this is all a @#% shame. i’m the only white sibling of five, my best friend of 20 yrs is gay, i spend a lot of time in my local jewish community, i’m an urban special ed teacher of “at-risk” older high school students, and yet, half of my family is verrrry rural, low-education background Scotch Irish. i have issues with -isms.

and you know what’s weird? i don’t think my life or experiences are all THAT unusual. maybe people just keep their “differences” quiet?

I love the idea of the cards. I would love having these to pass to the unfortunately ignorent among us.

For the record, when we have the Martin Luther King discussion each year (I think it’s important that they understand what the people before them went through and the sacrifices that were made) I always feel horrid. Horrid that I am a white person, part of a race that felt it was ok to discriminate. I am embarrassed for “my people.”

It pains me even more that these things are still happening. I cannot even begin to fathom the mind-set of the people who were heckling Congress prior to the passing of the Health Care Reform.

There, I’m off my soap box! Keep up the great work!
Susie

I will have to come up with a card for me – would save some time.

Deana – I used to work with people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Some of my caregivers had cards like that to give out to service providers (restaurant/retail/whatever) It was a good thing for awareness – explained behaviors that may not have made sense or were potentially awkward related to a disease you can’t really “see” for a long time. Plus it reinforced that this person was out and about – not hidden away at home – he just had some issues that needed concern and care, that may not have always been so socially acceptable or easy to understand. I’m a teacher so I always hold out hope that informing people can make things better – not always but no harm trying I guess.

Actually, maybe this should be distributed widely, and people should practice saying it out loud. A lot.