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.
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Just a Quick Note
Pictures don’t lie! But the Trump administration will! Ain’t no way the attendance of the the Trump inauguration comes close to the attendance of the Obama inaugeration!
Peace
brotherpeacemaker 
In a human world, where flawed people abound and wildly outnumber those (at least in the public spotlight) who operate out of common sense and compassion, the assurance of true racial equality seems a long shot. I think that forever we will find bigots somewhere, and they will especialy work their hardest to stay in the seats of power.
I think, and maybe this is my ignorance speaking but, maybe we need to look more to the “actions speak louder than words” idea. Obviously, the idea of not focusing on the racism is absurd. Ignoring something will not make it disappear. However, maybe its that less crying out about racism without action, is warranted. Yes, let it be known and publicize it in the attempts of making sure people know of its presence, and hopefully to ostracize those who condone and convey it upon society.
BUT…why not work towards making a better model of community despite what all the experts, pundits, or dominant community says or does? I hear a lot of what goes on affecting the black community from black “leaders”, bloggers, and others sensitive to the needs of the black community. I hear the cries of why these situations are bad. I hear the cries of inequality practiced. I hear the statistics thrown out there showing that the dominant community uses against blacks and other minorities, as well as teh counter statistics that show the white community is worse in these categories in sheer numbers as well as ratios, yet stil receive the passes the black community does not.
And I agree with all of them. Sound logic proves the biases and the lack of common sense used in the dominant community’s rhetoric. But eventually the mass sounding of the horn has its limits of effectiveness. The Reverend Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. made many a speech to push the country towards realizing the need for equality in civil rights, but he and his followers also took actions to back up the speeches to make sure it was nothing that could be accused of “all talk and no walk”.
Speaking (out) is great, but sooner or later the speech must be backed up, or progress will never be seen. Maybe now is the time for the black community to band together to provide for their common good. Sure you can not avoid interaction with the dominant community, but work with those who hold common sense and realize the black community is just as important as any other, if not more important in the growth of America in all facets. Work to build the communities on a local basis. Insist that if a kid is screwing up in the neighborhood that any adult is going to hold that child responsible. If a neighbor is in trouble or needs help painting a house or repairing a roof, they know that they can count on a little help from their neighbors. And their neighbors know that person will repay the efforts in kind when needed. (hell use the kids to do the work on a volunteer basis to give them a sense of pride in their community, and any work they know they have to repair is one less place they will consider vandalizing, especially if its already been their project) Quit paying so much attention to what the white community says makes a good black person, or what major media figure says, no matter how ignorant. You will always find people who will voice their opinions in reaction to any such statements, but the majority I think should be focused on bulidng each other, their schools, their businesses, and their neighborhoods to be as good or better than any other that surround them. As the problems that plague the community improve or get fixed, the more time one would have to extoll on the ignorance that cmes out of the mouths of morons, and back it up with real life examples of what the black community is doing that runs contrary to what the moron has to say in his ignorant stereotyping of the supposed inferior people of “that neighborhood” or “that race”
Maybe I’m a bit naive, ignorant, or too much of an idealist to really get what can be done in our world?
Thanks for listening,
Mike