a1665: Re: a1650: Dorce to Mickey Thompson on Vodou Spelling (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LAKAT47@aol.com

Avatarase@aol.com writes:

<< I quite understand what you are saying Ms. Dorce. It is true that the word
 voodoo has taken on massively distorted meanings over time. The problem is
 WHY this is true much more than THAT it is. >>
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
I understand what the problem is, my focus is what to do to alter people's
perception, little by little.  Most people I come across are ignorant about
racial matters and have no evil intent.  So re-educating seems to be an
appropriate way to change society.  There was a dean of students at the
University of Colorado who said that people were who they are pretty much at
the age of 7 or 8 and any changes in their basic values and beliefs would
require a "significant emotional event".  One example might be when people
saw police setting dogs on peaceful black demonstrators in Alabama.  Another
was when people saw the Vietnam war played out.  Television was the medium
responsible for many people having significant emotional events that changed
the course of how we think of race and war in this country.

It may seem a small matter, how to spell Vodou, but to me, it is a start.  As
I say, I mainly speak about Vodou so the listener doesn't have a clue how I
spell it.  I notice that the exceptional exhibit that traveled around the
country in 1995, was entitled "Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou" and no one was
confused as to what it referred.  In fact, in Los Angeles, many people came
up to us at art festivals and mentioned that they had seen it and it had
given them a new respect for that culture and religion.  Most of the people
who buy from us are white.  Every time we sell, people are made more aware of
the beauty and mystery of Haiti and a little piece of Hollywood distortion
dies.  As I said, little by little and  education is the key.

Kathy Dorce~