Being socially conscious, I am always posting about heavy topics, which are usually race related. I make these posts on my social media pages, specifically Instagram, to provide others who follow me with certain insights on specific social issues. I emphasise “me” and “my” because as of late there has been a lot of heat and tension about what I post, as if there is some unwritten rule that I am not allowed to post what I believe to be true on my own page.
I am one to openly welcome differing opinions and to have healthy discussions sharing varying viewpoints. In fact, there is actually a social concept known as ubuntu which preaches the interconnectedness in creating one’s own humanity. I believe that sharing our views with each other is absolutely essential to creating a more global society.
However, it goes without saying that there is a major difference between a sharing of opinions and attacking someone else’s views. And even more so, to be able to say one thing online but not have the courage to start a conversation with someone in person.
In the past year, I recently posted the following images:
While the first post was simply bringing to light the fact that many are uncomfortable talking about racism, some (European Americans) took that as an opportunity to tell me why racism isn’t an issue. The second post brought a lot more heat due to its graphic images and use of the American flag. While I was again posting to bring to light the fact that African Americans were still enslaved during the time of our Independence Day, some took the post as me saying that I do not “respect America,” and made many other insane accusations. However in all of this, their viewpoints weren't the issue, it was the fact that so many would say these things to such great lengths and with such great vigor with a keyboard, but couldn’t have an open conversation with me in person. I sit in class with so many of these students and yet they remain silent when it is a face-to-face interaction. In short, while there have been many who choose to hide behind a keyboard and aggressively force their viewpoints, there are few (if any) who are willing to sit down and have a face-to-face conversation.
In one of my past articles, I wrote about how Morristown High School is so diverse, and yet its hallways still divide itself by race. Rather than embracing our cultural and personal differences, we tiptoe around them as to avoid the “race” conversation. Instead, in class, African Americans are talked about as if they are not in the classroom, Trump supporters rally Trump on their cars and t-shirts, as if our school doesn’t have a large Latino population. As a result, minorities are left silent. Their voices are not heard enough in the classroom, and especially in honors and AP level classrooms (but that is for another article).
As I search for my own voice and identity, I can no longer stand going to such a racially tense school. Thus, some African American students and I founded a club, Melanin Minds, in order to positively promote African American culture as well as provide a place in which students can have an open platform to talk about race.
My call to action is for those with fast fingers, would come to our club meetings and verbalize their opinions. Not so that they can be immediately corrected or shut down, but so that we can find a communal understanding of where we are coming from, and how we can move forward together. Because at the end of the day, it is our high school. No longer should we have to tiptoe the “race conversation.” Despite all of the crazy politics and events happening outside of our school, we should be able to at the end of the day, at least agree to disagree and live in harmony.
