beanbean said:
Quite an impressive line of priviledge Mond comes from.
Yes it is.
I couldn't help but think to myself as I read of his families history of how very few of my relatives attended, much less graduated, from college. My Mother did and one of my Uncles ( the youngest ) on my Dad's side of the family the other three brothers made him go and heiped with the cost. Both my grand dads were pumpers in the oil fields around Wichita Falls. Two of my great grandfathers were small rancher/farmers definitely not well off, the other had been a black smith and wheat harvester, the other a horse trader and a bit of a character. My brother and I were the first to go to college other than the relatives mentioned above, we both graduated from A&M, '77 and '79.
My dad worked in the oil fields in the Permian Basin after he returned from service in Korea and eventually started his own oil field service business. My brother and I worked our entire childhood helping him build that business' I honestly worked every summer, most weekends, spring and Christmas breaks from the time I was 10 or so, actually even earlier than that. That was my childhood and early adult life until leaving home after graduating college. I honestly can't remember a time that we were not expected to help out daily, in someway if not in school, most Sundays we had for ourselves after church. I was expected to be a typical roustabout (oil field laborer) for the family business, I operated backhoes and other equipment and eventually was promoted to gang pusher when home from college on holidays and breaks. Most weekends, and on lots of school nights my brother and I were expected to help repair or maintain wench trucks. pick up trucks, equipment, fix flats, repack hydraulic cylinders, greasing equipment a multitude of tasks needing daily attention to keep the equipment running, available and in good order for the next days work. It was expected even when we were attending elementary school, the family depended on it. My Mom worked full time for the City where I grew up. She had good job and eventually became the City Tax Accessor and Collector she also was the City Personnel DIrector.
Monds family in comparison had college graduates, CPA's professionals etc... as far back as his grand parents, perhaps further. How can someone with that background and all that gerational family success it appears they had, seriously look upon this country and its past as he does? He's being too easily swayed by outside influences and baseless hate His family appears to have been blessed beyond mine. No that's not it, his family out performed mine and did more with the opportunities this country provided them. They did it despite all the so called racism he and others think the past forced upon them!
How could that have happened if this is that racists of a country ? I am considered white yet, I had a great great grandmother on my mothers side that was full blood Comanche, she's buried on the Reservation in Oklahoma. I have her death certificate but; the family at the time determined to list her as Mulatto because that was preferrable over the fact that she was Comanche. From the family stories I've been told it was not a good thing in northwest Texas to have been associated with the Comanches much less have one in the family. A trip to the cemetaries, where many of my distance relatives are buried in that region explains why, one needs only to read the numerous headstones of those killed in Indian raids and attacks etc... I love that part of my families History, it provides color and insight and says much about my family They were in the thick of settling that area. My relatives were instrumental in starting and going on the Goodnight Loving trail they were some of the original cowboys. I've never claimed any rights or priviledges to my Comanche blood line by pursuing inclusion on tribal role. I'm certainly proud of that native American heritage, I take pride in the fact that I have that in my background.
I have a really hard time seeing how Mond can honestly feel the way he does toward this country.especially if his families history is as this man's letter depicts, what a wonderful American and Texan story.
I certainly was never considered priviledged nor ever felt I was when growing up, especially thinking back of all the 5AM mornings I was up and headed to the oil patch at such a young age, knowing my friends were all sleeping in, with free time on their hands etc... going to the golf course, the pool or just hanging out and enjoying a typical childhood. I unfortunately or perhaps, fortunately did not have what was considered a typical childhood of the day and yet I feel blessed to have been born in this great country and this state. I've lived a fruitful and full life. I've had to work hard but, it hasn't hurt or warped me. I'm certainly glad for the opportunity it afforded me to pay my way out of there and attend college. I ocassionally dredded going back home and hitting those stinking oil fields but;I had to. it was the only means I had available to me to pay my way through college. I bear no grudges against anyone. I admit I sometimes felt a bit sorry for myself during Jr High and High School, and in College when I watched my buddies head off to a fun beach house week or spring break trip, and I headed back to the oil patch AGAIN ! It was my lot in life and the circumstances that I was born into and that's life. It was no ones fault, it was simply the way things were, God's plan for me.
Perhaps Mond feels the way he does because he was priviledged, he certainly was compared to my upbringing and faimily background. Too bad he can't see his way clear to counting his blessings and thanking his predecessors for what they did for him instead of begrudging others needlessly and without real facts about any of them.
The young man obviously doesn't have a clue that generational priviledge is not actually handed out on the bases of skin color, if it was, his and my family backgrounds would be reversed. Sorry Kellen it's earned, and this country allows that to happen. Your family is living proof of it and you should be proud of that, rather than helping others destroy it ! .
