And Cristina, I relate so strongly to your image of your family floating away on that giant “middle America” island. I agree wholeheartedly that the differences are not as clear cut as we are made to believe.

I do understand the frustration people feel, particularly as they sense that other regions of the country have different values and ambitions. The thing is that I’m not so sure that the differences are as clear cut as they’ve been presented by those seeking to divide us.

Elisabeth – thank you for adding your perspective. I also had a hard time listening to all the personal attacks on Palin, even though I disagreed with her on almost every single subject. And what a powerful line: “The subway might be diverse but you know exactly who is getting off at what stop.” I witnessed that phenomena for 10 years but never phrased it in such an eloquent way. Thank you for that!

Em – Thanks for your great distinction that it’s about judgment, not geography — great way to put that!

Charlotte – I’m fascinated by your mention of the Mayan “no time.” That metaphor certainly resonates with the unmooring I feel from so many of the institutions that our country and world have been built upon for centuries (and millenia, some of them): patriarchy, racism, living beyond our means, isolation instead of community, mindless consuming of resources. It’s thrilling to live in this interstices, to be part of the redefining. And you know that I LOVE Walker’s advice to Obama to take care of his own joy, his own pleasure. That’s the only way any of us can lead!

Love Magnet – you are so sweet; thank you for chiming in!

Vu – In many ways, it was your experiences in the northeast that gave me concrete examples of how that area is not immune to racism. I love the image of US cities rising up and saying No Thank You to the stereotypes.

Court – Thanks for graciously allowing me to use your off-hand (and kindly intended) comment as a springboard for this topic. Clearly, it’s been bugging me for a long time! I love the idea of mixing the celebratory and sober perspectives towards the goal of kindness and progress.

Rachel – You bring up the fantastic point that it is easier to be defensive and angry. True empathy takes a ton of energy, but it seems to me (and I know to you as well) that that kind of relational activism is the best way to use your energy, and the most likely to revitalize it as well.

Again, thank you all for chiming in here!

In our travels across the country this summer for the We Are the Ones Project, Rob and I saw “forward thinking” communities in the most unlikely of places, and “backwards thinkers” in places we expected to be more progressive. I wrote a post in early October on Red State/Blue State prejudices http://wearetheonesproject.com/blog/north-carolina-who-knew because I was disappointed to find them in myself.

In The Audacity Of Hope, Barack Obama explains that divisive prejudices, in any form, cannot serve a progressive agenda. I dearly hope that Obama will lead the way toward recognizing our collective capacity to put aside the prejudices that divide us, so that we can begin to solve our country’s most pressing issues and serve our common goals.

It is inherently difficult to approach our differences with empathy and an open mind; anger and defensiveness are so much closer to the surface. But if we are to create a “more perfect union,” we must begin to approach each other as individuals rather than stereotypes.

As someone also from a place that gets eyebrow raises and is often reduced to its less than wonderful parts, I share your frustration. There’s no question that the ignorance and stereotypes so many Americans have about those outside of their little comfort zone is limiting for all of us and impinges social change.

I think it’s just important that we all continue to keep that local/global perspective and stay celebratory and sober about the places we call home–good and bad, evolved and antiquated, courageous and in need of a good kick in the pants.

You have no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us. Us being the black people of the Southern United States. You think you know, because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our history. But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before you carried, year after year, decade after
decade, century after century, only to be struck down before igniting the flame of justice and of law, is almost more than the heart can bear. And yet, this observation is not intended to burden you, for you are of a different time, and, indeed, because of all the relay runners before you, North America is a different place. It is really only to say: Well done. We knew, through all the generations, that you were with us, in us, the best of the spirit of Africa and of the Americas. Knowing this, that you would actually appear, someday, was part of our strength. Seeing you take your
rightful place, based solely on your wisdom, stamina and character, is balm for the weary warriors of hope, previously only sung about.
I would advise you to remember that you did not create the disaster that theworld is experiencing, and you alone are not responsible for bringing the world back to balance. A primary responsibility that you do have, however, is to cultivate happiness in your own life. To make a schedule that permits
sufficient time of rest and play with your gorgeous wife and lovely
daughters. And so on. One gathers that your family is large. We are used to seeing men in the White House soon become juiceless and as whit haired as the building; we notice their wives and children looking strained and stressed. They soon have smiles so lacking in joy that they remind us of scissors. This is no way to lead. Nor does your family deserve this fate. One way of thinking about all this is: It is so bad now that there is no excuse not to relax. From your happy, relaxed state, you can model real
success, which is all that so many people in the world really want. They may buy endless cars and houses and furs and gobble up all the attention and space they can manage, or barely manage, but this is because it is not yet clear to them that success is truly an inside job. That it is within the reach of almost everyone.

I would further advise you not to take on other peoples enemies. Most damage that others do to us is out of fear, humiliation and pain. Those feelings occur in all of us, not just in those of us who profess a certain religious or racial devotion. We must learn actually not to have enemies, but only confused adversaries who are ourselves in disguise. It is understood by all that you are commander in chief of the United States and are sworn to protect our beloved country; this we understand, completely.
However, as my mother used to say, quoting a Bible with which I often fought, hate the sin, but love the sinner. There must be no more crushing of whole communities, no more torture, no more dehumanizing as a means of ruling a peoples spirit. This has already happened to people of color, poor people, women, children. We see where this leads, where it has led.

A good model of how to work with the enemy internally is presented by the Dalai Lama, in his endless caretaking of his soul as he confronts the Chinese government that invaded Tibet. Because, finally, it is the soul that must be preserved, if one is to remain a credible leader. All else might be lost; but when the soul dies, the connection to earth, to peoples, to animals, to rivers, to mountain ranges, purple and majestic, also dies. And your smile, with which we watch you do gracious battle with unjust
characterizations, distortions and lies, is that expression of healthy self-worth, spirit and soul, that, kept happy and free and relaxed, can find an answering smile in all of us, lighting our way, and brightening the world.

We are the ones we have been waiting for.

In Peace and Joy,
Alice Walker

On the other hand,I can’t abide willful ignorance from people that about what Texas is like (I mean, cowboys and tumbleweeds – really?)

I’ve been thinking about moving back to Houston actually, nowhere else in the country can we sit around having Viet iced coffee and a proper bowl of pho surrounded by a bunch of other Vietnamese people.

And Elisabeth – you’re so right about Boston – THE most racist town I’ve ever been to. I still love it for some reason – but yah. Between Boston and New York, I can’t count how many times I got ching-chang-chonged, chinked, and told to go back to wherever. If you’re gonna slur me please have enough respect to get it right. The word you’re looking for is Gook.