Learning From Each Other

One big thing we need to do in our society and world is to learn from each other. It does not only apply between people of our own age but those of different ages and cultures. Here in United States we have people of different races and locations. I know that I could learn from those who live on the east coast of the USA well as the Midwest and South to name a few places. We all talk with different accents to. Even though here in Washington we jokingly say “we don’t have accents”. It is easy to know people who have moved here from other places because they do have obvious accents.

Recently some students and staff members from Lincoln High School in nearby Tacoma, Washington returned from a trip to China for eleven days. Lincoln High School has one of the most diverse students in Washington State. Those students come from white parents to black Americas along with Asian plus mixed. I am sure the students and staff learned not only about the Chines culture but about each other as well. I am sure they learned a lot about Chinese history which of course is a lot older than USA history by a long shot. Also they learned what is to be a teenager in China too. I am sure there were some similarities well as differences. Learning from the elderly in China would be fascinating too.

So this comes down to our country to where teenagers should learn how life was for their parents and grandparents. You can only learn so much from books and on the internet for that matter. When I go around town to go shopping at the grocery store or in a coffee shop there are people of all ages. I try to learn by observing and in some cases speaking to younger people well as those my age and older. One thing I do know is that I don’t know a lot about people. This applies to those I know more than others. We only let others know much as we want them to know.

In my town of Gig Harbor ninety percent or more are white like me. There are some that have come from different places including California, the East Coast, other countries like England and Russia to name a few. The other about ten percent is made up of Mexicans, Native Americans and blacks. Actually the blacks probably make up the lowest percentage of those living in Gig Harbor. When I was growing up here there were no blacks and few Mexicans. The majority of minorities in Gig Harbor were Native Americans and there were not many of them either. Most of the blacks that I have seen in Gig Harbor are from mixed marriages. This does apply to some other minority groups as well. You will find Asians married to whites or blacks. I would find it interesting to learn what it would be like to grow up in a mix race family as well. I am sure there are a lot of questions that can be asked. Most of the kids I grew up with in Gig Harbor we lived here almost of our childhood. There were some that moved in from other areas. Some of them came from Tacoma so did not move too far. In those days people in Seattle never heard of Gig Harbor. Now Gig Harbor is often mentioned on local television news. It mostly applies to the weather.

I have to admit that I don’t understand the whole tension between blacks along with other minorities against white cops since I never have lived in that world. I believe though these groups need to sit down and talk with each other. Not only talk but really listen. This applies to youth all the way to the elderly. White cops should never be put in position to shoot and kill blacks or other minorities regardless of age. The white cops need to realize that minorities are people too. The minorities need to know what they can do or not do when they are out in the streets. I believe that there needs to be more minority cops in the neighborhoods as well. I haven’t had a lot of dealings with cops other than saying hello but I believe we all need to be put in situations where we don’t have to deal with them in a fashion that can get us in trouble. I believe the time of the day is important as well. If I had teenagers or young people in my family I would make sure that they had a curfew of no later than 12 midnight on the weekends. Later than that time you are ready for trouble. This also goes for where you spend your time at as well. Also watch carrying a weapon or showing that you are carrying one. Other words you could have your hand in the pocket of your jacket. I recommend that we all keep our hands out where there is no question that you don’t have a weapon. Everyone meeting with the police asking questions would help out a whole lot. What to do and not to do. You see all our lives matter. This is why we need to learn from one another. This way we can help each other out better too.