Re: delany

From: Nalo Hopkinson (bl213@FREENET.TORONTO.ON.CA)
Date: Fri Apr 04 1997 - 18:22:05 PST


On Fri, 4 Apr 1997, Andrea L. Klein wrote:

> those who do. I just wonder if we are deceiving ourselves in marking off
> boundaries that divide and enclose--aren't we all just "walk[ing]
> alongside" each other?

NH: I agree with you to a certain extent; we are. Come right down to it,
we're all human. The 'difference' lies in how one is *treated;* it's an
external thing that's imposed upon you. People impose barriers and
boundaries differentially on other people. It doesn't stop if one says
to the other, "but I'm really the same as you." It's important to
*remember* that you're the same, so that you don't get suckered in by the
type of propoganda that would have you believe that you and people like
you are somehow lesser, and so that when you meet people who freely
acknowledge your shared humanity, you're open to them; but it's just as
important to be able to recognize and address the boundaries that are
there. "That boundary really isn't there" is not an effective way to
battle other people's prejudice, particularly when those people are in a
position to use their prejudice to limit your access to the world.

-nalo

>
> Andrea Klein
>
> (sorry not sf-nal, except I guess one could take the discussion into
> androgynes and cyborgs and other boundary-melters...)
>

        "Would you trade your funk for what's behind the third door?"
                                        P-Funk, "Funkentelechy"



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