Unfortunately, I have to agree with you. I live in Florida and people here still refer to one of my closest friends as, "Oh, your black friend Sharon?" when I talk about something we did or are going to do.
Now, Sharon is the person I spend the most time with and we have been friends for about five years. I have no other friends named Sharon, so what purpose does it serve to label her as my black friend?
Obama's election didn't magically erase racism, but hopefully it opens up the line of communication on a new level. I do believe that one day racism will, for the most part, not be the topic of discussion that it now is.
My 18-year-old granddaughter's best friend is black and they've been inseparable for as long as I can remember. For them race, religion, and sexual-orientation has never been an issue. Maybe it will be their generation that finally gets it right!
Rhonda, although most folks know better than to make outright racist remarks in my presence, Grandpère reports back to me about some of what he hears, and it's not pretty. Racism is alive and kicking.
Shortly after election night, when so many were crowing that racism was over, James and I both were responding sarcastically, "Oh, that was easy! Why didn't we do that years ago!"
Living in Georgia, you don't even have to look to an example like Tanner; indeed, coming from the Deep South of the Republican Party, he may have truly understood himself to be making a sensitive remark about how tough minorities have it!
Yes. It is that bad.
I hear, quite openly from guests checking in and out, from my co-workers how bad it's going to be under a black man. I'm white, so I'm "safe" to say these things to. The majority of the "gay community" here votes Republican to keep their money away from Welfare - a common code-word for black.
And it cuts both ways. I've been called "cracker" and "redneck" on the basis of no more than my skin. I don't have any close black friends and have been told by those who are friendly acquaintances that they don't like to spend much time around whites.
Göran and IT, yes. And it is complex. White folks should keep in mind that Obama is half white, although to some, that's worse than being seemingly all black.
Racism is alive and well. I think that we often don't hear it. People know better than to try that with people like us. But, it's there. I don't know when we'll be able to say that racism is a thing of the past but it's going to be awhile. Not my generaton that's for sure.
I noticed when my daughter was little, when she described a classmate, skin color never entered the picture. She still is fairly color-blind, but not perfect. It will take a few generations. We've come a long way from my grandparents to my daughter but we have a ways to go. Racism will be dead when no one asks the question "is racism dead?".
Sadly, not a surprise here in Georgia. Or anywhere else, really. I had a conversation just the other day with a co-worker who was making all sorts of thinly-veiled racist statements about Katrina evacuees. What is good about these conversations, for me, is that I get to challenge people's racist assumptions by providing evidence to the contrary. Sometimes, stuff like this can bring us into deeper relationship and conversation, and hopefully, slowly and perhaps subtly, open minds and hearts.
I just saw this story earlier today. What's amazing is that now revelations like this barely register.
ReplyDeleteBubs, yes. It is amazing. I don't get it.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I have to agree with you. I live in Florida and people here still refer to one of my closest friends as, "Oh, your black friend Sharon?" when I talk about something we did or are going to do.
ReplyDeleteNow, Sharon is the person I spend the most time with and we have been friends for about five years. I have no other friends named Sharon, so what purpose does it serve to label her as my black friend?
Obama's election didn't magically erase racism, but hopefully it opens up the line of communication on a new level. I do believe that one day racism will, for the most part, not be the topic of discussion that it now is.
My 18-year-old granddaughter's best friend is black and they've been inseparable for as long as I can remember. For them race, religion, and sexual-orientation has never been an issue. Maybe it will be their generation that finally gets it right!
Rhonda, although most folks know better than to make outright racist remarks in my presence, Grandpère reports back to me about some of what he hears, and it's not pretty. Racism is alive and kicking.
ReplyDeleteShortly after election night, when so many were crowing that racism was over, James and I both were responding sarcastically, "Oh, that was easy! Why didn't we do that years ago!"
ReplyDeleteLiving in Georgia, you don't even have to look to an example like Tanner; indeed, coming from the Deep South of the Republican Party, he may have truly understood himself to be making a sensitive remark about how tough minorities have it!
Yes. It is that bad.
I hear, quite openly from guests checking in and out, from my co-workers how bad it's going to be under a black man. I'm white, so I'm "safe" to say these things to. The majority of the "gay community" here votes Republican to keep their money away from Welfare - a common code-word for black.
And it cuts both ways. I've been called "cracker" and "redneck" on the basis of no more than my skin. I don't have any close black friends and have been told by those who are friendly acquaintances that they don't like to spend much time around whites.
Racism isn't dead, just more complex.
It will take a while yet, I gather.
ReplyDeleteOh this is so depressing.
ReplyDeleteIT
Göran and IT, yes. And it is complex. White folks should keep in mind that Obama is half white, although to some, that's worse than being seemingly all black.
ReplyDeleteRacism is alive and well. I think that we often don't hear it. People know better than to try that with people like us. But, it's there. I don't know when we'll be able to say that racism is a thing of the past but it's going to be awhile. Not my generaton that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteWhat Lindy said.
ReplyDeleteI noticed when my daughter was little, when she described a classmate, skin color never entered the picture. She still is fairly color-blind, but not perfect. It will take a few generations. We've come a long way from my grandparents to my daughter but we have a ways to go. Racism will be dead when no one asks the question "is racism dead?".
My grandchildren's generation is much more color bind than mine. I have hope.
ReplyDeleteSadly, not a surprise here in Georgia. Or anywhere else, really. I had a conversation just the other day with a co-worker who was making all sorts of thinly-veiled racist statements about Katrina evacuees. What is good about these conversations, for me, is that I get to challenge people's racist assumptions by providing evidence to the contrary. Sometimes, stuff like this can bring us into deeper relationship and conversation, and hopefully, slowly and perhaps subtly, open minds and hearts.
ReplyDelete