Monday, November 10, 2008
Is Racism Over?
With the election of our new president, I think it is time for an interesting debate: is racism over? I do not mean are there still racists, yes of course there will always be, but can we still call our nation a racist one. The charge of racism has been leveled against the US for years, and has picked up steam over the last eight years. Men like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have made a living calling the US racists. The best example of accusing the US of racism came from hurricane Katrina. I am sure no one has forgotten Kanye West’s statement at an event to raise money, when he said on national TV, “George Bush Hates Black People.” I for one never blamed Bush for Katrina (I truly believe some think he created the storm and sicked it on New Orleans). It was a storm like we have never seen and it caught us unprepared. No other president could have done better. When disasters hit, it is always the poor who get hurt the worst. The ones who could afford it got out early. And much of the poor tend to be minorities, it is just a fact for now. So the question is, if another tragedy occurs over the next four year (and once again it will be the poor that suffer) can be blame the president? Will West show up again and say President Obama hates black people. When the black Americans are upset at their lot in life can they blame “the Man” for keeping them down, even when “the Man” is black? I think this is a discussion we need to have, even though many will be scared to have it. When I asked my classes what they thought (95% of my students are Hispanic) they were mixed and it led to interesting discussions. I do not think men like Jackson and Sharpton will ever stop, if they do they would be obsolete, but what approach will they take? Will they accuse Obama of not being black enough or an Uncle Tom for selling out to “the Man,” oh, but wait, the “the Man” is black. With 75% of Obama’s supporters being white, I think it is time to consider claiming the civil rights movement has achieved its victory, that Dr. King’s dream has come true. Yet I do not believe this debate is over, it is just beginning. So the question is, Is Racism Over? I would love to hear what you have to say.
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2 comments:
No, it is alive and well. Reverse discrimination is what kills me. Growing up in SC, if you had an opinion it was all turned around and related to race. If a minority had the same opinion, then it would be deemed a fair question. It is a frustrating predicament. The race card seems to get pulled a lot if the issue is going in the opposite favor. It will be interesting to see what comments you get on this topic!
I think that we have reached a point where racism is not "dead" like you said there will always be racists, but it has been pretty much overcome. I think many of the youth in America don't notice race they way our parents and grandparents did. I think the new issue is genderism (this is what I heard it termed as recently with all the Prop 8 talk) There is a lot of talk out here in the west about genderism and how that will be the new "civil" rights issue. I don't think that genderism is the right word though. I think it is more a sexual orientation issue and the rights or lack there of for either side of the debate right now.
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