America 101 ARTICLE I: perception.

  How well do you know America? American history is murky at best and there are conflicting versions in circulation for just about every important event that ever took place in the country's history. The truth is we all know a lot less about America that we care to reveal.

This notion of America being driven by truth and justice is false. Instead, all emphasis is placed on perception. America likes a certain degree of truth and justice but by know means is the place anal over it.

Truth and justice aside, Perception is the high octane way to take the American adventure. It's easier to advance as a society that way, by not sitting around waiting for the scales of justice to balance or the truth to be told before we can have closure. You're never going to satisfy all the people anyway so why waste time trying? Just obfuscate the matter, spin it, call it success, and move on to the next challenge.

This may appear to some as a very morbid way of describing American history because it tends to nullify any real achievements. Remember, it is the perception stupid! Real achievements, false achievements, no achievements, none of it really matters in the high octane American paradigm.

If exposing the truth and administering true justice was the quest throughout the American storybook then we would probably be living somewhere in the 1870's in terms of advancement as a society.

Shaping perception is what it is all about, always has been and always will be.

"Terrorist like Sitting Bull and Geronimo are out to destroy our nation, so we must kill them in order to defend our homeland."

"The Soviet red army and the red Chinese are coming to destroy America and the only thing that can stop them is your tax dollars"

"Welfare queens are the reason why such a large chunk of your paycheck goes to Washington."

I think you get the picture on how perception works so lets move on.

  Perceptions come in all shapes, sizes and colors. The American landscape is one big quilt of perceptions. Coming to grips with the fact that the greatest country in the world isn't perfect is hard to swallow for some folks. Don't think about great, not so great, could be great, are any of that stuff and focus on perception. If you think it is great then it is great. I'm tired of trying to describe perception because I think you understand what it is so I'll move on.

Everything up to now has been the view from thirty-thousand feet. Now I want to drill down and talk specifics. It is almost impossible to live in America and not be the target of a perception. White- males, Mexicans and Asian-women are a sampling of the groups that makes up the American mix.

Just as a test read this short story and let your perceptions determine the subject groups.
There was a celebration at the office today congratulating one of the engineers on his marriage. The manager ordered up a team of caterers who served lunch to the entire department and cleaned up afterwards. Our co-worker shocked everyone as he introduced his new bride because he got married unexpectedly while on vacation.

See how it works? It's almost automatic to assume without knowing the truth or having all the details. In this story the manager is an Asian woman, the engineer is Black, his bride is Black and the caterers are white.

Now that we know how perception works or doesn't work, the question becomes how can you limit the collateral damage it causes? It's not easy but there are some things you can do.
Here is a list of the perception flavors:

• National Level
• State Level
• Local Level
• Personal Level

Examples
National: All Catholic priest are child molesters
State: Haitians mean trouble.
Local: homelessness is laziness.
Personal:The Black guy I work with only have one thing on his mind.

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