The Dialogue Between Blacks and Whites

Some people think that black and white people need to enter a dialogue regarding the relations between the two. I’m sure people believe this is a wonderful idea that would lead to better understanding between the two races. That is a noble sentiment. But what else can be said by black people to whites and vice versa that hasn’t been said or heard by the two races for the past two hundred years.The very moment the children of Africa set foot on the continent of North America they were considered the lesser of white people. The enslavement of black people allowed white people to consider Africans slightly more intelligent beast of burden. Christians would argue that black people had no soul so they deserved to serve whites. Or Christians would claim that Africans were the descendants of Able who killed his brother Cain in the story from the book of Genesis in the bible.

After slavery white people were free to mistreat black people in ways that today would have the organization People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals (PETA) all up in their ass if they were caught treating a dog that way. Black people had to fight for the right to sit where they wanted on a bus. Black people had to fight for the right to drink from any water fountain. Black people had to fight for the right to use any restroom. Black people had to fight for the right to vote. Black people had to fight for the same rights white people enjoy. Black people had to fight for educational opportunities. Black people had to fight for job opportunities.

One should take note that black people had to fight white people for each and every step of progress made in our long and arduous transition from slavery to equality. The majority of white people resisted each one of these steps. White people never said black people should share everything we have. White people saw black freedom fighters as trouble makers attacking their lifestyle. With each and every fight that gave black people a little more of their humanity back there were plenty of white people who felt like their way of life was in jeopardy. White people felt, feel, and will always feel that black people do not deserve to share in the same opportunities that white people take for granted.

Like a number of animals the human is social. Most people need to belong to some organization or group consisting of other people. As a member of the group the human is prone to protect their group from attack by members of other groups. Black people and white people come from two very distinct and different groups. With white people’s perception that their way of life is under attack and the fact that the people from a different clan, the black people, are taking away too much of their privilege it isn’t too farfetched to see that white people would resist and even counter black people’s endeavor for equality with their own endeavor to preserve inequality. The two struggles of black and white people are contradictory.

America has always been perceived as society dominated by white people. The vast majority of leading American governmental, educational, corporate, and religious institutions are controlled by white people or minorities that have accepted white culture, values, and principles as if it was their very own. These assimilated agents of white people, often referred to as toms, feel that they are valued participants of the white clan and its culture. However, let a critical or emergency situation develop with enough pressure and the tom will find themselves rejected by their adopted culture. OJ Simpson and Kobe Bryant are just a couple examples of this phenomenon.

White people want to maintain their advantage inside the culture they dominate. Black people want true equality inside the culture white dominate. This has been a centuries long struggle. But now, after years of struggle, black and white people are ready to come together in a dialogue to put aside their differences in favor of a common goal. Yes this is a wonderful idea and a lovely thought. But it will not happen. The single minded goal of black people, minus the assimilated agents of white culture, runs true opposite of the goal of white people to maintain their advantage for their race.

What new thing can white people say to make blacks give up their struggling for equality in America? What new thing can black people say to make white people truly want to see black people as equals and truly respect our African culture? A good guess for both questions would be a resounding nothing. Our struggle for equality will continue. Their struggle for dominance will continue. Come together in a dialogue? Don’t waste our or your time.