What is racism?

I'm a member of a 'debate' group in one of those online social networking sites we all read so much about these days. The discussions in this group are usually triggered by odd news reports, a flippant remark made by someone in line at the grocery store, or one of those things that makes you go, "Hmmmm..."

A question was posed recently regarding racism and whether or not it is racist for the African American community to have their own colleges, pageants, magazines and television networks. The poster also mentioned that her place of employment gives African-American employees MLK Day off with pay while refusing to give the same benefit to white employees. I'm sure that has been a cause for many discussions at her workplace. Being that she is by no means a racist individual, my guess is she is trying to wrap her brain around the concepts she may have been overhearing at work. (I explain that for the benefit of folks who are not members of that particular group and may not understand or appreciate how these types of conversations may come about. And for no other reason.)

My response to her debate question was:

I think you have to look back to when those particular institutions you mentioned were started. They came from a need in the community to show non-white people in a different light--as REAL people, not just the maid or the thug. Times are changing, but slowly because some folks want to dig in their heels and scream NO! all the way.

MLK Day is not a religious holiday, so any company who only wants to pay some employees and not all to have that day off is missing the mark! Martin Luther King, Jr. did a great thing for ALL people, it just so happened that the Black community benefited the most (perceived as 'most' anyway) from his efforts, and the efforts of THOUSANDS of others because they were the focus of it and had the farther to come, just to be treated equally.

Don't you remember your history? Even as late as the 1960's, Black American CITIZENS were forced to sit in the back of the bus, couldn't drink from the same water fountains, had to cross the street if a white person was heading their way. Black men and boys were murdered for something as small as smiling at a white woman, or complimenting her on her hair or dress, regardless of their intention or how polite they were when they said it. And all without white people batting an eyelash against it!

So if I were going to be upset at anyone in a company where only some got to celebrate a day in honor of a great man like Dr. King, I'd put the blame where it belongs--firmly on the shoulders of the idiot who made the policy! Not those who have been made to seem to be taking advantage of it. Do you have any Jewish people working there? Do they get upset when their religious holidays are not recognized with the same excitement as yours?

I think it is most definitely racist to expect there to be WHITE ONLY establishments, colleges, pageants, etc., because for so many CENTURIES in this great country of ours, that is exactly how it was! Now we are a little more enlightened--or I certainly HOPE we are--and it may SEEM to some that the rights of whites are being trampled, but that is just not the case. This is simply what a more equal society looks like. Not being held above another simply on the basis of your skin tone is NOT the same as being discriminated against. It just means you have to play by the same rules as everyone else.

We aren't THERE yet. In a perfect world there would be no NEED for BET or predominately Black colleges or the Miss Black America Pageant because none of us would see ourselves as (Fill-in-the-Blank)-Americans, but simply AMERICANS and we could actually be proud of that alone!! Until that day arrives, we just have to keep on keepin' on and hoping the light will eventually reach everyone and not be taken up by the lucky who were born paler than the others.

That's my plugged nickel's worth on the topic. These are just my opinions. Others may vary. Void where prohibited by law.

Let me know what you think....

Until next time,
Laine