Racism, Bigotry, Gay-bashing, Sexism..........
Are we really a society of racists and bigots or are we just really stupid?
Do we never learn from our past?
I honestly just do not get "it".
When I was growing up (northern born and bred), my parents always taught me to treat EVERY human being with the same dignity and respect as they gave.
Not until I moved to the South (whilst an 8th grader), was I ever confronted with racism and bigotry. (This is not to say there are no racists or bigots up north. I had just never been confronted with it.)
While in college, (in the mid-70's) I began dating men of various ethnicities. For the most part I didn't experience any problems. However, I would, from time to time, endure the childish, uneducated slur. When my husband and I married, my family was not exactly pleased. They were very concerned for our safety and job securities. Well, being the kind of person who believes in living her life honestly, I ignored the reservations by my family and have been happily married for 14 years. We also have a BEAUTIFUL, brilliant daughter.
In the 30+ years I've been intimately acquainted with the adversities people of color must endure in this country, the place I have found to be most problematic, has been in the judicial system.
After my apartment had been broken into (in the early 80's) I was in a detective's office to identify some of the items they had recovered. In the middle of this, he excuses himself because he has to go check on the "n.....'s" washing their cars. I said, "exCUSE me????" Oh, sorry, "I have to go check on the spooks".... OMG. I couldn't believe that I was actually hearing this.
Another time I was serving on a grand jury (late 80's). A couple of officers made sure to inform us when a perpetrator was black. They never announced when someone was white. I remember saying to my fellow jurors, "it doesn't matter what color their skin is, we are to listen to the facts based on the evidence." During this same time, one of the jurors tells a very "off-color" joke.
Since when is it okay to do this? And here we are some twenty years later and no better off. I don't know all the facts in this case in Louisianna. I wasn't there. I do know that if what I've heard so far is true, that three white boys got off "scot-free" after a hate crime while six black boys got put in jail for fighting. I'm not saying there shouldn't be punishment for beating someone unconscious. But where was the justice when the white boys hung nooses in a tree? They were clearly trying to intimidate the black students. That is considered a hate crime. Where is the justice?
Have you ever been on the other side of a hate crime? I have. It doesn't feel good at all. It doesn't make sense. Bullying, of any kind, is not right. If we don't stand up and start standing together to care for our brothers and sisters, then how could we expect anyone to stand up for us? How can we look ourselves in the mirror? How can we sleep at night? How can we call ourselves Christians (or whatever religious ilk)?
Are we really a society of racists and bigots or are we just really stupid?
Do we never learn from our past?
I honestly just do not get "it".
When I was growing up (northern born and bred), my parents always taught me to treat EVERY human being with the same dignity and respect as they gave.
Not until I moved to the South (whilst an 8th grader), was I ever confronted with racism and bigotry. (This is not to say there are no racists or bigots up north. I had just never been confronted with it.)
While in college, (in the mid-70's) I began dating men of various ethnicities. For the most part I didn't experience any problems. However, I would, from time to time, endure the childish, uneducated slur. When my husband and I married, my family was not exactly pleased. They were very concerned for our safety and job securities. Well, being the kind of person who believes in living her life honestly, I ignored the reservations by my family and have been happily married for 14 years. We also have a BEAUTIFUL, brilliant daughter.
In the 30+ years I've been intimately acquainted with the adversities people of color must endure in this country, the place I have found to be most problematic, has been in the judicial system.
After my apartment had been broken into (in the early 80's) I was in a detective's office to identify some of the items they had recovered. In the middle of this, he excuses himself because he has to go check on the "n.....'s" washing their cars. I said, "exCUSE me????" Oh, sorry, "I have to go check on the spooks".... OMG. I couldn't believe that I was actually hearing this.
Another time I was serving on a grand jury (late 80's). A couple of officers made sure to inform us when a perpetrator was black. They never announced when someone was white. I remember saying to my fellow jurors, "it doesn't matter what color their skin is, we are to listen to the facts based on the evidence." During this same time, one of the jurors tells a very "off-color" joke.
Since when is it okay to do this? And here we are some twenty years later and no better off. I don't know all the facts in this case in Louisianna. I wasn't there. I do know that if what I've heard so far is true, that three white boys got off "scot-free" after a hate crime while six black boys got put in jail for fighting. I'm not saying there shouldn't be punishment for beating someone unconscious. But where was the justice when the white boys hung nooses in a tree? They were clearly trying to intimidate the black students. That is considered a hate crime. Where is the justice?
Have you ever been on the other side of a hate crime? I have. It doesn't feel good at all. It doesn't make sense. Bullying, of any kind, is not right. If we don't stand up and start standing together to care for our brothers and sisters, then how could we expect anyone to stand up for us? How can we look ourselves in the mirror? How can we sleep at night? How can we call ourselves Christians (or whatever religious ilk)?
3 comments:
Kim,
Maybe it's just old age and bitterness catching up with me. But I am beginning to think that we have not only failed to learn from the past -- but we are getting worse.
Here in St. Louis, a couple (Doctors, at a local hospital) left their baby in a car during the heat. The poor tot expired.
This was several weeks ago, and yet still there is "debate" as to bringing charges of negligence, etc. against the couple.
Previously, a driver failed to fully inspect a schoolbus after parking it at the lot. A child was inside, but was found before any damage was done. Charges have been filed against the driver.
Is it just coincidence that the Doctors are white and the bus driver black?
Maybe we HAVE learned from the past. Maybe we just do not give a damn anymore, I don't know. That such should occur in these times is absolutely unreal.
John
While I only see the news reports of Jena, I have to wonder, that even IF there is no crime with which to charge the white students who hung the nooses, WHY weren't they expelled?
And while the black students involved in the fight should be disciplined, the situation now is disproportionate to their crime, IMO. Amazing.
We have learned nothing. Nothing. It makes me ill.
Our church is having an "anti-racicm" program in October for the leadership. As Fr. Jim said today, it's much more than "anti-racism" -- we must address those who we see as "different" no matter what that might entail.
Oh, Janis. I wish we would do something like that. We have people in our pews and town who dislike others because they are poor, or rich, or fat, or too tall, or black, or homosexual, or too smart, or too dumb........
Only problem?? The folks who really need to hear the message wouldn't come. It's so sad.
Good luck with your program.
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