Earlier today I spent a few minutes reading several responses to an the question "Is racism better kept in, or let out of the closet." The first response I read was from a black man and he said this:
"During my parents' and grand parents' age, racism was easy to see and fight. "Colored only," "The KKK will kill you." Now racism has all the tech to hide in plain sight. "He speaks so well!" No people of color on "Friends." I don't want a cross burning on my lawn, but it was easier to see the hate coming when it was wearing a white sheet."
My initial, immediate reaction to this was slight annoyance that the cast of Friends was used as an example of racism. I don't know the exact percentages, but the majority of this country is white, so it's not all that surprising that a for-profit entertainment venture would play out in accordance to the demographics. Besides, aren't there sitcoms with an all black cast? Like I said, that was my initial reaction.
But, I had to pause. Recently my awareness of racism and its continued effects in the U.S. has been raised significantly by reading the blogs of black men and women who live every day in these United States, and without fail I find that these men and women write about racism they encounter with alarming regularity. Is my annoyance just another example of an unexamined thought process of mine?
And now, my initial reaction to my initial reaction (ya like that?) is that it feels a lot like the old reflexive, defensive rationalization of possible racism exhibited by someone white, that I had (and was largely unaware of) before my recent "awakening." (That sounds fairly pretentious, speaking of "my awakening" but a better word didn't come to mind) In other words, am I just sweeping an inconvienient truth under the rug, so that I can be more psychically comfortable?
To answer that, let me not answer it (at least right away). On the recommendation of someone more knowledgable than me in regards to race relations in the U.S., I am reading "The Content of our Character" by Shelby Steele. I've only read about 80 pages so far, but he delves into some pretty deep stuff quickly. He contends that the oppression of blacks in this country which officially (but not entirely in reality) ended with the Civil Rights Act, created (along with certain social programs which followed) a victim mentality within the black community which has given it a source of social and political power. He does not (nor do I, nor would any sane person) deny that black people have been the victims of white racism with tragic results. But, he contends that the black community as a whole has traded upon this legitimate victim-hood for their social, economic, and political advancement. He believes that this was effective up through the Civil Rights movement, but that today (well actually he wrote the book in 1990 I believe) it has actually become a hindrence of the realization of equality for blacks because it too easily allows individual black men and women to slip out from under the scary and heavy load of personal responsibility and transfer it to "the system." Now this is my feable attempt to summarize his excellent writing with my own poorly worded condensation, but I believe I've salvaged his basic meaning. I've just read all of this tonight so I need more time to digest it, but I believe it is relevent to what I've written above.
It seems to me that calling Friends an example of racism because of its white cast is an example of looking for a chance to remain a victim (even though perhaps, in an inconsequential way). Why go to all this trouble to say that? Why ramble on and on about what some other guy says in his book I haven't even finished (or thought enough about to comment on with strong conviction!) if all I can conjur up after all that is a one sentence declaration? Well, here's why.
Because the one thing that gives me hope is what happened to me upon reading Field Negro's blog (see link to the right) and other blogs I linked to from his page. What happened? I began to see that I personally had some responsibility in the matter of race relations and inequalities here in the U.S. and I began to seek out ways in which I can fulfill those responsibilities. I had to come to a point where I, first and formost, saw where I fell short, rather than seeing only where the system or those within it were falling short. If we all did that, and I mean if we all did that, well... I think things would change faster than any of us believe possible. And isn't that better than getting a Token placed into a mediocre sitcom?
Thursday, August 9, 2007
A letter to my contemporaries
Slavery ended in the late 1800’s The civil rights movement occurred in the 50’s and 60’s. If you were born in 1972 you’d be 35 now.
If you’re a black man born in ‘72, you’re 35, and you’re living in a system in which someone just 10-15 years your senior was raised and molded in a pre-civil rights era. Meaning, that a black man (or Lord have mercy - literally, have mercy - a black woman) just entering the prime of his life and career is navigating a system largely formed by the ideas and prejudices (which, by the way, we all have to some extent as a result of being human beings) of people (most often white men) who’s conception right and wrong is colored (pun intended) sometimes very subtly and unconsciously, and often overtly and deliberately, with racist ideology. God help us. God help me!
