The Respectful Prostitute

The Negro: It means all I can do is run around until they get me. When white folk who have never met before, start to talk to each other, friendly like, it means some nigger's goin' to die.
[A pause.] Say I haven't done anything, ma'am. Tell the judge; tell the newspaper people. Maybe they'll print it. Tell them, ma'am, tell them, tell them!

I was rereading The Respectful Prostitute and this portion stopped me. I've read it about a hundred times since. It really says a lot in so few sentences. Period pieces usually give me culture shock, but I think more than by the contrast, I'm surprised by the comparison. Replacing "some nigger's goin' to die" with "something bad is happening" the statement would hold true today. Why are we so individualistic and independent? Is it a bad thing? I'm all for individualism, but has it started to inhibit our expression with strangers? Do we need negative excuses to talk to strangers? When we're given someone to hate as a community, does it not bond us more than when the community presents a uniter—a person we can all like? For example, on September 11th we were given a common enemy. It brought us together in a way that rivals, opposes and demolishes the campaign of Obama—a uniter—in competition. Why is it that we cannot bond over love, but can easily do so over hate?

Just something to think about.