“I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”

-William Penn

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but I have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but I have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body to be abused so that I can boast, but I have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious, boastful, arrogant, or rude. It does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

                              –1 Corinthians 13:1-7

Rich McClear

The letter that follows was difficult to write because I do not want to cast a pall over a wonderful community event, the Wearable Art Show. But I promised myself that when I saw racism, even inadvertent, I would not remain silent. I had a good friend who once gently called me out when I made a comment that was offensive to another friend and I was grateful. I hope this will open up a discussion both here and elsewhere.

 

To the Editor,

Fifteen years ago I led a project to train Roma journalists in Slovakia. My students were honest and hardworking, but a stereotype followed them, limiting their opportunities. The Roma are an ethnic group commonly called Gypsies. My students were constantly confronted with discrimination based on the stereotype “thieving Gypsy.” At the end of a day’s training, we wanted to have a dinner at a local restaurant, but my students were refused entrance. After the training, I had trouble placing my qualified students as interns because of the fear that they would steal.

 

It is easy to spread stereotypes and, unfortunately, that was done at the Wearable Art Show this weekend when one of the acts portrayed Gypsies as pickpockets. The problem was compounded by jokes from the podium about watching your wallets when the Gypsies come.

 

The dancing in the act was very good and the costumes wonderful. I am sure that the participants in the show did not intend to demean any ethnic group. But they did help to reinforce and spread a stereotype that, unfortunately, sticks to all members of the world Roma community. That stereotype leads to discrimination. As a community we must work to avoid demeaning a class of people and judge each person on his or her own merits not through a stereotype. My wish for my former Roma students in Slovakia is that someday they may be judged as individuals, or as Dr. King says, “by the content of their character.”

 

Sincerely,
Rich McClear
Sitka.

Well may the world go,
The world go, the world go,
Well may the world go,
When I’m far away.

Well may the skiers turn,
The swimmers churn, the lovers burn
Peace, may the generals learn
When I’m far away.

Sweet may the fiddle sound
The banjo play the old hoe down
Dancers swinging round and round
When I’m far away.

Fresh may the breezes blow
Clear may the streams flow
Blue above, green below
When I’m far away.

Well may the world go,
The world go, the world go,
Well may the world go,
When I’m far away.

– Pete Seeger