Number 8 Between BT & WR
(Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people. -Psalm 85:8)
Reader Update: WR and BT’s discussion on race began when BT was led to ask his longtime friend how he felt about the negative use of race in the current political atmosphere.
WR’s response prompted their ongoing conversation about race and how the issue of race has affected their lives both personally and professionally.
Neither man had ever looked at race as a factor in the development of their friendship, which began in high school and has continued to now as business partners, until now as both face some race issues within each of their families.
Characters: WR: A Venerable Man, BT: A Venerable Man
Actors: You the Reader
Setting: The hotel suite in Savannah of the elder Mr. Chang and his son Kim, owners of the Hong Kong Export Company, W & B Transports’ first international client. The group has just finished lunch and their business transaction and BT & WR are about to leave.
BT: Mr. Chang it has been a pleasure to meet you and your son. On behalf of W & B Transports we are honored that you chose us to transport your goods throughout the United States. I assure you we will provide superior service for your company.
Mr. Chang: Thank you BT, I have no doubt that you and WR will perform as you have promised. I have enjoyed meeting you both and am touched by the story of your friendship and your partnership in business. I trust the two of you are setting an example for each of your people in the beauty of a genuine relationship that overshadows the unfortunate stigma of race in your country.
WR: Thank you. We found each other’s heart and operated from there.
Kim: My father and I can’t wait to hold the two of you up as an example of people embracing the attributes of human kindness and creating a successful business venture. I’m impressed gentlemen.
Mr. Chang: Gentlemen, thank you. You’ll get communication from us soon on the first shipment.
BT: Thank you Mr. Chang and thank you Kim.
WR: Thank you gentlemen we look forward to a long and trusting business relationship.
(BT and WR exit the Chang’s suite)
BT: (both men are driving back to their hometown) – That was a great meeting. It was interesting to hear Mr. Chang talk about the prejudices his people have and still suffer here in America.
We are so accustomed to making Chinese jokes, Black jokes, Mexican jokes and thinking nothing of them. We have become so cynical in this country that we have absolutely no regard for people who are not like us.
WR: I’m afraid that’s where we are BT. It seems we have leaders who use race to gain our support for all of their false promises. But for the life of me I don’t see how that position makes everything alright.
I have this gut wrenching fear that all it will take to start a civil war is for someone to say or do something so derogatory that it will lead to senseless and violent acts against each other. Do we want that and do we care whether that could become true?
BT: I know what you mean. It makes me very uncomfortable to think that my children will not be accepted for who they are as people but rejected solely for their race. And if we descend into that, what kind of future will our children have?
The politicians are always talking about what we will leave our children if we do this or if we do that. What will we leave them if we create a race war? I wish someone would answer that!
WR: You know, before we started talking about race, I never thought much about Uncle Ted’s rants and what Mom referred to as ‘crazy talk.’
What I worry about now is why are so many people willing to overlook such talk and not think it will have any effect on how the general populace thinks. I am pretty convinced that Uncle Ted’s views had a negative effect on my first cousin and screwed him up the way he is now. Man, what a waste.
BT: If we have already gone too far how do we stop at this point? How do we get all of us in America to face and deal with our collective guilt about Blacks, Arabs, Jews, American Indians, the Japanese, Mexicans, the Chinese and anybody who is not like us?
Guilt on that scale can’t be good when political leaders use it to scare an entire race and make them afraid that all other races are out to take away their freedom and their rights – real or imagined.
WR: You know BT I’m not sure the positions taken are perceived as guilt.
BT: What do you mean?
WR: I just wonder how guilt translates into pure hatred of another race.
BT: Now you understand why I asked the question that I did. Why do we hate people just because of their race? It has to be something more than guilt, especially when it is framed by a belief in a Higher Power and the acceptance and practice of Christian values.
WR: That’s what I mean. What and about what are my people feeling guilty?
BT: Guess what? I could probably make that same argument about my people as well.
WR: BT I want to make a difference in this world and I am going to start with the man in the mirror.
BT: OK Michael Jackson. I’m with you on that my friend. Boy, we’ve got work to do…