This article IS actually where I grew up. I had to deal with people like that everyday. In general, to answer your question, this article is the real MT.
To be fair, it is quite amazing how sheltered people in Lewistown and the surrounding Central Montana area are. You can't really blame them, and yet, why are they the only ones being racist? That's sort of how I looked at it. All I did in high school was save money and buy plane tickets, and whenever I would meet a black person or be friends with someone of "color", I would even have friends my age that would be astounded by it. If the majority of the country can accept a cocktail of races AND vote a black man into the highest part of the Executive Branch, then why don't residents of Lewistown consider that not all black people are criminals?
I remember going to the store that is mentioned (Pamida) in this article with my mom, and there was a huge line at one of the check stands. There were two open, one with the black male that worked there, and the other with a white female. Almost every single person went through the white girl's line, and ignored the black male's. My mom and I were the only ones in his line when we checked out, and there was a line of five people in the white girl's. Why, I wonder, are people so scared? The media? Cops? Music? Maybe people are just inherently supposed to fear something that they don't understand. I think the latter might be the key. I am pretty sure that is Lewistown's mantra (I grew up in Grass Range for eight years and transferred to Lewistown, all the while questioning my sexuality and finally outing myself as gay my freshman year of high school).
I have always regarded Lewistown as a beautiful place to get away and for having some of the best scenery in the world. Don't let superficiality fool you though...one learns that the cutest and quaintest little towns are the ones that tend to make people hurt the most.
I grew up just outside of Chicago and am not surprised by the article.
I have met quite a few Montanans who go against the article's topic. Actually, very many people go against it, which I'm guessing is due to the fact that I am on campus and this town is a bit different than many other towns in Montana.
On the other hand, I have met many people that follow the article's bulk. It was not until I came to school here that I realized what a good percentage of the population is closed-minded on the subject of African Americans. I think I was blinded by Missoula's open-ness, though there is definitely a noticeable lack of black population here.
But this goes on everywhere. I tell people I'm from Chicago to spare the time it would take to say, just outside of Chicago - or suburbs. This closed-mindedness attitude continues from here throughout the country. I live 15 minutes outside of the city and just began to see the black population in my town grow to over 20 or 30. (Out of 42,000).
Many areas I have spent time in, Wisconsin, Illinois, Colorado, Wyoming, even places in Florida share this lack of, not closed-mindedness per se, but more lack of "experience" with another race. And this experience or interaction is the only way, I feel, that one could change their possible previous attitude on diversity.
Remember that without interaction, one is left with what their family and the culture around them have placed into the brain since birth, it takes time and interaction to finally break away or continue the ideals, depending on what view is shared by one's family.
4 comments:
This article IS actually where I grew up. I had to deal with people like that everyday. In general, to answer your question, this article is the real MT.
To be fair, it is quite amazing how sheltered people in Lewistown and the surrounding Central Montana area are. You can't really blame them, and yet, why are they the only ones being racist? That's sort of how I looked at it. All I did in high school was save money and buy plane tickets, and whenever I would meet a black person or be friends with someone of "color", I would even have friends my age that would be astounded by it. If the majority of the country can accept a cocktail of races AND vote a black man into the highest part of the Executive Branch, then why don't residents of Lewistown consider that not all black people are criminals?
I remember going to the store that is mentioned (Pamida) in this article with my mom, and there was a huge line at one of the check stands. There were two open, one with the black male that worked there, and the other with a white female. Almost every single person went through the white girl's line, and ignored the black male's. My mom and I were the only ones in his line when we checked out, and there was a line of five people in the white girl's. Why, I wonder, are people so scared? The media? Cops? Music? Maybe people are just inherently supposed to fear something that they don't understand. I think the latter might be the key. I am pretty sure that is Lewistown's mantra (I grew up in Grass Range for eight years and transferred to Lewistown, all the while questioning my sexuality and finally outing myself as gay my freshman year of high school).
I have always regarded Lewistown as a beautiful place to get away and for having some of the best scenery in the world. Don't let superficiality fool you though...one learns that the cutest and quaintest little towns are the ones that tend to make people hurt the most.
Thanks, Drew. I'm waiting for some others to have a say, then I'll put in my thoughts.
I grew up just outside of Chicago and am not surprised by the article.
I have met quite a few Montanans who go against the article's topic. Actually, very many people go against it, which I'm guessing is due to the fact that I am on campus and this town is a bit different than many other towns in Montana.
On the other hand, I have met many people that follow the article's bulk. It was not until I came to school here that I realized what a good percentage of the population is closed-minded on the subject of African Americans. I think I was blinded by Missoula's open-ness, though there is definitely a noticeable lack of black population here.
But this goes on everywhere. I tell people I'm from Chicago to spare the time it would take to say, just outside of Chicago - or suburbs. This closed-mindedness attitude continues from here throughout the country. I live 15 minutes outside of the city and just began to see the black population in my town grow to over 20 or 30. (Out of 42,000).
Many areas I have spent time in, Wisconsin, Illinois, Colorado, Wyoming, even places in Florida share this lack of, not closed-mindedness per se, but more lack of "experience" with another race. And this experience or interaction is the only way, I feel, that one could change their possible previous attitude on diversity.
Remember that without interaction, one is left with what their family and the culture around them have placed into the brain since birth, it takes time and interaction to finally break away or continue the ideals, depending on what view is shared by one's family.
(i forgot my password, woops)
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