There are many things that I cannot experience,

[MineralMan]

because of who I am. Because I cannot experience them, I cannot fully understand their impact on those who do experience them.

I cannot experience the fear a young black man has when a cop yells "Freeze!" or pulls me over when I'm just driving down the street.

I cannot experience being pregnant due to a sexual assault or a date rape and being forced to carry a fetus to term because it is almost impossible to obtain an abortion where I live.

I cannot experience the shame and frustration of being unable to find work that can support me because I have a mental illness I cannot afford to treat.

I cannot experience the challenge of having a disability or medical problem that severely affects my life.

I cannot experience venom and hatred from people because my sexual orientation is not the same as theirs.

There are so many things I cannot experience. I'm a white, middle class, heterosexual, healthy, able man with a good education. It is impossible for me to experience things so many people do experience.

All I can do is listen to people and try to imagine myself in their positions. All I can do is speak out when I see things happen to others. All I can do is to try to make the society more aware and support people who will do the same.

What I cannot do is actually experience what others experience. That is my privilege. I did nothing to earn that privilege. I can only recognize that it exists and listen to the experiences of others. I can only try to imagine myself in their positions.

[Thinkingabout]

1. K & R

What a great post, hit on many different subjects, yes we can listen to others, thanks for this wonderful post.

[snot]

2. Mineralman, thanks for your many wonderful posts through the years, and your perseverance.

Many of us have been helped.

[radiclib]

3. Excellent!

[Thespian2]

4. K & R!!!

[Spazito]

5. Excellent OP!

[sheshe2]

6. Thank you, MM.

[OldHippieChick]

7. Tip o' the hat

[3catwoman3]

8. I am thankful for thoughtful and intelligent people...

...such as you, Mineral Man.

[tblue37]

9. KnR. nt

[longship]

10. A healthy serving of sage dressing from MineralMan.

[w0nderer]

11. words worth heeding

I'm not Middle class, i'm lower to poor working class, i'm revolutionary, i'm 'nasty'

but you know something?
You, Mineral man, your posts often make me think, to hold back


you often make me think twice and doubt

I've formed the practice of:
i don't care about your
religion (unless you push it on me)
race (unless you push it on me)
gender and here i include trans people (unless you push it on me)
sexuality (unless you push it on me)

some of my best friends are
black, trans, trans and famous and past final operation, gay, female, moslem

[1StrongBlackMan]

25. What does ...

"unless you push it on me" mean?

[w0nderer]

27. it means shove it in my face

example: 'i'm a christian so therefore i need to shove my bible and faith in your face'

that's pushing it on me/shoving it in my face

[Ligyron]

12. I have the same experience or lack thereof

But you have stated it far better than I ever could.

Thanks for all you do here MM.

[liberalnarb]

13. Bravo!

Now if we could just get this off this site and to the people that need to hear it.

[ismnotwasm]

14. K&R

[hibbing]

15. an addendum to #4

Can't experience having a presidential candidate who is LEADING in the polls make fun of you because of your disability or medical problem.


Peace

[mountain grammy]

16. K & R for an excellent post.

[rusty quoin]

17. K&R. Thank you for that. Empathy...I hope it is not as rare as it seems to be lately.

[betsuni]

18. K&R

[Hekate]

19. Thanks, MM. Happy Thanksgiving. nt

[Enthusiast]

20. Kicked and recommended!

Well said.

[DLevine]

21. K&R. nt

[MineralMan]

22. Thanks to everyone for their kind words.

[sinkingfeeling]

23. Well said.

[saidsimplesimon]

24. You have spoken for me, thank you.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

26. Truer words never spoken. Great OP!

[niyad]

28. k and r

[bvar22]

29. Reading, especially the early American Classics can help you.

Give the Grapes of Wrath a try,
or The Jungle.

Those will give you a clue.

[MineralMan]

31. Not to the point, really.

I've read both of those, though, along with many other books that detail people's experiences. Still, I cannot experience any of those things personally. That's what I said in the OP. I can know about those things, but at second hand, at best.

[Octafish]

30. Compassion?

Appreciation Thread for WilliamPitt

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027018295

[Matrosov]

32. You're my favorite person on DU

I may not agree 100% with everything you say, but you have nothing but respect from me, MineralMan

[eppur_se_muova]

33. Such a contrast with right wingers -- if they haven't experienced it, they can't imagine it.

How many times has a Repug decided that he suddenly understands the problem, now that someone close to him, or even himself, is affected ? And WHY was he so devoid of imagination that he couldn't imagine it would be a problem for *anyone* in the same position ?

Thanks, MM. Your post reflect my own feelings very well.

One other point -- those who are "different" seldom, if ever, get the chance to vote for a representative who has experienced what they have -- and even if they do, their candidate is not likely to win, even in a primary. So they end up having a choice among older white male candidates, not because older white males are so great, or even constitute a majority, but because they are at least the most numerous minority (and usually over-represented among the candidate pool as well), hence most likely to win in a winner-take-all election format. For most voters, they *MUST* choose someone who isn't like them, in one crucial way or another (usually several), and must embrace the hope that as a fundamental part of the democratic process, these representatives will do their best to represent their interests anyway. So many times we have heard politicians proclaim that it is their job to represent all the people, not just some -- yet how little that ideal seems to be honored among R's, who respect big donors so much more than "others". It is left up to Dems to see that "otherness" does not debilitate the lives and the dignity of our citizens.

[Cha]

34. Thank you for being real, MineralMan!

[cheapdate]

35. Yes, you've captured the proper sentiment and tone that are necessary

to speak publicly about justice and empowerment, oppression and exclusion in today's hypersensitive climate.

Congratulations.

I apparently lack that finesse.

[Raster]

36. Bravo! Mr. Man, Bravo!

[llmart]

37. It's called empathy.....

There are people who have none. One of the hallmarks of narcissistic personality disorder is lack of empathy. Whenever I meet anyone who cannot at least feel something for someone else's predicament, I automatically think, "there's a person with NPD". Think Donald Trump. He is the poster child for NPD. Think Barbara Bush.

You, my dear Mineral Man have empathy in spades It's becoming a rare quality in our country.

[Bonobo]

38. You seemed far less aware of your privilege wrt airport scans

Remember when you use to harangue people about complaint about airport scans? You didn't seem terribly aware than that looking like a white haired white bearded patrician could possibly have meant that you were receiving treatment and politeness not afforded to many.

I'm glad to see you have evolved.

[1StrongBlackMan]

39. K&R

Well Stated and I believe heartfelt.