Racism, a School Assignment

My only excuse for not posting in a few days is four summer school classes taking up an inordinate amount of time. It’s been interesting though to note that two of my classes are dealing with racism at the same time. I don’t believe in coincidence as a rule, so this kind of thing makes me think that there’s something I need to stop and consider, so please excuse the divergent path from the ordinary theme of this blog.

First of all, despite growing up in a very “WASPish” town, I don’t consider myself as overtly racist. Before moving to “WASPville”, I had the benefit of attending a private school in my early years that consisted of 70% Black, 25% Latino, 3% White and 2% Asian; this is not an official stat, just an approximation from looking over my class photos, of course. The funny thing is, the reason my parents sent me and my sister to this school was for us to not be mixed with any minorities. Apparently, mom and dad didn’t bother to actually see who actually attended. So, for first though fourth grades, I had a rainbow of friends I played with and learned about. These very formative years taught me that skin color has little to do with the person within.

This leads me to these assignments about Racism. I’m an older, white woman sitting in classrooms of mostly 18-20somethings who are ethnically very similar to my early private school. Once again, I’m the ethnic minority in the classroom. The difference this time is the years I have over these folks. For instance, I remember when Martin Luther King was assassinated, they only know of it in sound bites.

One of my classes is discussing the “falsification” of history and culture of people groups and it seems that this learning in sound bites is part of the problem. We as students learn what we need to know to pass the class and go on to the next one. We rarely stop to consider beyond what we are studying for the test. This is unfortunate because educational systems, family members and the media can’t fill in the blanks of our heritage. And if we don’t know our own heritage, how can we inform others and dispel fears they may have of us or those like us. On the other hand, is this really a problem? Some of my younger classmates don’t think so, they don’t seem to mind the chasms formed between each other with a “if they don’t mind, I don’t” attitude. I, for one, do mind. Maybe it’s because I’m older and have some experience under my belt, but I care that people have to worry about personal safety in certain areas of the city, worry that their children are in the right or the wrong school, or worry that their skin color will keep them from employment. The terrible fact is that, here, in 2009, racism still exists.

Not too long ago, I went to a local donut shop for a large order for my office and chatted with one of the clerks while I waited. I heard a man walk into the shop, but I didn’t look up at him, I just stepped aside so he could see the display while I continued my conversation. A lady then walked in. She instantly huddled up behind me which made me look at her. She was a middle-aged white woman staring in apparent horror at the man who had previously entered. He was a nice looking black man who seemed to me to be perfectly respectable in every way. I must have had a funny look on my face when I looked at the woman behind me because he started to chat with me in a “Hello, how are you” sort of way, which I responded in kind. He then got a twinkle in his eye and took a step toward the trembling woman cowering behind me. I thought she was going to faint; her face turned white and she bolted out the door. After her hasty exit, the man and I started laughing at the absurdity of the situation.

After the man left I thought how bad it was that people still have to deal with prejudice. I then thought about my own actions at the counter. When I stepped aside, my intention was only courtesy so he could view the display. But someone who has to deal with racial bias every day probably, at least initially, put me in the same box as that silly woman who came into the shop in terror. I resolved to not let that happen again. When in similar situations, I now verbalize what I’m doing, “Good Morning, I guess you’d like to see the display” and then step aside. I certainly don’t want to contribute to the spiritual pollution that feeds from racism and bigotry.

This week is the 40^th anniversary of Man’s landing on the Moon. It was a great achievement indeed, but wouldn’t it be an even greater achievement if we could learn to celebrate difference instead of fear it, to take every opportunity to learn about each other and to dispel racial stereotypes. Now is still the time to replace them with Martin Luther King’s ideals in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech:

“Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.”

Next month on August 28, will be the 46^th anniversary of Rev. King’s impassioned speech. Now is still the time.