Ignore It And It Goes Away

I was watching a CNN special where Tony Harris was talking to a bunch of kids about racial issues in America.  The kids were all young teenagers.  There were a couple of black kids (male and female), a couple of white kids (male and female), one Asian male and one Hispanic female.  I don’t remember exactly how the question was worded, but Mr. Harris basically asked the kids how they felt about racism now that President Obama has taken away all the excuses.

The black male spoke up.  The young man said that he knew that racism continues today, but we had to stop focusing on it.  I heard it before.  If black people stopped looking at racism, racism will cease to exist.

I turned the channel in disgust.  This young man spews the same “can’t we all just get along” rhetoric of Rodney King after he got his ass kicked by Stacey Koon and the rest of his badge carrying posse.  Can black people please stop all their efforts to try and restore the black community to something that might resemble parity with other communities?

The problem is not the people who continue to see black people as less than or disposable.  The problem is the black people who refuse to rollover and pretend racial disparity is not a problem for the black community.  Black people will do much better if black people worry about themselves and act in a more selfish, individualistic manner instead of the more socially responsible, black community oriented manner.

A lot of talk is given to the alleged behavior of the black community to not snitch.  Rumor has it that people in the black community refuse to cooperate with police and other authorities when crime is committed in the black community.  People in the black community don’t work as a unit to do anything to root crime out.  People say everything would be better if black people stopped looking the other way, look out for our neighbors and our neighborhood, and do our part to affect positive change.

But when black people talk about the continuing racial disparity that permeates every corner of our social structure, essentially we’re told to quit being a snitch and don’t worry about what’s happening to your neighbor.  You’ll do so much better if we ignore the racism and disparity and do our best to assimilate and stop trying to bring attention to racism.

Yes racism continues to exist.  Unarmed black men continue to be shot by police.  Black unemployment rates continue to lag behind the unemployment rates of other communities.  Black pay rates continue to lag behind.  But that’s okay.  Don’t say anything about disparity and you’ll be fine.  If black people would just learn to be a team player for the racially generic dominant community that is predominantly white and chances are good that you might be one of the lucky ones that can transcend race.

I watched that young black man promote the concept of towing the racial status quo line with disgust.  This young man and many other black people just like him will become the example of how young black people should think if they want to be successful.  Assimilation into the dominant community that tolerates racism is for you if you are willing to demonstrate your tolerance for racism.

And of course, black people who have kicked their affiliation to curb like to see young up and coming versions of themselves.  Tony Harris saw this young man and saw a kindred spirit.  Black people who have transcended race so much that they no longer believe they are black and have no compassion for the black community will advise young black people everywhere to model themselves off this man.

The dominant community will never stop doing its best to convince black people to move on and look the other way when it comes to taking a stand on race fueled injustice.  And there will always be a black person ready to selfishly help him or her self get ahead while the rest of the black community deal with their own devils of racism.  Concepts of black people standing together is just plain wrong.  The concept of all people working together to eliminate racism is not the way to do it.  We can stop racism by not looking at it.

And after all these years, decades even, of looking the other way we wonder why racism continues to flourish.  Outlawing slavery didn’t make for racial equality.  Giving black people the right to vote didn’t eliminate racial disparity.  Passing laws against racial discrimination wasn’t enough.  If only there was a way we could help assure true racial equality.  Don’t snitch about the racist just doesn’t cut it.