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A Hint, a Whiff, a Taint
North Miami Beach, FL January 13, 2001 Aaron H.
Schectman
THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then, Opinions pro or con are welcomes
A HINT, A WHIFF, A TAINT.
All it takes at times is just a hint or a whiff and it becomes a taint.
Unlike the professional politics of character assassination which have been
with us throughout the whole of history, the role of just the mention or
catching a little aroma has been to taint the whole of a person's potential
for a good name and productive future. Let me explicate on this for a bit.
I was one of the few teachers from the ghetto schools of Newark in New
Jersey to become a Professor in a small private college at the Jersey Shore.
I encountered Anti-Semitism of the casual sort but knew there were rabid
antagonists against my barely practiced religion living in pockets around
me. Religious and racially motivated hate against "other" Americans really
existed and was overt. But I lived among all kinds and we got along.
It was hinted that I was a "cosmopolitan" (a code word) but Monmouth needed
a teacher. The administration of this college decided not to interfere
because of the shortage of teachers. I was accepted but with the warning to
watch me. I know this is true. Here is the reason.
I am of the type who sees throw away stuff on curbs and help my self to
bits and pieces I can use in making marionettes or equipment to hold tools
in my workshop. I found that the secretaries in the department made
unilateral decisions to clean offices and got rid of old filing cabinets,
broken desks and other obsolete equipment. I also found that the
maintenance department had discarded huge, old metal map cases that I
thought would be just the thing to put into the new house I had bought
across from the college.
Thus my scavenging caused warnings that I was to be watched and thus, not
trusted. This taint followed me all through my career at the college that
later became a university. Despite honors for my teaching, creativity and
energy I was never accorded the easy advancement I thought was due me
because of my knowledge and proven ability. A hint, a whiff and taint did
it all. There is a lesson here. People are always watching what you do.
Carol's Evaluation: 8.5 out of 10. Carol also says: "I would be suspicious
to see you root around among garbage."
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