[NLA] COABE conference

[Freemannola@aol.com]

Hooray, Andres!  You did a marvelous job of explaining how difficult 
authentic cross-cultural discussions can be.  With your permission, I would 
like to use your explanation about "fair" and "unfair" perceptions of how we 
come to discussions about racism in our upcoming (May 28-29)  "Literacy and 
Racism" preconference in San Diego (LLA/LVA national conference).  Or, if you 
are there, you can make the case yourself!  Thank you for speaking so clearly 
to a difficult topic.
       Those of us who are white live in the U.S. with such unacknowledged 
--even unasked for! --privileges.  We truly are not aware of many of them,  
such as the assumption that meetings should be run according to rules that 
seem "fair" but which  are sometimes difficult for persons of other cultures 
to fit in to.  Here's a story you might enjoy:  A few years ago, a colleague 
of mine who is African American was trying to find her voice in a meeting.  
When the chairman ruled her out of order and told her that the meeting was 
being conducted according to "Robert's Rules of Order" she was thunderstuck!  
"Who is Robert?" she asked.  "And why don't we know his last name?"  
       The chasm between different cultural groups can be bridged as we begin 
to learn more about ourselves.  I often ask my white brothers and sisters to 
think about what we bring to the multicultural table.  Or do we think we have 
the right simply to set the rules and then watch?
       Hmmmmm.
       Margery Freeman
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