Speaking from Concussion Land here, while I've rested a lot this past week, it hasn't been necessarily easy. The fuzziness is really bothering me. I'm not used to thinking of each word I want to say, nor taking five minutes to write a coherent sentence. I have found that I'm better at typing than actual writing. But, still ...
My only outing this week was to the neurologist follow-up on my brain MRI. The results of the MRI were good (which I already kind of determined from looking at the CD the MRI place gave me -- no huge splotches, etc.) So, the doctor says it will just take time and told me to take another two weeks.
My own Thanksgiving was quiet, just Vincent the Cat and me. I roasted a chicken, made stuffing, cheated with frozen Brussels sprouts, frozen Green Giant garlic-roasted potatoes, canned cranberry sauce and triple chocolate gelato for dessert. My appetite and sense of taste seem a bit off. I'm still living off the leftovers. Vincent had turkey with gravy canned cat food.
I find the events of Ferguson this past week incredibly saddening. It seems hard from all sides. Living in a black majority community (with Hispanic rising) here, I can't imagine a basically all white police force. While Plainfield definitely needs more Spanish-speaking officers to keep up with the population influx and language barrier, this traditionally diverse town has a majority of black officers.
The community here still bears the scars of racially-incited riots back in 1967. While I was aware of the Newark and Watts riots of the 60s, I was young and living in upstate New York at the time. I didn't know about Plainfield. I was advised upon moving to New Jersey, NOT to live in Plainfield, mainly due to racial and crime issues.
Guess what? I've lived in town for thirteen plus years now. While I've seen the increase of Hispanics and do have a bit of communication issues with them due to the fact that my Spanish is horrible, I've had absolutely no problems with the black folks in my community. If anything, the people here are the friendliest of any place I've ever lived. People are people. There are good and bad, wise and foolish, people of every kind.
That said, I can't imagine a situation like Ferguson going down here in Plainfield these days. First off, a one-man unit would call for back-up in a situation like that. It sounds like back-up wasn't called for until after Michael Brown was already down on the ground. Wilson shouldn't have even left his car until he had back-up. He knew the kid was shot and would have to seek medical help. He didn't see a weapon other than his own. Maybe it's not typical of Ferguson, but there seemed to be no common sense in how the officer handled the situation. Brown himself was no angel. It's a shame that his own actions paint him in the light they do (as a faraway observer), but Wilson was also wrong. Brown didn't deserve death for being a stupid big kid pushing his weight around. I really don't think the situation would have gone down the way it did had Brown been white.
It saddens me to think that there is still such a racial divide in our world. I'm glad there's not that kind of hate within me, but wish everyone would just accept folks as inherently the same regardless of color, religion, etc.
I have no answers. I can only do my part by thinking every person I meet on my path might add something positive to my own life, every interaction might be warming or thought-provoking.
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| If only ... |
This post at the Friends (Quakers) Meeting House in Plainfield has the saying in four different languages. This past week's events across the nation and some of the hate I've seen on the internet is disturbing and very sad. What does it say for us as a people? I mean ALL of us.
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| Tom Turkey and wreaths |
This duplex on Berckman Street in Plainfield is always symmetrically decorated each season. I always wonder if it's one person's doing or a joint effort. Either way, it's always pleasant. This house also had the ONLY clear sidewalk perfectly shoveled and salted on the block last winter. I caught a woman doing that. Go figure.
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