Delano

When Australians asked how I am treated here i say, "Fine I am not aboriginal, I am black guy from the Bronx. " I wasn't getting any love in Italy. But Italian men like black women. Context matters. @Pioneer I would love to do some projects in the states. But I am not so keen on living there. Overall i would agree with your post.

Understanding and giving meaning to my life is important to me.

True the other thing is i am a citizen of the world. I am not saying the elsewhere is this racial utopia. However you can breathe a bit.

So true. I had that experience here more than once.

Thanks @Cynique and @Pioneer1

The first time I didn't feel the pressure of my race was in Switzerland. I had some family friends come ti Australia for a visit. They also remarked about how colour wasn't a factor here. That was my experience. Hi Pioneer Leaving and building aren't necessarily mutually exclusive. Travel opens your eyes to different ways to be in the world. It gives perspective by leaving your fishbowl. But you can release some if the mental shackles society puts on you. That's good.

I try to pay attention. There's no higher and lower just people trying to figure out snit.

In some ways I am the same. I think and if someone makes sense I acknowledge them especially if i disagree with them. Pioneer said that he did not go to University. Yet he will debate those of us who have gone to Uni. His statement was honest and I was humbled by it. So I can't be an elitist nor attack him or anyone else personally. When he was debating with Troy. I said that his position was logical and Troy's wasn't. That wasn't an emotional response. I have softened my stance on climate change but not on the science. Based on the discussions I have seen here, Pioneer isn't less open minded than anyone else. Or at least not by much. If you look at my post about Viola Davis I wasn't on either side. There are two things that are important to me. Being able to think in a full circle. And in order to do so I need to be open minded. I idolise none. However Pioneer wants to improve the lot of Black Folks. Something that appears important to a few of the active contributors. While i may disagree with his solutions or even what he thinks are the causes of said problem. I commend him and any other person who wants to make the world better. I have learned at various times that my self perception can be skewed. I believe I have addressed your queries. If my position or motivation is unclear say so.

Pioneer may nrit make sense to you but his conclusions are not illogical. If you accept his assumptions his conclusions are logical.

Am i not a man?

Haven't read all the posts. But there can be two approaches theory what is racism. Practice how to survey it.

@zaji I said the same thing but I reckon I may have one or two more trips. I want to care less but not be careless. - Del Strachen

Yes along those same lines I want to thank @Pioneer1. He has and continues to assist me to be more open minded. Its is about challenging my own thinking and being supportive.

Leave the United States

Ok Troy I am focusing more on awareness and my reaction. So that I cam freely agree or disagree with a topic. And not be influenced by the personal dynamic it is a work in progress.

@Mel Hopkins yhis doesn't sound like unattachment.

You are mentioning me as defending ministers. Later on you ask Mel to weigh in on the Viola picture. And while Troy and Pioneer say it as unflattering I did not. Nor did i find it flattering.

@Mel Hopkins if you go back through tje exchanges at various points you, me , Cynique and Troy. Have had an emotional response to what Pioneer has written. Also each of us has questioned his thought process. Which does not speak to non attachment. You Troy and myself have begrudgingly agreed with Pioneer. At a certain point I decided to stop having an emotional response. @Mel Hopkins if my words haven't made you question your response. i can repost some previous post that demonstrate my opinion. You.

It means whatever you say it is.

mlets continue the prison aŕnalogy it's useful. What abpur the prisoners who are released but their mind is still imprisoned. You can decorate your cell however you like but it is still prison. The poetic horror is that you can only free yourself. You can give away many keys but inmates have to take that step.

That was a typo. I have since edited the post. @Cynique here's the correction.

Perhaps it is related to your being comfortable critiquing and psychoanalysing the men. Which you don't do with Mel. You are a better writer than all of the men here. You treat men on the forum the way men treat women in the world. It's not that you don't take men seriously. Its just you feel that the writing reflects half baked ideas. Also sometime in 2017 the main participants all had a fractious and emotional interaction with another member. Your reaction to this post is more important than disagreement or its validity.

The focus is wherever you decide. Since I can't see how one is more important than the other. I generally use the Oxford or Merriam definition and etymology.

Logic is a process. Meaning is both an outcome and intial state. Sense is also something that happens both during and after an event. The common thread in your life is you. So to the extent that you have defined yourself and have placed values on events. Then you are the thread in the warp and woof of your own life. Those things that are seen as random are either meaningless or without value. That is my conclusion. Although you have different values and attach different meanings to happenstance than I. You also have different assumptions experiences and intial conditions. And even if those were similar between us we have different temperaments personalities and thought patterns. I enjoy using a parsimonious amount of words to convey a statement with multiple valances. I appreciate the acknowledgement of such .

If you have leisure time then you have free time. Hence you have freedom. I have since corrected the error re the last sentence. ability also means capable