Where do the birds go
When it rains so hard flying
Is impossible?
Monday, November 21, 2016
There is a young Peace Corp worker that not only stands out here because she’s very tall; about 6 ft., but also because she’s black and there are not that many blacks in this area of Panama. Because of the election she’s afraid she might stand out a bit more now as well in the United States. Even in a west coast city like Seattle, where she’s going back to visit for a few weeks, she’s afraid peoples prejudices are now going to become more open and threatening.
It’s not that everything is bliss for her here in Panama. Here, she doesn’t feel mistreated because of her race. Here, she feels reluctant to head outside alone because of being a woman. She feels some of the Spanish men are sexists. When she’s been jogging many men have made rude gestures or made vile comments to her. It’s gotten to the point where she feels she can no longer act friendly toward men when she heads out and must put on a stern game face that gives the message, “Don’t **** with me.”
I would think that Seattle, being on the west coast and known as a very liberal city, wouldn’t be a place to worry about, but then again I’m neither black nor a woman. And I have been reading that even in L.A. some people are riding around with rebel flags proudly waving. That would be a shock to me.
I’ll be very curious to get a eye-witness account from her when she returns of what the mood is on the streets of Seattle.
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