I  have friends who don't play bluegrass or drive Vanagons, and even they
enrich my life!   :-)

On 12/9/05, John Rodgers <inua@charter.net> wrote:
>
> That's funny. You are what you are, depending on the community you are in.
>
> Now don't everybody get bent out of shape by this tale, it's the facts,
> and is just a reflection of the idiocy we humans are capable of, and my
> comments here have no mean spirited intent.
>
> When I lived in Western Alaska years ago amongst the Yu'pik Eskimo
> people, they  referred to anyone who wasn't one of them as "Gus'sucks".
> It was used to differentiate "Us" from "Them" in conversation, and also
> on occasion to drive in a little of the derogatory in the converstaion.
> I never let it offend me. I think the word was a derivative of "Cossack"
> which is a term the Russians certainly used during their "ownership" of
> "The Great Land". While on occassion it certainly was used as a racial
> slur, I refused to allow it to get under my skin. I know where people
> live and that sort of thing just flys over me. But to my point - there
> were definite racial attitudes expressed at times in that country, and
> sometimes it was down right funny. I had a very good friend, a black
> man, well educated, as was hs wife, and he worked for the FAA. He
> transferred from Bethel Alaska to Pt. Barrow, as a step up in position,
> and it was about a year before I saw him again. We got together for a
> cup of coffee and were discussing his tour in Barrow, and I asked him
> how it compared to Bethel. He said it wasn't much different, except that
> occasionally some local drunk would deliver a racial epithet. I ask what
> he meant and he said there had been a couple of times on the street when
> he had been called a "honky"!!. We both had a very good belly laugh over
> that one. You see, my friend was a very black man - the very antithesis
> of the word "honky", usually applied to my kind.
>
> So, we are who we are to ourselves, and then we are who we are according
> to the community we are in. It is odd how we humans divide  things up.
> Among some, Catholics are not Christians, among others they are. Mormans
> refer to those not of the body as Gentiles?? How strange to me, when my
> whole life I was taught and beleive that anyone was/is a gentile who was
> not a Jew. But does all this make a whits difference to me?? Nope, not
> even one whit. I have friends amongst many groups - Jew, Gentile -
> African Americans, Hispanic, Eskimo, Indian, and Chinese. I consider
> myself blessed for having such diverse friends. It has enriched my life.
>
> Just my $0.05 on Frydaye!
>
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver
>
> Joy Hecht wrote:
>
> >The Mormons refer to those who are not of them as Gentiles?
> >
> >Who knew?
> >
> >I thought only us Members of the Tribe did that!  At least when we aren't
> referring to you as goyim.  :-)
> >
> >
> >
> >Joy
> >
> >
> >****************************************************************
> >Joy Hecht
> >and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon
> >
> >For musings about life and the vanadventures:
> >http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy
> >
> >****************************************************************
> >
> >:::-----Original Message-----
> >:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On
> Behalf
> >:::Of bueses
> >:::Sent: Friday, December 09, 2005 10:28 AM
> >:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >:::Subject: Re: Tom's genital defect
> >:::
> >:::>> Doughnut go Gentile into that good Knight.
> >:::>>
> >:::>>
> >:::>> --
> >:::>> BenT
> >:::
> >:::Actually in Utah I am a Gentile- which to the predominant religion is
> one
> >:::who is NOT one of them.
> >:::
> >:::Vanagon content-very cold here in SLC, but the westy has been running
> >:::like a
> >:::top, except for a little stiff shifting.  Heats up nice & toasty for
> the
> >:::5
> >:::mile drive to work.
> >:::
> >:::Tom-SA style grille lights look great, but lights not hooked up yet-
> >:::waiting
> >:::for more research on relays, etc.
> >
> >
>

--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
www.crescentbeachguitar.com