05/17/2009
And the sign said…
Aunt B was trolling YouTube when I came across this video, and I couldn’t stop singing the hook, “And the sign said long haired freaky people need not apply.”
The name of the song is called “Signs” and was originally recorded in 1971 by a Canadian group called The Five Man Electrical Band, the song hit number three on the U.S. Billboard charts.
The YouTube video uses film clips of… well long-haired-freaky-people to borrow a phrase and one line from the song to make a point. The lyrics from the song tell a story of a man who experiences discrimination when he looks for a job, in a neighborhood, and in a restaurant where the signs tell him he’s not welcome because of how he looks or how he’s dressed. In the final verse, while in church, he writes his own sign.
While actual signs are no longer culturally acceptable, it’s easy for us to put up signs in our own minds. Being a parent has made me aware of my own prejudices. I moved from the neighborhood that I grew up in, that was mostly African-American to a suburb that had one of the best school districts in the state. The cultural make-up is the complete opposite of how I grew up.
I felt challenged when I first moved here, overly sensitive at times, but wanting to teach my daughter to be accepting, open-minded, and non-judgmental. How do you do that? I know! I asked the same question. Here are some of the things I came up with and would love to hear some of yours.
- Talk about different cultures and learn traditions you can use local cultural festivals and museums.
- My daughter loves to cook. One day while chatting with Mom from Southern India, she offered to teach me how to cook Indian food. Visiting the markets and learning the names of new vegetables and spices was a great experience.
- Make it a point to share what you value about differences, and point out the differences you notice yourself, in your kids and in others.
- Speak respectfully to everyone no matter how they appear. Everyone deserves respect. The world is changing and I see our children’s success depending on them being able to accept and respect differences in others and in themselves.
- Aunt B
I had never heard of this song, but it does have a catchy phrase and a valuable lesson. Thanks for sharing!
If everyone really understood the hurt and anguish that discrimination inflicts on people, a lot of things in this country, and around the world, would change for the better. Marvin Gaye summed it up best in the his song “What’s Going On.”
I have personally experienced discrimination when applying for a job. My experience was bitter sweet. I really needed this job. My bills and housenote were behind and I was at the end of my rope. I must explain why I said it was bitter sweet.
As I was standing in line to turn in my application several other applicants were ahead of me. I overheard the receptionist tell each applicant that there were no available positions at this time. I thought, “why am I here.” As I approached the desk, the receptionist took one look at me and asked if I was available to take a test within the next two days. I felt sorry and happy at the same time. The previous applicants were turned down without any hesitation. To me, this was the beginning of experiencing discrimination on the account of how I looked. I passed the test and worked with the company for over 9 years. There will always be discrimination in the workplace and in every country as long as we’re divided amongst ourselves, closed-minded and judgmental.