Races and names (And some accents)

A trip out to the Southwest will open the eyes of most folks concerning races. I have said many times growing up in the South, I only knew two types of people, colored and white. Then it was Negro and White, and now Black and white. I have no problem calling folks what they want to be called whether it is race or their name. Many folks change their names as they mature. When I was little everyone called me Jackie, I hated it. As time went on I became known as Jack. I like it better. So I like to call a person what they want to be called.

When I joined the service at the young age of 17 and a day, I was whisked off and placed with 70 men from all over the country. I found out some folk talked much different than I, and the folks back in Belmont. I had lived amongst the Waldensians (Italians) in Valdese, and I was named (second name) after a Jewish man named Leon Schneider. BUT I only looked at them as white and they also had no distinguishable accent to set them apart. BUT in boot camp I found out there were New Yorkers. New York Polish, NY Jewish, NY Italians and NY black folk. They all talked different than I did. Some even had the nerve to make fun of how I ‘tawlked’. Then there were folks from Alabama and South Georgia who even’ tawlked’ funnier than I did.

I met Dallas Fletcher, Pennsylvania Dutch, and he talked different also. But Dallas and I had something in common; we had girls back home that we were madly in love with, and couldn’t wait to get married! . With something in common we struck up a friendship that has lasted until this day. We did marry those girls and we four are still writing friends and are still married. (But he still talks funny! hahahahaha!)

Many of the folks down south (and other parts of the country) do not realize that we have millions of American Hispanic Citizens who are as fiercely AMERICAN, as we ‘white’ folk are. They are religious and family oriented. I just hate that they are mistaken for illegal’s sometime, but I don’t know what can be done to prevent that. I have no problem showing identification and I hope all law abiding folks do not mind.

I think all Americans are for immigration. When a person enters our country according to our present laws, but entering illegally is another matter.

We have just learned that President Obama could not get a driver’s license in Florida. We just received a letter with a list of 20 documents, of which we have to bring 5 to the DMV to renew our driver’s license. One of those required is a Birth Certificate.

Thanks for coming by the log.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
Mel said: If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you've never tried before.