At lunch hubby and I went for a walk and sushi, it was meant to "talk me off the cliff" that my morning had escalated into. I think it was the opposite, but not in a bad way. What I saw while walking infuriated me, right out of the stress.
I was literally sickened by it, and angry, and wanting to scream when I saw it. Instead... I looked at hubby and said "and they wonder what is wrong with this city"...
We are one street over from Washington Ave. It used to be dumpy, full of empty store fronts, graffiti and homeless folks. Over the past decade it has come around, all kinds of trendy stores, restaurants and night clubs. It is a busy, happening area. Very metropolitan and hopping.
Several local places are located there also. Little mom and pops that we love to frequent. But today called for sushi... As we were walking down the street there was a new shop, young, vibrant, trendy. Not someplace we would shop, but definitely a popular shop with younger people.
It was in that window that I lost my temper. In the window, prominently displayed was a t-shirt. Solid black with white letters across the front... "Kill Whitey" -- What?? Are you kidding me? I am all for free speech and freedom of expression. But in our neighborhood, it's inflammatory. I Googled it... I found lots of references to it being about a crime boss in Boston, toilets and unpleasant deaths. I am not sure if that is something it would be taken for. St. Louis has some serious race issues. I don't understand why, I've never lived in an area like this before. And I can't help but feel like selling a shirt with verbiage like that is nothing but an opportunity for trouble.
It infuriated me. It offended me. Frankly, I don't care what it refers to... it seems like random words put together with the hope to cause chaos, especially in our area. Oh, I'm not hip or cool, I don't get the young folks idea of funny. I sometimes wonder if they shouldn't consider all aspects of what an item could mean before they use it.
There were 18 people shot last week here, 18... does it matter what kind of "Kill" message we are speaking of? Or was it just an opportunity for some socially awkward person to look cool? Why even slightly take a risk of someone taking that "wrong"...
On the plus side it caused my blood pressure to boil until it calmed. We live in a very outrageous world, we have governments wanting to arm terrorists, we have people shooting at each other for stupid reasons (if one exists at all), we have stores being robbed for weaves (seriously people!)!! And through it all the calm, normal (what is normal) people spend their days and nights working hard to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table and one step ahead of an increasingly crooked tax man. It's hard, it's stressful... and for it I am thankful.
I went back to work, and had the opportunity to hear about what is happening at camp. I heard how the kids are responding to a strong positive role model. I got to meet with my quilting gang, wow there was some magic happening in there tonight. And I got to have have several phone calls with the angel that is my grand baby...
I can't focus on hate, destruction and dominance. It is happening all around me and it makes me sick. Is that t-shirt a reference to some horrid crime boss in Boston? Or an expression of hate? Frankly it seems like one and the same anymore. I am tired of it. I wish we could all take a minute to feel for our fellow man, to understand what is going on and why...
It's time for people to realize that hatred is not a family value.
The day ended wonderful... I can do a bit more wonderful...
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