How can we, white, proud (arrogant?!) America expect of a people not more than 2 life spans removed from SLAVERY, and only two generations removed from out-right and government sanctioned racism to “rise above” (the effects of a system designed to cripple you), and to “take personal responsibility” (for that which you are not responsible)? I’ll tell you how we can. We can because it’s comfortable (if you haven’t a heart), it’s easy (to buy the lie), and it’s ok (’cause anyone can make it in America today!) The playing field is level right?
Not quite and even if it is (ha!) there are yet many ill-equipped to take the field. And ill-equipped to our shame. Thus the privileged go on being privileged, go on encouraging a system that neglects those it purports to help, all the while turning a blind eye to those they throw under the bus. Forget moving to the back of the bus! Throw em under it! So much more can be said about this!
This is a matter of race for two reasons (at least). One: It seems to me to be objectively obvious that slavery in the U.S. was a racist practice. And it seems equally obvious that the problems and difficulties suffered by the black community today can be, in large part, ultimately traced back to slavery (and the underlying racism). I believe that racism still plays a major role in our American Dream (Nightmare?) Two, even if you reject that line of reasoning, it is indisputable that blacks in the U.S. today face issues which track neatly (too neatly to not be suspicious) along lines of race. Why are so many more young black men in prison than young white men? Why is the poverty rate among blacks significantly higher than among whites? Are black people just more likely to fail at living the American Dream? If so, why? Is it in their DNA? Or do we need to dream a different American Dream? For more evidence that this can be traced back to slavery, ask yourself why Asians in America generally are much more affluent than blacks? Think about it. Racism isn’t always white vs. black, or vice versa. But sometimes it is just that.
Reparations… What an idea and what a polarizing word! So, for a moment, let’s do away with it. And in its place let’s speak of personal responsibility. Yeah that one thing most of those blacks just don’t seem to get! (sarcasm) Let’s appeal to our individual American personal responsibility and thus our collective American responsibility to the oft lauded ideals of our founding fathers, namely that business about “freedom and justice for all” and “all men are created equal.”
(By the way, do any of us feel a responsibility to ideals anymore? Maybe appealing to them is a waste of time.)
Anyway, back to equality. It seems that the only time the privileged are worried about equality is when it’s them getting the short end of the stick, which is almost never. But, why is the incarceration rate among young black men so high in these United States? (And why don’t we care?) And why in 2007, do we live in a land so full of opportunity, and yet so heart-breakingly failing so many of our American brothers and sisters? (And why don’t we give a care?)
And forget about “white guilt.” Too corporate for me. Forget about the sins of our fathers. (Though millions of people will never be able to.) What about my (white) guilt? And what about yours? Are we not at the very least guilty of not being who we say we are and who we wish to be (i.e. Americans and all that that supposedly means), so long as we do not care for our own? We started as a nation of rebels against oppression. We started with liberty on our lips. We started as hypocrites. We wander in that wilderness yet! God forbid my generation end up like Moses, seeing the Promised Land but not able to enter in because of unbelief. Unbelief in our own people, and our responsibility towards each other.
So, yeah I too have a dream. Mine is that we all will wake up. That my contemporaries will wake up, will get off the road of good intentions, and will fight injustice where we see it. I’m new to these thoughts and feelings. Thank you to Field Negro for being largely responsible (through his blog) in waking me up. Thank you to all the other writers out there that I was fortunately enough to read.
I always thought I was reasonable and guiltless. I wasn’t. This stuff matters. To quote Dr. Martin Luther King "Silence is betrayal." I cannot be silent any longer.
