This last Sunday at one of my churches, I received a lesson on rascism from one of my parishioners. It is important to understand, I hear many rascist terms used around the community. It is not that many people are KKK or skinheads, it is what I call a rascism out of ignorance or fear of anything different. The people I hear these rascist terms from simply do not know anyone of a different race and so put them all as "Those People." I am not defending rascism out of ignorance, I am merely stating that this is they type of rascism in my community.
In one of my churches, we have an older gentleman, he is in his eighties, I believe. He has been a high school teacher and also taught on a college level. If you looked at him, you would not think that he had much of education. He does not fit the mold of college professor. He looks like the typical Oklahoma Redneck that one sees on television interviews, except I believe he has a full set of teeth. Anyway, during our special music time, he decided to tell a story. It went something like this:
When I was about five years old, we were having a celebration in Perry and I had to go to the bathroom. I could not read, so I just went in the first bathroom I saw. After I did my business, this other young fellow came in, he had curly black hair and was real dark in complexion. He looked at me and said, "You can't be in here, this is the colored bathroom." At that age I did not know the difference, but that was the first time the difference had been pointed out to me.
I remember when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. We had men and women of all races and skin colors signing up for the military. White served beside black and red served beside brown and all races put their life on the line, so that we can live in freedom today. I think that seeing those men serving side by side no matter what thier skin color helped me and our society begin to understand that there can be no seperate but equal, but all must come together in order for the ideas of the United States of America to really stand.
I want to be clear, these are not quotes, but I think I captured the gist of what Virgil was saying. He pointed out that February is Black History month, as well. I reflected much on what he said. Whether or not you agree with or voted for President Obama, it is pretty amazing for people to see "seperate but equal" restaraunts, drinking fountains, bathrooms, etc. and now to see an African-American President. I think our nation has come a long way.
However, we still have a ways to go. Rascism is not dead. As I said earlier, I still here deregatory names for certain races bandied about as I am in my community. I am also very quick to ask people not to use those in my presence. I can put up with cussing, I can put up with dirty jokes, but hate speech I cannot tolerate. Hate speech is exactly what any racial slur is.
Something I find interesting is that when "those people" become us, then the racial slurs are no longer used. In other words, when a relationship is formed with another person of another race, then they become one of us, instead of those that are different and therefore suspect. I believe the key to overcoming rascism is relationships. Relationships that are accomplished by acknowledging our differences, but focusing on what we hold in common. We are all God's children, not matter what color our skin is or what language we speak. That alone should be enough to overcome our differences.
Dane
