On Colors

The other day i took part in a black and white challenge.

And - my mind began to wander.

Back to the early 1970′s, when germany was very - german.

Our little town had some italian restaurants. There was one offering croatian-dalmatian specials. The founders were former guest-workers and now well respected businessmen.

Not that exotic. Not at all.

The first chinese restaurant would open a few years later.

Somewhat dull. One might say. I’d rather say: Laid back. Peaceful.

But then again - you could take a look at the us-american garrison.

We could see these good-looking guys, when they came to town to spend their money.

Some of them black.

And i remember,  when we did a did a music project at school and visited a black service.

It lasted for hours but - unlike in our german Gottesdienste - there was not a single dull moment.

I also remember gratefully these tv-shows. Made in the U.S. Star  Trek. I remember Bele and Lokai. Two aliens.  One humanoid species. But two different races. Two colors. The one black and white. The other - white and black. The last survivors of an all out war, that raged for thousands of years. A biting satire. A  parable that mirrored human history.

Unforgettable.  

Courageous these producers and writers and actors. Weren’t they?

And then again, i remember more classic stuff.

Talking about the 007 Movies.

The top agent. Very british. His sidekick Felix Leiter - an all american guy.

The villains? Well. Look at Doctor No.  A man of eastern origin. A distant relative of Fu Man Chu.

And - of course: Mr. Big. That black guy who wanted to flood our western world with drugs and destroy it.

Remember Mr. Largo from Spectre?

Or the crack shot Scaramanga? White men. Rich and cultivated. Yes. But with a foreign, exotic aura that enhanced their evil character.

I am still a great fan of the silver screen. But until today - and perhaps more than ever -  i am fond of stories, that give me something to think about. Remind us of our common history and the lessons it teaches us.

The things we have in common.

That make us only human.  

So many things that make us all the same. You. Me. Them.  Despite of our differences. All you have to do is - take a closer look. ;)