In dealing with "the race issue" many Americans respond with, well, no real response to the existence of racism within our country. How many times have we heard the "I don't see color" or the commonly used " well, I'm not a racist"?
The problem with these responses is that they are dismissing the pressing matter of racism and its effect on other Americans, particularly Black Americans, whether intentional or not. We think because we don't go around saying the N-word we aren't contributing to racism but in reality, the dismissal of the ongoing oppression of our fellow Americans is a large contribution to the continuation of racism.
What we must do, instead, is start by asking questions. For example, there are more African Americans living in low-income and high-crime areas, but why?
Because African Americans were red-lined into segregated areas for decades and unable to receive the same mortgage opportunities as white people which further contributed to the racial wealth gap. We still face these problems today but many of us have no idea why because...well, we never think to ask.
The men and women who do think to ask, however, are full of questions for a nation that for them is not, and never has been, "indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Below are some valid responses to how we handle and view racism.
1. Do all lives really matter?
Yes, they do. And right now we should focus on the ones that seem to endure the most injustice, right?
2. Black is not a valued skin tone or color, so we are taught.
Angel food cake is what color? What color is Devil's food cake? Black cats are associated with bad omens, the bad guys in children's stories are usually of dark color ( think of Lion King, Tarzan, Sleeping Beauty, The Wizard Of Oz) and the color white is considered pure while black is considered evil. Many Black celebrities are light-skinned, most movies star white actors, most commercials, and ads are white based...so why are we surprised when people of color are treated as less when we have been practicing colorism since our youth? And what's even worse is that we are unconscious of what we have been programmed to think.
3. Pro-Black is NOT Anti-White.
Perhaps Americans are afraid that the Pro-Black movement will behave like previous Pro-White movements- with violence and Anti- every other color of skin. But that is simply not true. For centuries Black people have been fighting for the same rights as white people, yet Pro-White organizations take the lead in violence and destruction, while many Pro-Black organizations practiced peaceful protesting and used significantly less violent methods throughout history. Black men and women have faced slavery, torture, discrimination, manipulation by the government and ongoing oppression, so naturally, they feel as if they have to rally together to create change. This shouldn't be seen as a threat but instead, as an opportunity.
4. Why is every other movement receiving positive attention except for ours?
Blue Lives Matter is heavily supported, along with All Lives Matter. But what is the reasoning? Perhaps the media is responsible for only broadcasting negative news related to the BLM movement?
When did revealing tolerated injustice result in being accused of creating injustice? No matter what avenue Pro-Black organizations take, it seems they are always undermined and accused of creating "anti" opinions of pretty much everything that isn't black, which results in a lack of support for creating equality. It's a cycle they have endured for many decades and continue to endure today. Why is there such a lack of support for their efforts towards equality? And why are we so quick to manipulate these movements into a negative message when the intention of these movements are to create a positive outcome for people of all color?
5. We have every right to fear the police.
Of course, when there are Black children getting shot, unarmed Black men and women getting both beaten and shot and police brutality and mistreatment within the Black community has been present since, well, slavery ended. Black men and women are immediately recognized as a threat and not just among the police force. They are watched more in both grocery and department stores, undergo more intensive background checks, are stereotyped more often and as a result, they are treated with harsher reactions from not just officers, but the public as well.
There is no doubt that doing the work of a police officer is dangerous and even life-threatening, but last time I checked resisting arrest did not justify immediate death and feeling as if someone may be a threat does not justify extensive beatings. Civilians who are accused of something they are not guilty of get nervous too, however, their reactions are hardly excusable if they are less than the desired reaction of the officer on the call.
Black people have many responses to racism but hardly any of them are heard. To me, this makes little sense for a few reasons. For one, Black communities have dealt with oppression for years and understand it better than the rest of the country ever will. Secondly, they have the most knowledge of racism in our country because they are continuously trying to prove it's a problem to a world that will not listen, meaning they must have 100 percent accurate research. Furthermore, history literally has documented hundreds of years of racism. You can still find racism documented even within the last few years, and not just racism within social communities but within corporate businesses and government organizations. Lastly, Black communities have fought for so long to end inequality, and why would people fight so long for something that isn't truly a problem?
Let's open our minds to the realization of inequality and our power to stop it.