Curriedflavouredflipproductions

The bottom line is:

All 'humans' are equal, but some humans are more equal than others' (substituted the word animal for human)

George Orwell, Animal Farm

When I was growing up, we used to use the word Prejudice. Now we call it Racism. The word racism did exist, for some reason prejudice was the lingua franca at the time. Fortunately, I was shielded from the full force of prejudice. Whereas I was taught not to feel ashamed of my colour, I was not totally protected.

Even now sometimes, I have to go to an off the beaten track assignment. When I enter the premises, the look I receive from some peoples faces is astonishing. Many times, I find that I am the only one from my background to be present. Most of the time I am accepted, there have been occasions when I have blatently been ignored.

I have learned that, it does not help my cause, if I play up to the misguided stereotype of my background. In other words: 'chip on their shoulders, always loud, always lazy and definitely always late'.
Further, my cause is not advanced if I do not read. Like most people, I spend a lot of my time reading.

Quite often you can go through life either fighting tooth and nail or allowing people to discriminate against you by taking advantage of you.
I will never forget my first interview I had for teaching before leaving university. Picture the situation, mid 90s, John Majors Britain. There was that slip of the tongue prevailing thought distributed by the media that said that: "all young black men were muggers!". This did not make us young men feel good. Still it was before Islamophobia of the 21st Century.
I was virtually penniless, no assets apart from the unkempt hair on my head, cd player (young brother had to have his music), and the shirt on my back.
I was completing the final year of my teacher training course. After four years of full time studying, the pressure was on to find a job to settle quickly into routine to pay off my ever growing student debts. As usual I was competing for a Newly Qualified Teachers positions with all of the other students who were completing their degree at the same time. We are talking pre MP3 days, pre PDF documents, pre Google and Facebook.

The school was in the stockbroker belt of Surrey. A well to do secondary school in Esher to be precise. I filled in the application form, posted the letter on time and waited for a response. A day before the scheduled interview date for those successful candidates who were contacted early and shortlisted, I was phoned with the instructions to attend. I did not know that the school had an internal candidate.

I borrowed some money for a new suit, and tried to make myself presentable. I scoped out my journey to ensure that I arrived on time.
I arrived at a wonderfully equipped school. The type of school that most parents dreamed of. The reception I was given was not so great. When they saw me, I received the famous 'Blazing Saddles' look; (The teacher is a .........). Needless to say, by todays standards I was asked the most personal questions. When I reflect, it was more like an interrogation of who I am trying to impersonate. I was not incandescent with rage for wasting my time. I kept my cool. When you have grown up as the underdog, stopped and questioned countless times by the Police (believe it or not I did study in Eltham, Stephen Lawrence demise territory), you learn that shouting and screaming is not the most diplomatic way of being listened to. Thankfully, I did not get the job.
There are other non transparent events that I cannot forget. For instance, in the past, when I applied for certain courses that will advance my career prospects, at referee point, my reference have been deliberately lost. The result is that I missed the deadline round, leading to my missing the interviews.

Life is hard, however, life is hard for everyone. Even for those who practise being prejudice.
On my life journey, I have met the most wonderful people too. People who treat you with no prejudice. These are the ones who go out of their way to hospitably share what they know and who they know. They have taught me the value of TRUST. Obviously we cannot trust everyone, neither do I expect everyone to trust me without truly knowing me. It is these kind natured people that I try to model myself after today.

For what is the point of bearing grudges against people who enjoy discrimination?

Remember this?

A not so funny? Infamous scene from the film from 1974 (round abouts when I was born) Blazing Saddles starring Cleavon Little as the new Sheriff.