Bill O'Reilly and Good Home Training

Scene 1- Conservative Fox News Pundit Bill O'Reilly, apparently to broaden his horizons (what?), went to lunch with Rev. Al Sharpton at the renowed restaurant, Sylvia's, in Harlem. Later, when describing the experience on his radio show, O'Reilly claimed to be surprised "that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it was run by Blacks." He also expressed shock that "there wasn't one person in Sylvia's screaming, 'M-fer, I want more iced tea.'"

Scene 2 - On my way home from work on the Green Line in DC one afternoon, the train car was boarded by a large, loud group of teenaged girls. These young, Black girls were either fighting with each other, or pretending to, either way, for the 10 minutes they were on the train, we were all favored with an embarassingly profane, ear-splitting display of ignorance. When they finally exited the train, a White man across the car from me fixed me, a Black male adult in shirt and tie, in his disapproving gaze. Of course, my first thought was, "why the fuck are you looking at me?"

I really despair for race relations in this country these days. There seems to be a whole lot of Black and White people talking, stating positions, but not too many people understanding why other people are upset. And this issue of conduct and civilty brings it up again. White people, like Matt Lauer of the Today show, fail to understand why some Blacks were offended by O'Reilly's expressions of pleasant surprise. Well, I'll field that one:

O'Reilly, who claims to speak with authority on everything he speaks about, is surprised that there is a place where Blacks act with civility. Where they don't screech curses at one another. AND I'M SUPPOSED TO FEEL COMPLIMENTED BY THAT? Bill, as I've always suspected, you speak at length on topics you know nothing of. Stop acting like an authority on anything. However, I encourage you to continue your outings into the Secret, Well-Behaved Heart of the Black Community. We will continue to surprise you, I promise.

Scene 2 is more dificult for me to comment on. On one hand, these girls' behavior is probably one of the reasons that ignoramuses like O'Reilly and the Staring Guy have their tragic misconceptions about the conduct of African Americans. On the other hand, I used to cut up on the bus with my friends when I was a teenager. On the other hand, I don't think we were ever that loud or cursed that much or that pointlessly. On the other hand, if these kids got any attention from their absent/overworked parents, maybe they wouldn't crave it so much from strangers on a train. And on and on...

I was raised in Southeast Washington, D.C., an area in the city considered the poorest and least-educated. People view you differently in this area when you say you're from Southeast. So when I entered the work-world, I made a concerted effort to speak eloquently, use my vocabulary, and not curse to exreme. I haven't always been successful, but I'd like to think I've done my part to change the pre-conceptions of some Bill O'Reillys I've me along the way, in some small part.

I know that you're young, girls, and the odds are against you, but you might find your life is ultimately easier if you don't spend so much time playing, and being, the fool.