If you haven’t been follow Amy Bowllan’s SLJ series on Writers and Racism, you really should. It had been quite interesting to read how so many people have experience racism, yet still kept on doing what they needed/wanted to do. Today, it was almost painful to read how Ari (our favorite teenage blogger at Reading in Color) has experience racism and how it led her to create her blog. I’ve never taken the time to ask my own children about their experiences with race (though it was interesting to hear my oldest son mention he felt more racism in Chicago than in little W. Lafayette, IN). It’s one of those conversations I don’t want to have, but need to. Don’t get me wrong, if there had been issues when they were young children, I would have known. But, I wouldn’t know about the occurrences in their more recent years. It hurt to read what happened to Ari, it would hurt and anger to know what my children have faced. Do you get that our children still face hatred, abuse, pain simply because of the color of their skin?? I want opportunities for my children. A better world filled with peace. I think I’ll contact my children, see if I can get them to post something here.
17 thoughts on “Why can’t we…”
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Cotton Quilts Edi 
Great idea, Edi! I think we equip our kids and hope they have the tools they need to survive…but I’m sure they’d be touched to know you WANT to hear about bruises past and present…
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I have not directly encountered racism lately. I think the last time I did was from a black women with dark completion. I always heard of it happening but not until I moved to the south have I ever witnessed it, let alone been a victim of it. Being that I manage a bar I hear a lot of the wall jokes and comments about blacks, whites, and gays all three groups of people frequent and work the restaurant/bar.
I know that because I am a young black woman I am not really respected or taken seriously by people that come in and ask for the person in charge. I shrug.
Racism is never going anywhere. Stereotypes are never going anywhere. We can fight to change them but total elimination is not a reality.
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Kristen is my daughter! I couldn’t get any explanation out of her beyond what she wrote, but I got hung up at the first line: “not lately”!
Z, yeah, we hope we have prepared them. Kristen stands up for her rights. She’s aware of the realities, as you see. I’m proud of her!
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I can definitely relate (and you know my first name’s Kristin, right?)…no one walks into the theater and assumes I’m the playwright; when I’m on campus, few people assume I’m the professor…young black women just aren’t seen as authority figures or leaders–we’re still “the help” and that’s it…
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Hola! I’m Rodney Edi’s son. I’m working so this will be brief and I’ll add more to it later.
All my life i was the odd one out or more specifically the one black spec among a white ocean and I’ve had very few race related issues. I had one with cops regarding curfew (after a school function) in highschool so there is no telling if that was race or age ism. So I grew up in Indianapolis and went to school in West Lafayette, Indiana and never personally experienced racism. There were some pretty major issues with the way cops dealt with black frat parties compared to white ones but I wasnt there for any of that (i was studying mom).
I moved to Chicago a little over 2 years ago and in my 1.5 years there I experienced 2 separate overt bold plain as day racist acts directed at yours truly. I took them in stride kind of expected one day it’d happen my friends (white) at the times had a harder time coming to grips with what happened as they thought that kinda thing didnt still happen.
I did notice another form of it out here in LA last weekend – i play football with a diverse group on sundays – the group is heavily asian mainly chinese/korean some indian and they are VERY good at football – but often when they go to play other teams both black and white – they are written off as nerdy asian guys until of course they win.
personally i cant stand how people mainly black folk in the united states who talk down about mexicans – in derogatory and RACIST ways. i dont get how you can cry about slavery and the woes of your people (which you didnt even experience) only to turn around and attempt to oppress another group…
People dont seem to be aware that ‘slavery’ in the US ended not very long ago (share cropping/indentured servitude) not to mention prostitution and other slave trades going on.
Sad that it still happens but realistically i dont expect it to go anywhere because people are trying to fight the conditions, the symptoms and not the root of the issue. Thats if they’re even trying to fight it at all – new (2009) racism is kept quite because its not socially acceptable to be racist anymore. racism is here probably to stay this country was built on the backs of others at their own expense this is the country where something is yours until someone else takes it from you i.e…native americans, slaves, ken lay, bernie maydoff and on and on
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im 27 years old. i was born in alabama, know a lot about alabama, but wasnt raised in alabama. my mother on the other hand, grew up in alabama during the 60’s. my father, atlanta – same era. such as it is, i had a fairly racist upbringing. im an advocate of the belief that people are a product of their environment, and the that my parents endured has had a tremendous impact upon who they are today. so how is it that i could be one of the most accepting and open-minded individuals you will ever come across?? because we HAVE come a long way, and while i have been exposed to my fair share of racially driven hostility, i have had FAR more pleasant, enlightening, and fulfilling experiences with those of different colors. i DO believe that my children will have lesser of these negative occurences than i, and their children even less. will it ever go away?? no, but that isn’t because people will ALWAYS have that first visual assessment of you, but because isnt just that. it’s a form of sin as is jealousy and greed. the root which drives will always be there in some form or another.
