If a sparrow is born in a stable, does it make the sparrow a horse??

Even when we are aware that it is better not to, we still use labels for people, events and things and as time goes on, it seems the habit is becoming more pronounced. With just a few days to go until the United States elects a new president, we are told it will be an historic event; we will either have a black president or a women vice president. So it seems the color of one’s skin or gender still labels the person and that person will enter the history books as a new and very significant participant in a “never before” event.

Labeling has always existed and as much as we may not like it, it will continue. In the above photograph my mother and paternal grandparents are labeled as displaced people, affectionately known as DP’s, with those enormous tags that I have always associated with morgues and toes. Maybe it was so they would not get lost or displaced again, or wander off inadvertently to the wrong train or ship. Either way, in time of war, when your country has been taken over and you are living in limbo, it seems these tags and labels were imperative. Even the train didn’t escape the injustice of being labeled! But somehow I think the inhabitants of the train were happy after 4+ years of punishing hunger, to be on their way to a new land far across the sea. This photograph is of one of the carriages filled with Latvians on their way to a ship taking them to Australia, dated April 12, 1949. “Aufwiedersehen Europa” in it’s literal translation means “To see you again Europe” which was what all of these immigrants hoped would transpire. After losing Latvia to Communism and watching as Germany was carved up, leaving them with virtually no identities but those pinned on their clothes, these people were off to a brand new start, but they all dreamed of the day they would return home to their native land. As we know now, that didn’t happen to this generation, they settled into a comfortable and good life that Australia offered them, worked hard and assimilated well. Some of their children have returned to Latvia and started afresh there after 1991, but most remained in Australia, continuing what their parents started anew after the war.

Labeling was rampant in those days and political correctness was a term for the future. The Balts and Poles later gave way to Dagos, Wogs and Poms, and no one really took offense. It’s who we were and we accepted that. But what we didn’t accept was the lack of knowledge from the locals. In 1956 Melbourne hosted the Olympic Games and amongst many of the athletes, who did a full days work before competing, were two young Latvians named John (Janis) and Ilsa Konrads. At age 14, John won several medals for Australia, as did Ilsa who was two years younger. In the seven short years since arriving in Australia, Latvians had made their mark, albeit small, and were recognized as great swimmers because of the Konrads children. When I talked to people in the street, which was very normal in Australia back then, they all said I must be a great swimmer too! I think I had just earned my “Herald Certificate” which proclaimed that I was able to swim the length of a pool, not a big deal, so I stared in bewilderment at these well-meaning folks. Then they would ask me if I could still speak Russian. In seven years people had forgotten that Latvia had been a country with it’s own identity and language, had been annexed by the Soviets and the inhabitants forced to speak the Russian language. How did that apply to me in Australia, where I was busy assimilating into a good little Aussie, yet still trying to keep all my Latvian traditions and language going?? I would ask them quite blatantly “If a sparrow is born in a horse’s stable, does that make the sparrow a horse??” I usually received a little pat on the head and a weak smile in response. But was that a form of labeling back then too?? If two Latvians were so good at swimming, then weren’t all Latvians good at it and if Latvia was now part of what the world accepted as Russia, then shouldn’t we all speak fluent Russian??

Sadly, in the newspaper yesterday, I read that John Konrads, now 66 has been labeled as bi-polar, is down on his luck and wanting to sell his Olympic gold medals. He is still an incredibly handsome man, one who accomplished an enormous amount even after his Olympic career ended, and had opportunities that most of us only dream about. Maybe the labeling will make it easier for him. I hope so, because along with his sister, they were my heroes in the fifties, gave me hope of what can be achieved after the world falls apart as it did for so many after World War ll.

This little sparrow still flutters around, has left the horses’ stable, made that huge swim across the Pacific Ocean and flies in an even bigger, wider pasture. As an American I will vote on Tuesday, something I have worked hard for and consider a privilege. Whoever wins this presidency will be labeled a “first” and be written into history. Personally, if I had to attach a label to myself it would be difficult. The ones I want like beautiful, incredibly talented, famous, rich etc, would be a really big stretch, so I’d have to settle for the ones most people recognize me by: Aussie, Latvian, American followed, of course, by all the above as well as fabulous woman living life to the hilt!