Being raised in such a diverse city has made me much less ignorant than what my mother was at my age. I still have my moments where something I say is out of complete ignorance. Most people wouldn't notice that what they are saying is out of ignorance and I think it's a positive thing that I can pick up on that. It's something that bothers me when I catch myself saying it and even more bothersome when other people say something out of ignorance. I try and correct myself while they say it and mean it. An example: at work last week a new girl asked why someone has to wait with the manager while the report finishes. The manager replied that the store owner doesn't want any of the girls alone at night in the store or leaving the store. the new girl immediately blurted out "it's because of the Mexicans." (we work in a strip close to a Mexican restaurant). After I had chalked it up to just another ignorant remark I heard the manager agreeing saying it was just how "they are" referring yet again to the Hispanic workers. More than shocked by this point I opted to keep my mouth shut instead of agreeing or disagreeing (not my place). When I told my mom after I got home she was a little shocked as well. That kind of behavior is something I expect from my moms side of the family because most of them were born and raised in a very very small town (one gas station with two pumps). They didn't get exposed to the diversity and culture like I did by living in Bloomington. But when I heard a manager agreeing with the statement and adding on to it I felt disappointed and sad that neither of them knew any better. It was stereotypical and rude and also quite offensive.
I am privileged to live here. My parent could have chosen to live in a cheaper city but I am thankful that they chose to live and stay here because I would have never gotten the experiences I've had here anywhere else in the state.
we are middle class family. we struggle when the economy struggles. we struggle budgeting our money. we struggle not giving into the temptations of excessive shopping. Normal for most families. We don't have the nicest house but we have nice things. we have four flat screen TVs. my brother has an Xbox. we have a wii and a blu ray player. we have an up converting DVD player. we have satellite tv with dvr and more channels than we could ever care to watch. my brother and I have expensive, name brand clothing that my parents provide for us completely. both y brother and I have queen size beds with nice bed frames. we all have cellphones with texting, calling and they aren't prepaid. we never "run out of minutes" and neither of us are responsible for paying our cell phone bill. we have two luxury SUVs, one of which my parents gave to me. I don't pay for insurance, gas, or make the car payments. My parents buy us pretty much anything and everything we want. we don't get told no very often. both of us know that we are lucky. we can both act spoiled and bratty but for the most part we are thankful for what we have and we respect our stuff by taking care of it. Our parents want us to have everything we want and want to give us more than what they got. while doing their best at this they also teach us to appreciate it and to be humble. I find myself fighting this a lot. I am so incredibly privileged that it can give me this sense of superiority. I'm not superior. I know that very well.
