(Originally published May 5, 2021)
We need to regain a sense of perspective.
When I was born, Jim Crow was real, back of the bus was real, separate water fountains were real, the civil rights movement was just a dream.
Think about how much has been achieved in less than one lifetime.
This could not have been achieved without the support of white people.
That is why all this talk about white privilege, white insensitivity, cultural appropriation, reparations, systemic racism, black lives matter, the 1619 Project, and all the rest is so wrong and so hurtful.
White people, by and large, are acceptant of all the various minorities that share this country. We do not see this as a white country. We know that demographics tell us that in less than thirty years white people will become just another minority in this country.
We have an appreciation for other cultures. We are often self-conscious in our efforts to not offend anyone. When there are reports of racist actions and speech by white people towards minorities we share in the condemnation of these individuals. We believe that they are the ignorant few who do not speak in any way for all white people.
Unfortunately, despite all the efforts made over the years to become an inclusive society, the cultural attacks on white people continue. And we are expected to say nothing other than to admit our guilt, and to accept the condemnation that is being directed towards us.
Now we are being told that simply having been born white means that we are inherently racist, and that there is nothing that we can do to wash away this original sin. We are the damned – as will be our children and our children’s children?
This racial abuse has gone on for far too long, and this latest judgement/condemnation has gone way too far.
To be fair to the Latinx, the Native Americans, the Asians, and the Arab peoples, most of this racial assault does not appear to come from them, nor does it seem to come from the American-born black community at large.
This racial stereotyping and guilt shaming comes primarily from self-proclaimed black leaders in academia, sports, politics, religion, news media, and the arts. These people are generally quite successful in their field, make a good living, and engage in shameless self-promotion and branding. White hate speech has proven to be quite profitable for them.
The good news for everyone is that white people are generally not the problem. We are too busy trying to make a living, pay our bills, and take care of our families to spend our time and energy hating other people. Like everyone else, we just want to get along and be left alone to live and let live.
We are all very much aware by now that the history of this country is full of racial insensitivity and race-based cruelty. The displacement of Native Americans from their lands, the slavery of African blacks for more than a century, the abuse of Chinese laborers imported to build the transcontinental railroad, the internment of Japanese citizens during World War II, the exploitation of Mexican farm laborers – all is testament to our learning as a nation of disparate people how to get along with one another and recognize one another’s humanity.
This is not meant to rationalize the injustices of the past. From today’s perspective, we can all agree that these were terrible and tragic matters, outcomes of ignorance, cruelty, fear, greed, and tradition. It was a matter of fate what souls became masters and what souls became slaves. The important thing is that none of us must accept the past roles of our ancestors. We are all free to live the life that we choose.
Now is not the time to focus on past injustices and seek retribution and revenge. Despite what you might think and be told, we are very close to achieving a true unity that bridges all differences in race and origin. Every new generation brings us closer to this reality through friendship and love and day-to-day interaction.
We need to focus on the significant and profound gains we have made together and continue together in this spirit.
We need to continue to make it a priority that everyone is being afforded equal treatment and equal opportunity.
We need to speak out against the hateful speech of the agitators within our own communities instead of letting them control the debate and set the agenda.
We need to learn to recognize the opportunists masquerading as social activists and call them out instead of trying to placate them or letting them convince us that things are not as good as they are.
We need to stop the shooting and the looting, the anarchy and the destruction, and reject the apologists who condone this behavior as legitimate social protest.
We need to serve and protect with as much patience and compassion as possible, and with as little violent interaction and race-based profiling and aggressive intimidation as possible.
What we cannot do is to continue down the current path of blaming and shaming. Most of the people that caused the suffering as well as those who bore the suffering are dead and buried by now. While there are clearly residual effects that linger from the past, attempting to change history and right historical wrongs should not become the basis for the decisions we make for ourselves now.
Do not let the color of your skin get in the way of your humanity.