THESE INCORRIGIBLE TIMES!

THESE INCORIGIBLE TIMES!

James R. Fisher, Jr., Ph.D.
© June 1, 2010

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There is no excuse for bad manners or bad behavior whatever the color of our skin, or whatever the socioeconomic circumstances of our plight. Never!

I have a friend, an educator, Ph.D. type, and language specialist in the Pinellas County School District of Pinellas County, Florida. Emails to her at school are constantly returned to me for “explicit language,” when the most profane language I use is damn or hell.

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In my hour walk today, as I walked past Greco Junior High, I encountered six African Americans and Hispanics blocking the sidewalk. I weaved my way between them without comment, only to be greeted with these words once I had past.

“You have f—ken hair, bitch,” a girl said. I didn’t break my stride or look back. “Yeah, I mean you you tall SOB (only she said the words), you’re a f—ken, bitch, bitch with f—ken hair, I ought to…” Then apparently someone restrained her saying, “Don’t Tina” (or Tinicia, something like that).

I kept walking and was about to call the police on my cell phone because I was already exercised about the confetti on our pristine wall along Fowler Avenue. Greco students do this every year at the end of the school term, disfiguring private property for sport.

If I were an educator, they wouldn’t want me to be their principal, as they wouldn’t be able to hide behind their ethnicity, on their parents or their parents’ parents.

There is a modicum of decency and respect everyone warrants. I know I am tall still blond with short hair, and in reasonably good shape for my age. I also walk straight as if I have a board in my back. I suppose I epitomize the typical white male. I probably deserve some rebuke for not saying, “Pardon me,” as I moved between them, but I didn’t deserve this language.

This outburst is not only indicative of a small mind, but of someone heading for trouble and most likely a future burden on society. God help us, as the sixth graders I remember turned out pretty much as they were in sixth grade!

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