What Would Dad Think?
posted by tjcj
Dad was a progressive
My sister and I were musing/reminiscing about our Father (5 years gone) and what he would think about all the energy about Obama.
Growing up military in between the Korean, Vietnam and various other "wars", we didn't know about prejudice in the terms of other Negroes (at the time) and Blacks (by the time Dad retired). Our prejudice was of our father's Naval rank which was of no consequence to us as we were part of the Naval community and military world in the US, but mostly abroad. The energy of our skin color was left to the Filipinos or Okinawans who marveled at our ability to speak the language (insisted upon by our Dad).
Our home was a haven to anyone and everyone, homecooked meals, drinking (hey, we're sailors!), cards, darts, horseshoes, and music from T-Bone Walker, Hank Snow to Led Zeppelin, Cream (Dad HATED the Rolling Stones and loathed The Beatles), The Temptations (I still can't listen to a Temps song without tearin up) and Bobby Blue Bland all creeds, colors and backgrounds came over and all sorts of political conversations took place almost to blows but at that point my dear sainted Catholic mother would outcurse the room and everything would be back to normal.
Dad was considered progressive, at the time of his retirement he had 28 women reporting to him. He joked so not PC that all he had was his balls, kotex and a shotgun. He happily escorted many a bride down the aisle much to the surprise and dismay of betrothed family, and no one cried more at his funeral than those many women who went on to become Chiefs, Warrant Officers and even working for the CIA and Secret Service.
I do wonder what Dad would have thought of all the Obama Drama, most likely he would've shrugged his shoulders and stated "what's all the fuss about?"
I do miss him at this time.
Growing up military in between the Korean, Vietnam and various other "wars", we didn't know about prejudice in the terms of other Negroes (at the time) and Blacks (by the time Dad retired). Our prejudice was of our father's Naval rank which was of no consequence to us as we were part of the Naval community and military world in the US, but mostly abroad. The energy of our skin color was left to the Filipinos or Okinawans who marveled at our ability to speak the language (insisted upon by our Dad).
Our home was a haven to anyone and everyone, homecooked meals, drinking (hey, we're sailors!), cards, darts, horseshoes, and music from T-Bone Walker, Hank Snow to Led Zeppelin, Cream (Dad HATED the Rolling Stones and loathed The Beatles), The Temptations (I still can't listen to a Temps song without tearin up) and Bobby Blue Bland all creeds, colors and backgrounds came over and all sorts of political conversations took place almost to blows but at that point my dear sainted Catholic mother would outcurse the room and everything would be back to normal.
Dad was considered progressive, at the time of his retirement he had 28 women reporting to him. He joked so not PC that all he had was his balls, kotex and a shotgun. He happily escorted many a bride down the aisle much to the surprise and dismay of betrothed family, and no one cried more at his funeral than those many women who went on to become Chiefs, Warrant Officers and even working for the CIA and Secret Service.
I do wonder what Dad would have thought of all the Obama Drama, most likely he would've shrugged his shoulders and stated "what's all the fuss about?"
I do miss him at this time.
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What Would Dad Think? | 3 comments (3 topical, 0 hidden)
What Would Dad Think? | 3 comments (3 topical, 0 hidden)
