I would like to start this post by saying this is my opinion and my experiences and things I recognize as being hindrances. I know that I can come across a little bold and angry. Some things make me angry. I am okay with this. You may not be okay with that. I understand and hope we can love each other anyway.
Just this past school year my son's class was "informed" by a teacher that the reason black people can run so well is because they have an extra muscle in thier leg.
Does this statement bother you? If so, why? If not, why not?
The class responded to it in various ways...some kids believing it. Some kids upset she would say something so ridiculous. Some kids questioning it.
Someone actually said they didn't understand why a few of the black kids were upset that she said this. Didn't they realize it was a compliment?
Even my own son, who is black incidentally and who has never heard such absurdity from us, came home and had to ask, that's not true-is it? His gut told him no...but he figured a teacher must know. Alas...we told him he's just a good athlete because he works hard-there's no magic extra muscle that's going to kick in
We see and hear statistics. And then we accept them.
We might even begin to form opinions as a result of them. And we blindly jump on bandwagons and make assumptions and spew out all kind of divisive thoughts. Often times because we do not engage in life with people who do not look like us, we can only base our viewpoints on statistics, the news, etc. because we have no real life experience.
Here is something you may have heard:
There is a higher percentage of minorities in prison than white people.
What do we do with this?
Do we accept that as truth and then leave it as that.....so that it subconsciously peppers our thinking? Do we question why it is true? I mean...are minorities more 'prone' to committing crimes? Could there be some merit to the line of thinking that our judicial system might be biased and quality counsel not readily available to everyone? Could minorities really just be lacking some moral conduct gene that makes them want to break the law? Do we really think that minorities commit more crimes than white people? Did you know that minority youth arrested for drug possession for the first time are incarcerated at a rate that is about 50% times greater than white youth arrested for the first time? Why?
Here are things I know to be true.
Racism exists. And it should matter to all of us to reach deep into the pits of our souls to examine our biases. Because it is an ugly truth that plagues our country and if white people continue to turn a blind eye to it....nothing changes.
It's of great detriment to bridging gaps for people to say things like, 'Why do they always have to bring race into it.' um. Who is 'they'? We can recognize that white privilege runs so deep that we often don't realize it is ingrained into our thinking.
'Slavery ended a long time ago...so why can't people just get over it.' The average person does realize this. Do you know the year? Especially those that are so quick to spout off this sentiment. Do you know the year? There are arguments that based on state laws that were put in place to block the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 that it wasn't fully abolished until 1928. Also many don't think of or realize or maybe don't even know that Jim Crow laws and then segregation lasted a long long time after slavery ended. There were still lychings up to 1968. Not 1868. 1968. That is only 44 years ago. Um I'm going to be 41. This is not a long time people. Can we at least please acknowledge that? And can we acknowledge that there are many people groups who are racially discriminated against that aren't black.
Indigenous people groups. Latino people groups. Asian people groups. Middle Eastern people groups.
'People have the same opportunities and can be whatever they want' Anyone who thinks this statement is true has never set foot out of their comfort zone. Opportunity is not the same depending on the color of your skin. It should be and people of color must continue to break down walls. But opportunity is not the same.
'The color of your skin doesn't matter. We all bleed red.' Inherently we know this doesn't matter. Praise God that we are all created in His image and it doesn't matter what color you are or what your background it. But unfortunately many do not live as if this is true. The fact that you know minorities who are wealthy and educated is not proof that racism doesn't exist. And the fact that our President is black isn't proof of that either. Please believe that.
I could go on and on. I so love to think and pray and discover about people, justice, opportunity and lack of it...think and dream about what this world could be like if we just cared enough to educate ourselves on things we struggle with as much as things we enjoy.
I'm including some links to some wonderful articles/pieces that I think are of great value in reading. I pray they make you think. I know they have done that for me. Take from them what you will.
Diversity vs. White Privilege
What White People Can Do About Racism
America's Public Schools: Still Unequal and Unjust
Follow God where He leads. Just strap on the suitbelt for the ride.
Share. Give. Listen. Laugh. Pray. Grow
That's what I got today.
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