Tuesday, January 28, 2014

#18 "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee Part 1

Layla three summers ago on
our way to the drive-in
Today I am heading towards our Main library, nestled in the middle of downtown Fort Wayne, to pick up a couple of books to read for the next installments of my blog. "Choke" by Chuck Palahniuk (author of "Fight Club") and "The Invention of Curried Sausage" by Uwe Timm. As I'm driving I fiddle around with the radio searching for vibrations that will be pleasant for my auditory system. Miley Cyrus...the thought of that tongue hanging out and her fanny jiggling really makes me nauseous. Nope!! Chris Brown, (unfortunately I do like some songs) is a girlfriend beater. Nope. ESPN radio, eh, rehashing, for the 5th straight day, Seahawks Richard Sherman's unsportsmanlike behavior towards 49er's Michael Crabtree after the Seattle win. Nope. Here we go, good ole wholesome Led Zepplin. While cruising to "Whole Lotta Love" I get a little frustrated with the slow driver ahead of me (probably some old person who can't see well, motor functions slow). They really should have their license revoked by now. Stopped at a light, I see a man holding a sign asking for money. I wonder how they got into this position. Lose a job, alcohol, drugs, or just bad luck. The slow driving lady hands him some money. I have $1.25 change in my pocket from my efforts digging in between my car seats, arm rest and our saving for vacation jar which only has pennies in it, however I was planning on buying a Mountain Dew at work with it. Hmm...I'll just drive and not look at him and maybe he won't notice. By the next block my guilt fades. What's wrong with this lady? The roads are only slightly icy (do I sound like a douchebag yet?)

Entering downtown. I remember in the fall running along this bike path and at this point I turned back around. I wasn't really in the mood to get mugged that day running through the city with its ramshackled houses, abandoned buildings with boarded up windows, discount liquor and 20 past 4 pot-shops, and sketchy looking walkers on the street. Ugh, another person with a sign. Don't look. Finally a two lane road. I zoom past that slow lady and give her the stink eye. In fact the woman is my age with a child in a car seat in the back. I arrive at the library's garage, take my daughter out of the back seat and give her a kiss on the cheek (which she loves) and place her in the stroller. On the way up to the audio/video section my daughter and I receive passing glances maybe due to her yells in delight (she loves these excursions and screaming too). Some people smile and tell her she is so beautiful which they receive a smile or a zoned out stare. When they look up at me it's with that kind smile perhaps thinking what a good father I am. Good daddy? Yes, but very flawed. If you want to, this is a good time to pause and praise my wife for her courage for putting up with me and that she loves me in spite of all my
shortcomings.



I have heard and observed many such comments and behaviors as these: I don't like Sherman because of his actions after the game and since he plays for Seattle who signed him they must not be a good organization either therefore I don't like Seattle. Sponsors drop their spokesmen for just one negative comment out of fear they would lose business. If any such people are like me we tend to project our values and morals onto others and what we believe becomes some kind of litmus test for right and wrong. -I don't drive that way so that means they are a bad driver. -I don't believe in speaking in tongues so anybody who believes otherwise is a pagan. -I'll speak out against homosexuality because it's wrong in the Bible but I don't love my spouse anymore so it's okay to get a divorce. I would never say if there were more people like me in this world it would be a better place. Nobody would read my blogs, everyone would be giving each other the stink eye while driving, and money wouldn't go to charities and the homeless but to Pepsi and Haribo (gummi bears). If I can't pass my own test why judge others for their failure?

There are 3 figures(one fictional) I hold in high esteem: Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King Jr., and Atticus Finch, the father in "To Kill a Mockingbird". They fought to break this divide that our prejudices created and they met adversity every step of the way. Jesus teaches about the Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-37, James teaches on prejudice James 2:1-13. Jesus and the woman caught in adultery John 7:53-8:11. The theme of all is MERCY. Not mercy to those that deserve it but to those who need it. Martin Luther King Jr. discusses our prejudice as a internal issue and ignorance.
Atticus's advice to his daughter Scout Finch: "If you just learn a single trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it." To be continued...

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