet neighborhood, beautiful garden, etc...




If "third border" means a dividing line other than one drawn in the sand by the state, between two "different peoples," then I was rudely awakened to a third border on thanksgiving last year that made me relaize how deep these "borders" are engrained. Even more effective than strategic city planning and charging for park admissions, is the cultural sparations instilled on children by their parents. It helps them to recognize at an early age which side of the "border" different people belong.
It was last thanksgiving, which we always spend with my aunt's side of the family, up in Marin county. There was this one family there, to whom I have no blood relation, that is always there. They always represented to me the epitome of conservative, super christian whiteness, as conversation with them has revealed throughout the years. They have these two adorable little girls, and my brother and I were jumping on the trampolene with them in the backyard. I was talking to one of them, who was probably 8 or 9, asking her simple questions.

"Where are you from?" I asked.

"Sonoma." She replied.

"Ooh, its so nice over there."

"Well, not really," she said. "There's a lot of hispanics now."

(What????)

"Waiiit, what? What's wrong with that?" I asked, not sure if I had even heard her correctly.

"Well, they litter a lot." She replied.

"They don't litter anymore than white people, you know. I don't really think thats true," I tried to tell her.

"No, and they talk differently then us. And dress differently."

The conversation was over at this point, as she went upstairs to be around her parents. I was pretty shocked. No 8 year old has opinions like that. It was quite clear she was just repeating what she hears her parents say all the time. The kind of "us and them" mentalitly really is hammered in from an early age, and while I always new that, this was one of my first hand experiences with it. The funny thing is, I doubt her parents would have sounded any less ingorant, had they tried voice their opinions in their own terms. I haven't much more to add other than the fact that growing up, I never knew how much racism abouned in even my own community, which I always considered tolerant and liberal.