"I'm sorry, I'm mute." [View All]

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

I'd been sick all week, and I hadn't had anything to eat in two days. So I finally decided to go to the Subway Sub shop for a sandwich.

While ordering the toppings, I looked up and found myself suddenly, silently enraged. The young man behind the counter had a small piece of white paper scotch-taped to his shirt. "I'm sorry, I'm mute." is what was written there boldly in black ink.

I do not know what the story was, but I can imagine the worst- "Okay, so you can't communicate with our customers. They have to know why you're not speaking. Here-" the boss scrawls something on a white scrap of paper- "wear this if you want to keep your job."

The young man looked a bit depressed to me- forced to proclaim his "handicap" to the world in order to satisfy customers. "I'm sorry. I'm mute." I wanted to say something- I shoulda said something, but I didn't. Who was responsible for this insult? Who should I yell at for this unwarranted branding? Could I have done the slightest bit of good by speaking out for this silent person?

In the end, I paid for my sandwich and left. Not knowing how to correct this insult, I remained mute.

It isn't just the little paper sign taped to a boy-man's chest. It's a far, far deeper slap upon our collective face. Remember where we are and what's going on in our nation. The next thing pinned to our chests could be Stars of David, or pink triangles, or even a big red "T". It's open season. You're different, they get to brand you. Muslim. Suspected Terrorist. Parolee. Thief. Sex offender. Arthritic. Deaf. Anything.

How long do we let this go on? How far do we let it go before we stop it? What has to happen before we remember who we are and what we used to stand for?

How long before we all just scrawl that one little sentence on a scrap of paper and tape it to our own chests in explanation for our failure to act?

I'm afraid I have no answer to that- the look in that young man's eyes says he knows he's in for a long, rough life if we don't turn back soon. I sure hope we do- it's a life I wouldn't wish on anyone.

"I'm sorry, I'm mute."