Day 83 - Balance

I called my 98 year old friend on Day 83.  I try to call him every week or so to check in and see how he's doing.  We chat about health and family.  We talk about the weather and my students.  I was going to steer away from politics, but I couldn't help but ask him what he thinks of what is going on in the news.  Whenever we talk, I try to listen to what he thinks because he has had such a long and interesting life.  

I often disagree with what he says about people of color, and I wasn't surprised to hear that he doesn't support the protests.  What struck me is how much of what he says comes directly from Fox News' talking points.  He thinks that everything is blown out of proportion.  He thinks that "they" are taking over D.C.  I wondered if that was a reference to Mayor Bowser writing BLACK LIVES MATTER on 16th St in front of the White House.  I told him that there are already quite a lot of black people in D.C.  I kept quiet about gentrification and how the numbers are actually falling . . . He was worried about the Democrats trying to get rid of the police.  He also reminded me that he had a break-in a few weeks ago, and it was a "Spanish man."  And that the arresting officer was also "Spanish."  

But in addition to the racist commentary, he also talked about his life experiences.  His Fox News commentary sometimes contrasts with what he says about people in his life.  He spent time in the military working with people of color.  His daughters had black friends over to the house.  He talked about how Native Americans are treated poorly and his concerns about them.  Earlier in the conversation, he had talked with me about how I was learning Spanish and reminded me of his travels around South America and told me that he had once studied Spanish, which I didn't know.

He kept trying to rein himself in, telling me he shouldn't get going.  I tried to balance my desire to be respectful with my commitment to not tolerate prejudice.  I didn't tell him that I went downtown to express my solidarity with the protesters.  Maybe I should have.  Maybe I will.