Naiveté

First, let me say that I am a white man. You could say that I am the very epitome of a WASP. This has led to a somewhat sheltered view of the world, when it comes to racism.

As a child growing up in the 1960’s. I couldn’t help but notice what was happening in our country, the marches, the Civil Rights Act etc. I was not paying that much attention to the news at my age, but still, you couldn’t help but notice that change was happening. My family, being the family that it was, celebrated that change. My father was actually an active participant, helping to get sundown laws struck off the books in our community. Change was happening, there was no mistaking it.

There is an episode of Star Trek (the original series) called “Plato’s Stepchildren.” Kirk and company beam down to a planet where the inhabitants have developed psychic powers. Except one of the inhabitants is a dwarf named Alexander who has no such powers. Alexander has been pushed around and is tantamount to a slave for all the others. When Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down, Alexander is fascinated that they have no such powers. He asks them:

Alexander: . . .Listen, where you come from, are there a lot of people without the power and my size?

Kirk: Alexander, where I come from, size, shape and color makes no difference, and nobody has the power.

That’s the goal. That is the world we would like to eventually see. And even though I knew that pockets of racism still existed, I thought we were slowly inexorably making progress toward that Star Trek world. The events of the past decade have shown me how naïve I was. It is because I am a white male that I have not seen what was going on. American racism was for the most part, hidden. The laws that were passed, and the constant barrage of people saying the right things, kept the racist elements from showing their faces too much.

Then we elected a black president. That really pissed off a lot of racists, so much so that they suddenly did not care anymore if it was bad form to be racist in public. Then we elected some leaders who did not like to criticize racists, and that was like pouring gasoline onto a fire. Racists felt like they had permission. Oh, they might get some criticism, but it would be weak, namby-pamby criticism.

What I have come to realize is that we are not on that glide path to the Star Trek world. Racism is alive and well and festering in America (and not just America, as events around the world have shown). But being a white male I couldn’t see it before. I did not experience the world like minorities did. I have been pulled over for a broken tail light. It never occurred to me that for some people in this situation, they had to worry if they were going to survive this encounter with the police. I never had to worry about being reported as a “suspicious character” in a store, or in a neighborhood. If I walk out of a department store and set off the security alarm, no one comes up to frisk me or call the police. What would happen if I were black or Hispanic? You know what would happen.

Yes, we passed some laws. But laws don’t end racism. Vigilance and education are what’s needed. Prejudice mostly stems from fear and ignorance. You don’t become racist because you came to that conclusion through reason and logic. You become racist because you were brought up that way. Or something happens that causes fear. One Muslim may explode a bomb that kills a bunch of people, and suddenly all Muslims are evil. Never mind the fact there are millions of Muslims who wouldn’t hurt a soul, or the fact that, in this country you are more likely to be killed by a Christian. Like I said, logic has nothing to do it.

So what is the solution? I don’t know. I do not suggest putting your life in danger by trying to argue with a racist whacko nut job (though you should safely report them if they appear to be a danger). We can speak up if we hear a friend or colleague say something that is racially insensitive. Let them know that it is not appreciated. At the very least, we don’t laugh (out of politeness) at their jokes. Pay attention to what is going on around you. Be as inclusive in your own life as you can be. Try not to use their methods. Don’t hate. Educate.

I am an optimist by nature, so I believe that we will get there someday. But the past decade has shown me, we have a long way to go.