horse of a different color- fred

i guess i have a real problem with white folks crying over the words of black folks. i mean, seriously, did you actually listen to barack obama's speech? reverend wright's? or did you base your opinions on the ad nauseum coverage of the largely white news pundits working for largely white corporate sponsors? spare me the indignation. let's lay it all out here- naked and bare in the light- racism exists- whether you are black, white, yellow, brown, purple or whatever. white folks discriminate against black people; black people discriminate against asian folks; asian folks discriminate against latino folks..... and the circle of life goes on. so, before we get all holier than thou about how liberal and progressive we are- and how horrible it is for reverend wright to say 'god damned america'- let's get a bit of perspective.

i am a white woman. i have never knowingly in my life experienced racism, misogyny, or classism. i have never felt, in my life, less than or that i couldn't do anything i damned well pleased. i have pretty near always had what i needed and since i became an adult- i have had what i wanted. i lock my car doors. i lock my home door and windows. if i am walking alone, i cross the street when approached-- by anyone. why? because i am a woman. i worked in an inpatient psych unit and i worked in a field with kid's who had very troubled parents. i am aware of my surroundings and i don't really give a shit if you are black, white or purple- if there are more than 2 of you- i cross. men or women. i am lucky. how many people of color can say the same thing? how about talking to some of the native american tribes who live on reservations in this country. there are several here in new york state- these folks live in abject poverty. how about the legal americans who happen to be migrant workers or meat plant packers in this country? they don't live in gated communities where many may work as au pairs or lawn folks. you can feel self righteous that you don't behave that way if you want- but many in this country do.

if the white community wasn't so afraid of people of color- the limbaugh's and the ferraros and the falwells and the dobsons and the hagees wouldn't have a soap box to stand on. there wouldn't be quiverfulls of snowflake babies to argue over- and maybe we could all stop focusing on whether obama is black enough- or not black enough. is the man able enough or smart enough? is he strong enough? while the idiots in the msm are focusing on what exactly 'a typical white american' is- the bigger questions of why there are contractors working for the state department and is eugenics being used by the feds- and why is monsanto pushing genetically modified seeds around the globe when they have been failing everywhere- and what are we going to do to rectify the occupation of iraq- those questions are being left unanswered.

perhaps we all need to get our collective heads out of our asses and stop listening so much to the msm and seeking out the real truth. perhaps we need to acknowledge that the 'minority' communities are indeed communities insulated from 'america' by white america- and have succeeded in many areas in spite of us. don't believe in 'white flight?' take a look at detroit. that goes on everywhere. we incarcerate folks of color at a far higher rate than folks of non-color- and while they may commit arrestable crimes- the deck is stacked. don't take my word for it- google it. this isn't about making excuses for folks of color or giving them a pass. i believe in personal accountability. but it works both ways.

we left wing liberals are not different than the right wing in our views on race- we just hide it better. there are people of all stripes, genders, colors, religions, ethnicities and what not- working together and accepting each other as people. we are all people on the inside and out. we all have the same body parts- according to gender- we all have hearts and minds to use as human beings. but denial clouds judgment. read some blogs written by people of color- and it's an eye opener. these folks aren't asking for a handout. they aren't asking for special treatment. they don't need that and it is arrogant to think that they do. i think that the only thing that they are looking for is an honest discussion of race in america. is there frustration in 'minority' communities- yep. can't blame them. it has never occurred to me that i would ever be turned down for anything based on the color of my skin. but it has them. and it still happens.

so- when obama described his mom and grandma's reactions- he was describing my mom. i heard it- and i felt it on a personal level because i have seen her lock her car door when there were black folks walking down the street. not that anyone would have wanted our hunk of junk- but i digress. i have heard her use the word 'nigger' and it was in casual conversation. i have heard pollack and chink and wop jokes in my part of the world- and i have laughed at some. we're being honest. and i am not going to get up on my high horse and start preaching about how wrong it is to do that- because i already know it is. and i felt funny about it- but i laughed. i don't laugh anymore. and i don't go to my neighborhood block parties anymore because i don't sit back and let my neighbors go off about gay people and black people and anyone other than the white blue collar people who live here. and i am sure that they don't miss me. these are 'typical americans' and if you think differently, you live in a dream world.

there is no way that we will ever come together if we continue to divide ourselves up. as long as we are liberals and feminists and conservatives and traditionalists and christians and jews and muslims and women and men and blacks and whites and hispanics, etc. the 'ruling elite' will always rule us.

and that just makes us stupid.


'Protection
For Gangs, Clubs
And Nations
Causing Grief In
Human Relations
It's A Turf War
On A Global Scale
I'd Rather Hear Both Sides
Of The Tale
See, It's Not About Races
Just Places
Faces
Where Your Blood
Comes From
Is Where Your Space Is
I've Seen The Bright
Get Duller
I'm Not Going To Spend
My Life Being A Color'