Medical Tuesday Blog
Is Black Prejudice Still Prevalent?
Dr. Rosen: The country seems to be in a turmoil over the shooting and killing of black people. Dr. Edwards: What seems to be overlooked is that Black people cannot be seen in the dark unless they wear something white or reflective. Dr. Milton: I’m seeing more blacks wear lighter colors at night on the streets. Last evening, I saw one with reflective yellow stripes on each leg and each arm. It was very obvious to all motorist as he was crossing the street. Dr. Rosen: We are so used to being told that all things are equal. Male and female are markedly different but there is still a portion of our society that think they should be equal in all spheres. That’s impossible. We have different physiques, brain, muscle and bone structure. Our hormones are very different. Dr. Ruth: That’s very true. Men are aggressive in general. Maybe not in grades. But I’ve never had a problem with fairly aggressive males. Most will calm down with just a few words, “I’d rather you not do that.” I’ve never seen a guy continue with any aggressive behavior with just those simple words. Dr. Michelle: Or to simply state the limits. I wouldn’t think of doing that unless we were married and that’s not in the equation. Dr. Edwards: That’s very good. That emphasizes your moral turpitude. That brings back memories of reciting the Mosaic code back in grammar school. Dr. Patricia: Maybe that’s an issue that is hardly ever mentioned. I went to a parochial school and so I knew all the boys had catechism and learned the ten commandments like everyone else. So simply saying “You mustn’t do that” would curb a boy’s sexual aggression. Dr. Rosen: Getting back to the race issue, my best friend in college was a negro, which was the term in use at that time. In fact, he referred to himself as an American Negro. He was a Pre-ministerial student and I was a Pre-medical student. He never went outside in the night wearing dark clothes. His mother told him not to do that. I saw a lot of prejudice which he just brushed off and continued on. Dr. Milton: I’ve seen a lot less prejudice in recent years. I thought the situation was improving until the past two or three years. I sometimes see reverse prejudice against whites. Dr. Rosen: I worked for the State for a while in the past. I would make what I thought was an objective statement when a black would say, “Oh, I know where you’re coming from.” If you get accused of racism in a government job, it can go very bad for you. So, I would ask him when the last time was that he had a white for dinner or overnight guest. He would seem shocked and admit that he had never done that. I would tell him of my black friend who came over for dinner and since he was from out of town, sometimes stayed the night. And I stayed overnight in his home. After relating this relationship to the accuser, making sure that he wouldn’t have a racist charge against me, I would then look piercingly into his eye, and say “I think if anyone is prejudiced here, it must be you.” I maintained my gaze until he backed off and left the room. Dr. Milton: I think you’re right, Rosen. I experience the reverse prejudice on occasion myself. Feedback . . . The Staff Lounge Is Where Unfiltered Opinions Are Heard. |
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