If you’re a black man born in ‘72, you’re 35, and you’re living in a system in which someone just 10-15 years your senior was raised and molded in a pre-civil rights era. Meaning, that a black man (or Lord have mercy - literally, have mercy - a black woman) just entering the prime of his life and career is navigating a system largely formed by the ideas and prejudices (which, by the way, we all have to some extent as a result of being human beings) of people (most often white men) who’s conception right and wrong is colored (pun intended) sometimes very subtly and unconsciously, and often overtly and deliberately, with racist ideology. God help us. God help me!
How can we, white, proud (arrogant?!) America expect of a people not more than 2 life spans removed from SLAVERY, and only two generations removed from out-right and government sanctioned racism to “rise above” (the effects of a system designed to cripple you), and to “take personal responsibility” (for that which you are not responsible)? I’ll tell you how we can. We can because it’s comfortable (if you haven’t a heart), it’s easy (to buy the lie), and it’s ok (’cause anyone can make it in America today!) The playing field is level right?
Not quite and even if it is (ha!) there are yet many ill-equipped to take the field. And ill-equipped to our shame. Thus the privileged go on being privileged, go on encouraging a system that neglects those it purports to help, all the while turning a blind eye to those they throw under the bus. Forget moving to the back of the bus! Throw em under it! So much more can be said about this!
This is a matter of race for two reasons (at least). One: It seems to me to be objectively obvious that slavery in the U.S. was a racist practice. And it seems equally obvious that the problems and difficulties suffered by the black community today can be, in large part, ultimately traced back to slavery (and the underlying racism). I believe that racism still plays a major role in our American Dream (Nightmare?) Two, even if you reject that line of reasoning, it is indisputable that blacks in the U.S. today face issues which track neatly (too neatly to not be suspicious) along lines of race. Why are so many more young black men in prison than young white men? Why is the poverty rate among blacks significantly higher than among whites? Are black people just more likely to fail at living the American Dream? If so, why? Is it in their DNA? Or do we need to dream a different American Dream? For more evidence that this can be traced back to slavery, ask yourself why Asians in America generally are much more affluent than blacks? Think about it. Racism isn’t always white vs. black, or vice versa. But sometimes it is just that.
Reparations… What an idea and what a polarizing word! So, for a moment, let’s do away with it. And in its place let’s speak of personal responsibility. Yeah that one thing most of those blacks just don’t seem to get! (sarcasm) Let’s appeal to our individual American personal responsibility and thus our collective American responsibility to the oft lauded ideals of our founding fathers, namely that business about “freedom and justice for all” and “all men are created equal.”
(By the way, do any of us feel a responsibility to ideals anymore? Maybe appealing to them is a waste of time.)
Anyway, back to equality. It seems that the only time the privileged are worried about equality is when it’s them getting the short end of the stick, which is almost never. But, why is the incarceration rate among young black men so high in these United States? (And why don’t we care?) And why in 2007, do we live in a land so full of opportunity, and yet so heart-breakingly failing so many of our American brothers and sisters? (And why don’t we give a care?)
And forget about “white guilt.” Too corporate for me. Forget about the sins of our fathers. (Though millions of people will never be able to.) What about my (white) guilt? And what about yours? Are we not at the very least guilty of not being who we say we are and who we wish to be (i.e. Americans and all that that supposedly means), so long as we do not care for our own? We started as a nation of rebels against oppression. We started with liberty on our lips. We started as hypocrites. We wander in that wilderness yet! God forbid my generation end up like Moses, seeing the Promised Land but not able to enter in because of unbelief. Unbelief in our own people, and our responsibility towards each other.
So, yeah I too have a dream. Mine is that we all will wake up. That my contemporaries will wake up, will get off the road of good intentions, and will fight injustice where we see it. I’m new to these thoughts and feelings. Thank you to Field Negro for being largely responsible (through his blog) in waking me up. Thank you to all the other writers out there that I was fortunately enough to read.
I always thought I was reasonable and guiltless. I wasn’t. This stuff matters. To quote Dr. Martin Luther King "Silence is betrayal." I cannot be silent any longer.
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