Blog
Popular Posts
If you’re a white person, and you’re talking to people of color about a prominent person of their same race or ethnic origin, you can’t ever be too respectful… Not “MLK” but “Dr. King”
Have you seen the video of these two Scottish guys who try to get a voice-activated lift (elevator) to understand what they’re saying? What if they were black? … So These Two Scottish Guys get onto a Lift…
Lamech, who Cautioned me to be Careful
One of the nursing assistants who took care of me after one of my surgeries was named Lamech. The first time I got out of my hospital bed, Lamech helped me. The next time he helped me, he was concerned about how fast I was trying to walk…
read more
The Tallest Guy from India I’d Ever Seen
When Dr. P walked into the ER exam room, I thought, “OMG, he’s the tallest guy from India I’ve ever seen.” He must’ve been 6’3” or 6’4”, and was skinny enough to look even taller. He was in his early 30s…
read more
Some of the Nurses who Helped Me
The white, male, 60-something nurse with collar-length gray hair; the Asian-American, female, late 20s, short and plump; the African, male, 30-something, medium height and slender…
read more
Talking Black on White NPR
One of the things I like about the show “It’s Been a Minute” is that it’s got a different voice and tone than most of NPR. Most of NPR is white. When this gets pointed out, most white people get irritated and angry…
read more
Why did this White Guy Include “White” in his Insult?
This white guy insulted me and called me “white,” and I never could figure out why he called me white when he was white himself. It was a warm spring evening, a couple of years ago, at this urban park near where I live…
read more
Religion isn’t always Precious about Itself
I asked Dr. Singh why he wore a head covering that boys usually wear, rather than a turban. His answer made me laugh and laugh and laugh…
read more
“I Ain’t no AY-rab”
I got on an airplane just nine days after 9/11. Everyone was on the lookout for more “Arab” terrorists. There were National Guardsmen all over the airport. Then there was a commotion in the security line ahead. Some Guardsmen were talking to this slender, 30-something, working-class white man who was wearing a lot of gold chains…
read more
Aibileen’s Secret
I’ve watched the movie “The Help” many times. You know that part at the beginning where Skeeter asks Aibileen if she ever wanted to be something other than a maid? Aibileen just smiles. I finally figured out what it was, and how it came true for her…
read more
The Powerful, Scary Words of Black Men
Three and a half years ago, I saw one of the most powerful, visceral, humorous, scary, and dangerous pieces of theater I’ve ever seen: “Hands Up: 6 Playwrights, 6 Testaments.” It was six black male actors, speaking the truths of six black male playwrights, infusing those words with the raw, visceral emotions of their own experiences…
read more
There Are Always New Experiences
Last weekend I went to see a play called “Familiar.” It wasn’t the experience I’d hoped for, but…
read more