Racism in 2005?
New Orleans has brought up many feelings for me. I am mortified by the tiny faces of hungary children; the stories of harsh shelter conditions; comments from Barbara Bush; stories that the new Texas shelter is more of a prison.... and so on.
I wanted to share some of my childhood musings on racism.
First, I believe that when society has a social problem, they often try to correct it by placing that burden on the next generation. The civil rights movement of the 1960's pulled our country into a place where we decided as a nation we were going to be EQUAL. They integrated the schools. Not the work place, not the churches, not the grocery stores or neigborhoods- let the children grow up together and solve our problem.
The real problem with this is that children have parents who influence them, but that is another post.
I was born in 1967, and was a child that grew up in an "integrated" system. Our city is pretty mixed as far as culture goes. I believe that most of us grew up with a new mind but there were some bumps on the way.
In kindergarten, my best friend's name was Kim. (hey Kim, if you're out there, give me a holler). Kim had the most beautiful braids with pretty beads. I wanted my hair to look like Kim's.
One day after school we went to her home. Her brother came downstairs with a nylon on his head. I was very confused.
I asked, "why you got your momma's nylon on your head?" He laughed, touched my head gently and said, "I am keeping the nappies out". What the heck are nappies? I thought.
One of Kim's beads had fallen out, her brother said, "Kim, get over here and let me fix those nigger braids of yours". His hand moved so quickly and the beads were all back into place.
I went home that day and asked my mother, "momma, can you put nigger braids in my hair?"
My mother's face was one of shock! I was in BIG trouble and I didn't know why. Was I spanked? I don't remember. I remember the corner, I remember the lecture about never using that word again. I remember hearing about relatives that fought for the freedom of black americans and to be proud of those relatives who died in the war. I remember being told to have respect and on and on and on....... hmm. I just wanted some pretty nigger braids, I don't know nothing about no war. I knew enough to keep my mouth shut because, I was in trouble!
Fast forward to my senior year in high school. Shortly after, I was working at KinderCare. I had the "afterschool kids". One of the kindergarteners got into a fight with a black boy. She used the "N" word. I was shocked! I was mortified! and I did what we NEVER want to do but we do anyway, I became my mother! The girl got the whole civil war, treat each other right, don't use the N word EVER lecture. Can I blame it on my age?
Both those parents held a meeting with me, together! They were mortified that I introduced a racial history to kindergartners that they didn't have! These two kids grew up together, the parent's felt like the girl probably heard someone in the boy's home use the N word when they were mad. I WAS IN TROUBLE AGAIN. That darn N word!
and here we are in 2005 debating about whether the delay in getting aid to New Orleans was racially motivated.
hmmmm THAT'S AN EASY ONE; YES, YES, YES, YES and YES.
While it is true (ok brotha buck, I'll give you some credit here) that Bush did not cause the hurricane, it has got to be true that his government failed the black and poor people of New Orleans.
Do you think that if a hurricane hit Cape Cod and the islands- you know somewhere near Hyannis and the KENNEDY COMPOUND- that there would have been a delay????
C'mon now, don't be so blind to our country's faults and say YES.
Because if it wasn't racism or classism than it is EVEN MORE TERRIFYING; it means that our country is no longer an effective super power and they are not telling us! Everyone better stock water, canned food and guns because our enemies will be coming!
Seriously, don't bother to store up anything- Racism is still alive and well and having a few good black folk high in politics isn't indicative that we are living Martin Luther King's dream.
Sorry if I offended ya'll, but sometimes the truth has got to be said plain and simple.
-jane
posted by Tera Rose | 6:10 AM
2 Comments:
For me, the word racism has been overused. This is not to say that it does not exist.
It is always interesting to hear white people expose the problems of white racism, and ethnic minorities decrying self created problems in their communities. They have more credibility when they take their own people to task. My ears perk up.
But for the most part, you hear the likes of Jesse Jackson saying the same repetitive and predictable gibberish for the 100,000th time on any given day, and whites eagerly denying that racism ever exisits. Yawn, yawn, yawn.
Such is the case with racially divisive issues. Take affirmative action as an example. I will only listen if a white person argues for it (not white politicians seeking to reap the black vote) and a minority from a disadvataged group arguing against it. Others who predictably falling along racial lines....... Good bye...shut up....You bore me to tears.
Anyway, good post.
Cute post -- The word "nigger" goes waaaaayy back. I can remember standing in my front yard and yelling across the street at our white neighbors after they had just called us "niggers."
Who are the real "niggers" here?
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