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El Laberinto, 1971-1987
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#2 AN OPEN LETTER This "open letter" will be much more than a public letter. I hope to make this letter "open" in the sense that it will contain open thoughts of mind and soul. And so I begin--- There was once a big yellow house, old but beautiful, too bad the people who went through it's doors were not. Already I have made a mistake, most of the people were good people with good intentions. But then many were scared off-maybe I was too- I'm not sure-this letter might help me to decide whether I have been or not. This house was to have been a haven of sorts- one that a person could go to; to be understood; helped, and feel welcome. Funny, fewer people came after the first few months. I wonder why? It was rumored that these people who didn't come anymore were "too white", that the men weren't "macho" enough or that the women were apathetic. maybe yes, maybe no. Perhaps the people were a bit "white" but given time to recover from the abrupt and initial shock there could have been a strong coalition of ideas from all. A person cannot be forced to change his or her way of thinking overnight. In order to want to change his or her outlook one needs time and along with time a feeling of acceptance with equality. Being told over and over again that one does not belong, can only alienate a person from that which he or she wishes foremost. Granted, it is a shame that you have to learn to be a part of your culture, but in the process of learning does that mean that you can never belong to this house? I suppose an argument to this would be that if you want something bad you'll go through hell for it. This is true- but hell can be a state of mind. Men have a thing about their ego. When that has been shot even just one time they avoid the object(s) or person(s) that have shot their ego down. I guess ego in this context means self-respect or pride. Women also have this same fallacy. Not only are women's ego crushed, but they are used as tokens as well. Tokenism seems to be an over-worked word these days, but it is the only descriptive term I can think of at the present.
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#2 AN OPEN LETTER This "open letter" will be much more than a public letter. I hope to make this letter "open" in the sense that it will contain open thoughts of mind and soul. And so I begin--- There was once a big yellow house, old but beautiful, too bad the people who went through it's doors were not. Already I have made a mistake, most of the people were good people with good intentions. But then many were scared off-maybe I was too- I'm not sure-this letter might help me to decide whether I have been or not. This house was to have been a haven of sorts- one that a person could go to; to be understood; helped, and feel welcome. Funny, fewer people came after the first few months. I wonder why? It was rumored that these people who didn't come anymore were "too white", that the men weren't "macho" enough or that the women were apathetic. maybe yes, maybe no. Perhaps the people were a bit "white" but given time to recover from the abrupt and initial shock there could have been a strong coalition of ideas from all. A person cannot be forced to change his or her way of thinking overnight. In order to want to change his or her outlook one needs time and along with time a feeling of acceptance with equality. Being told over and over again that one does not belong, can only alienate a person from that which he or she wishes foremost. Granted, it is a shame that you have to learn to be a part of your culture, but in the process of learning does that mean that you can never belong to this house? I suppose an argument to this would be that if you want something bad you'll go through hell for it. This is true- but hell can be a state of mind. Men have a thing about their ego. When that has been shot even just one time they avoid the object(s) or person(s) that have shot their ego down. I guess ego in this context means self-respect or pride. Women also have this same fallacy. Not only are women's ego crushed, but they are used as tokens as well. Tokenism seems to be an over-worked word these days, but it is the only descriptive term I can think of at the present.
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