while i can be the most accepting and open-minded individual you will ever come across, i have been guilty of myself not because i dont love all people from all places and walks of life, but simply because i am guilty of sin like everyone else. if the asian man jumps in front of me so that he can drive 17 mph smack-dab down the middle of two lanes… i am fully aware that it could just as easily be a 70 year old white lady in a buick HAHAA
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cont’d – i was obviously kidding, but it is what it is and its all about how you deal with it.
we are getting to the point (NOT THERE YET!) where should only affect you if you let it. the chances of somebody ing you up off the street for a good old-fashioned lynching aren’t great. you can choose to deal with the ignorance of others as simply other people acting in a very immature, ignorant, and in a way – archaic manner.
no matter you race, creed, ethnic backround, ual preference… walk with your head up and make every decision in life according to what is going to lead you to be the happiest and try not to let outside noise influence the inner peace you are trying to create. in my opinion, thats what life is about. lead the way to an unbiased existence
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Dadrian!
I didn’t know you were born in AL!
I wonder if you’re more accepting because of the opportunities your parents gave you, because of the situations they put you in and expected you to succeed, nonetheless. Same with Rod and Kris and Evan.
From reading the posts here, as well as the ones that began these comments, I keep saying I want to be sad, disheartened that racism continues, but in more and more ways we continue to overcome. I think that when we’re able to see that we’re, whoever we are, are not the only ones who suffer injustice because of how dark we are or where we’re born instead of comparing who has the deepest scars, I think we’re doing a little better. It’s sad we feel like we have to accept racism as a fact of life, but unfortunately if we got rid of racism, something else would take it’s place. These posts and the others on SLJ come from people who’ve managed to overcome/succeed/ignore and have postive outlooks.
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The last time I experienced racism was driving home from Florida to Indiana a couple years back. Funny part is it was in the south is was 10 minutes out of Indianapolis getting gas. the people didn’t want to acknowledge me when I went inside to pay for my gas. Crazy part is, when i stopped in the middle of Alabama and had on my military uniform(earlier the same day) some guys i would’ve normally completely avoided paid for my gas and lunch. but wearing the same uniform in Indiana I got ignored. i work in probably the most diverse field in this country, from race;religion;creed;home(foreign,domestic) and the amount racial events has been 0 in my 5 years. yes, there are jokes made, but that is something that comes with the career field i am in. say what you want, but its true. until you have the experience of putting your life in you collegues hands and had theirs in yours, shared blood sweat tears and essentially become closer then there families, can you know. once you get to that point, there is no more racial issue. its just brother/sister and nothing can break that. maybe when the country gets to that point(hahah it never will) will the issue become dead.
i agree with dadrian, if you let it get to you a fly will ruin your day. its all on your outlook on the world around you.
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This is a great post, Edi, with some great responses.
I think the series at Amy Bowllan’s SLJ blog has been terrific.
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Thanks, Susan. I thought we were already connected on Twitter!
My children amaze me. While I regret they have had, and continue to have these experiences I’m heartened to know they have been prepared to deal effectively!
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I want to piggy back on zettaelliot’s comments about being a young black professional:
I’m the school librarian with a full time media aide who is white. Whenever a parent comes to the library – they always go to her first. She always sends them to me and I love watching them hesitate and blush. This also happened when I was teaching.
I live in Northern Indiana where the Klan is visible. I used to live not too far from their headquarters when I first moved here. They attend some of the southern schools in our district and I can still recall when one of them made a scene on a school bus because he didn’t want his child on the bus with black people. He, of course, knew they would be there.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, who publish Teaching Tolerance, has a map of known Hate Groups. When I travel to Indianapolis I drive through almost every little town on the map – http://www.splcenter.org/intel/map/hate.jsp#s=IN
I think someone mentioned how a lot of racism is quiet now. That’s the part that scares me.
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The Heartland. Ya gotta love it.
When I had a clerk I experience the same thing and so does a friend of mine in another high school. There are a lot of dynamics at play there. Race for sure. Also, the clerk’s desk is usually closer and more visible to the door. The general public and even many co-workers don’t know the difference between the adults in the media center (or in the public library!) and if the clerk doesn’t set them straight, they won’t know. You’re lucky to have a clerk who says something!
Is this your last sememster?
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You midwestern women must have nerves of steel! I remember moving to Ohio from NYC and seeing white folks in pick-up trucks EVERYWHERE! I was terrified! Of course, they didn’t all have Confederate flag bumper stickers, but still…there was nothing especially wholesome about some of those folks. Two years and I was OUTTA there…
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Maybe it’s just that I’ve learned to avoid small towns. In IN, the only town smaller than Indianapolis that I visit is Fort Wayne, so I feel safe here.
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I live near Chicago, but all black people know there are certain suburbs you just don’t want to be in, especially as a teen or black male. Chicago is one of the most segregated city in America, sad but true.
Edi your kids experiences were sad, but great responses! I especially agreed with Rodney’s response, I too am really annoyed how other minorities use derogative wrods or sterotypes about other minorities (I mean we know what it’s like so why do we do it?!!!).
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Miss A,
Thanks for stopping by! You know, we want to fight these things, but most of the time I just want to go where I know I can feel the love. I think that’s what we all want!
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