Racism Will Remain, Until Attitudes are Changed

In today's world the debate of racism seems to secretly permeate almost all aspects of American life. Today, more than any other time in recent history the American public tends to be split down racial lines on most current issues that deal in some way with liberty and equality. I ask myself, why is this? Why is it that the NAACP can't support or choose not to support an issue without some whites taking issue with it. Here in Florida there has been an ongoing fight for justice in the Martin Lee Anderson case (see previous blog). I have been monitoring blog sites and news websites reading various comments to see what the masses feel about the case. Almost all comments from people identifying themselves as white people, felt that there was too big a deal made of the case, they felt that the family was ultimately responsible for "giving up on him" and putting him in a boot camp. The majority of people identifying themselves as black people, detested the decision of the jury to acquit the guards, and cited the all-white jury in a small southern town as the reason for the not-guilty verdict. Thinking this occurrence may have just been an anomaly, I searched other stories on other sites in other parts of the country and found this phenomenon was not a phenomenon at all, it was a regular occurrence. There was a racial split in the worlds of news and even sports. From Mike Vick to Barry Bonds to the Genarlow Wilson case to the Jena Six, even Paris Hilton, and Anna Nicole Smith. It seems that our sympathy revolves somewhat around how well we relate to the accused or deceased and a lot of the time race is the only relation.

Seeing these differences in opinion made me think, why? being a black person I am sometimes willing to give another black person the benefit of the doubt even when the evidence isn't in their favor. To me that is only natural, but why the outcry from many white people. It seems that anytime black people in this country attempt to show some unity we get accused of reverse racism. Some people compare the million man march to a KKK rally. On some websites people actually said if there can be an NAACP then people shouldn't complain about the KKK. "Where's my National Association for the Advancement of White People?" I don't have a problem with white people supporting each other or creating organizations for themselves as long as they are not burning crosses in black peoples yards, shooting and hanging blacks. It leads me to believe that there is a sense of entitlement in the white psyche that makes even the most racially tolerant white person resent us from time to time. But I must say for there to be reverse racism there must first be RACISM.

Where does this sense of entitlement come from? It seems evident from the beginning of time, through the fall of many African and Asian empires to the rise of Europe. Even to the current state of places like Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, South Africa Ghana and Kenya. It has been extremely evident through the entire 231 year existence of America. In today's world it almost seems that anything that was created to help even the playing field and help black people in this country progress or "catch up" is supported until it affects their everyday life. For instance, affirmative action in schools was fine until middle class Americans felt their "more qualified" children were being left out of the best schools to allow minorities to enroll. The governments attempt to diversify the business world was met with residence when people felt that their businesses were being left out of Government contracts to allow minority businesses to get that work. Traditional white American neighborhoods' black population can only rise to about 6-7% before the white population begins to decline. Do many whites feel that their color makes them more entitled to the "American Dream"? If they don't feel that they are smarter because they are white, it has to be some inherent sense of entitlement that makes some whites resist diversity. If black people are 12-15% of this countries population, shouldn't at least 12-15% of businesses be black, 12-15% of employees be black, 12-15% of CEOs be black 12-15% of college students be black. I'm no economist or accountant but that seems like simple math. But if an any of the previously named categories are say 6% or 8% black, then there should be something done, not saying that black people should be given anything but there should be a greater effort to find qualified black people to fill that 6-8%. Isn't that what diversity means, everyone has an equal piece of the pie? So why the complaints, in the attempt at equality the bottom few percent of the majority will just have to make way for the top few percent of the minority, is that injustice or leveling the playing field?

It is crazy to believe that peoples racial and cultural differences will never be a factor in America, as long as we look different we will treat each other different, but that doesn't mean we should stop trying at equality. By all means the country is in better shape racially today than 50 years ago, but this sense of entitlement still exists and as long as it does, racism will never die. As long as the majority feels more entitled than the minority racism will always be a factor. At some point we will have to follow the lead of the Brazilian people of color and examine ways to update the attitudes of many whites and make them comfortable with diversity. And while we are at it we should examine our own attitudes so that we can equip ourselves and our children with the tools to continue to level the playing field and make this county an all-around better place for everyone.