Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Is Racism Still an Issue?
For those who might be tempted to think that racism is no longer an issue in our society, I can point to an incident that our church experienced out here in Yorkville this past weekend in which a father and son helping us with our food drive were the victims of what appeared to be racial profiling by the local police. To read a full account of the incident, check out Karen's blog or Julie's.
I also recently had a conversation with a friend who told me about a coworker who was recently complaining about Martin Luther King Jr. for "riling up all those blacks". Her response, appropriately, was simply "You did not just say that!" It's astounding to think that such blantantly racist attitudes could still exist, even up here in the North, but I guess old prejudices die hard.
I also recently had a conversation with a friend who told me about a coworker who was recently complaining about Martin Luther King Jr. for "riling up all those blacks". Her response, appropriately, was simply "You did not just say that!" It's astounding to think that such blantantly racist attitudes could still exist, even up here in the North, but I guess old prejudices die hard.
Labels: social justice
It’s obviously still there. But since it doesn’t affect me directly I have tended to ignore it – sent it to the back of my mind. Not even consciously. But I have never felt that kind of prejudice, so I don’t understand it. I guess we are all pretty blind, thinking that the civil rights movement put an end to all (theoretically anyway) the discrimination. But it’s still there, simmering under the surface, just waiting for a chance like this one to erupt again. I have heard African Americans talk about these kinds of occurrences, but most of the time I thought they were just complaining about perceived slights, they were too sensitive, or that they just didn’t have the right perspective. Apparently it was me that didn’t have a clue. I do not know what it’s like to be an African American living in white middle class America today. Nor should I presume to know. I’ve turned a blind eye because it was much easier not to see it…
Not to excuse myself, but I do see another side to this issue, one that causes me to often be cynical and less than sympathetic. And that is when some groups use the race card inappropriately. The times when in all honesty it is not a racial issue, yet these groups make it that. Force a battle.
No easy answers. I just know I was really angry and upset on Saturday...