Stuck In the Middle

Last week on the bus, as I was making my daily commute back downtown, I couldn't help but eaves drop on a couple of fellow passengers. It started with simple small talk, but quickly evolved into quite a lengthy conversation that covered everything from the Tupac's murder "conspiracy" to governmental policies on social services. In general, I think it's safe to assume, that many people think that "the man" is trying to keep them down. Since starting my AmeriCorps year, I have made it one of my goals to listen more than I talk and this seems to be a common theme of many of the people that my organization serves. I feel conflicted because on one hand, I'm a middle class kid and first generation college student (on one side of the family) who has spent more time than she'd care to admit without medical insurance due to various job circumstances. But on the other hand, I'm a white, Ivy League educated individual who, honestly, has never really had to worry about where I was going to sleep at night. To some people, I suppose by definition, I am "the man" as much I hate to admit it.

There is this overwhelming sense of prejudice on both sides of the fence. "The man" doesn't like poor people, homeless people, people on public assistance, and anyone else not in their world. I think the opposite is also true. We are afraid of what we don't understand. Disdain and loathing are much easier emotions to handle than the fear and lack of understanding of the unknown.

I feel that my secondary mission this year (and heck, maybe even in life) is to help develop some common understanding between "the man" and the "poor man" since my new found position lies some where in between. (I am willing to wager that I am one of the few 2009 Columbia University graduates that applied for food stamps this year.) As far as "the man" goes, not all of them (or should I say us?) are bad. I mean, some of them are of course. (If you've ever seen a Michael Moore movie or watched the daily news, you know that.) But not all of them are. Not everyone who went to Columbia is a stuck up, rich, white kid. And not everyone on public assistance is lazy and wants to live off welfare forever.

Food for thought for sure.