Keith Gatling
Syracuse, NY
I’m black and from New Jersey. At least one of those makes me nosy. Or is “curious” the better word to use?
I want to know everything about you. I want to know where you’re from whether that be across town, across the state, across the country, or the other side of the planet. I want to know whether you’re German or Austrian, French or French-Canadian, Indian or Pakistani, Japanese or Chinese, Norweigian or Danish, from Missouri or from Arkansas. And I want to know because I know that sometimes the people in group A get offended when you think they’re from group B, and I want to get it right. I also want to know because I’m just plain curious about people.
You’re from Malta and not Italy? Tell me about Malta, I don’t know anything about it. You’re from Bisaquino? So’s my brother-in-law. Tell me more.
I hate that in the spirit of “political correctness,” we’re not allowed to ask the kinds of questions that start conversations, and help us to get to know people better.
We’re all curious. So what!
