Contrition (an apology for the last post)

I use the term apology in both its sense as an expression of regret and as a justification. Though I do not regret the sentiment that I was trying to express in the last post, I do regret that I expressed it somewhat poorly and thereby caused offense.

First, I would like to say that I was not trying to indict the extracurricular group that I mentioned. I was simply trying to use the scenarios I mentioned as an illustration of the larger sense of disconnect between majority and minority groups. I do not hold the group nor its leadership in any disregard, and feel that what happened was simply symptomatic of larger cultural issues and a natural bias that is very easy for all of us to develop and very hard to avoid. It is always easier to be aware of ourselves than others, but I think it is even easier when one is part of the dominant group. An American Protestant has a hard time being cognizant of what it feels like to be an American Jew, Muslim, Mormon, etc. As a white person, I have a hard time being fully cognizant of what it means to be Asian, Hispanic, African, etc, and am therefore capable of being inadvertently insensitive, as much as I hate to do so.

Another point that I intended, but ultimately failed, it would seem, to make, was that there is a certain uncertainty, at least I feel, to what degree a minority should assert their presence. I knew that some sort of leavened product would be served, yet I failed to contact the director to try to make special arrangements. Well, the practical thing to have done would have been to packed some sort of sack-lunch, but I never claimed to be immune to idiocy/sloth. At any rate, the reason why I didn't wish to make a special request was because it seemed presumptuous to ask someone to go out of her way for my special needs. Which may seem contradictory, since it never even occurred to me that the Jewish High Holidays wouldn't be taken into account (I'm spoiled, I grew up in an area densely populated with my fellow Hebrews). Which is why I wasn't actually upset about the bread, and I do regret that is the way I came across in the last post, merely reflective.

So hopefully that clarified things. I truly wasn't trying to be combative. I generally don't wish to take that particular tack, as I feel conversation goes nowhere when people are seeking to antagonize each other. Readers, please feel free to let me know when you feel I have been insensitive, though I ask that you try to keep to the same guidelines I am trying to hold myself to, which is to make discourse as courteous as possible.