Zenster I have enough faith in this board’s membership to believe that they know that this “person”'s (and I use that term loosely) race has nothing to do with his depravity.
Your only mistake was to make a comment on the bad reflection this would have on the African American comunity. I know what you meant, and you are entirely correct. There ARE people in this country who will say “Yeah, well, that Tyson feller…he is BLACK, you know…” And I abhor these people also. They exist, unfortunately. To my distress, some of them exist right here in the extremely liberal state of WA. Mostly, here, they aren’t prejudiced against African Americans…they are prejudiced against Native Americans.
Recently, I had dinner with people I love who are long time friends of my parents. We had a nice dinner, and then we were just sitting around talking. So, then something came up and the man said something like this. “Well, he drank like a fish. But he was a Lummi, so…” And I had to sit there and find a way to NOT upset my father and still say that this was unacceptable.
Finally, I said “Art, do you KNOW how racist it is to paint ALL of the Lummi Indian Nation with that brush, or DON’T YOU?”
“Well, he was a DRUNK!” said Art.
“Well, fine…do you know that the REST of his family were drunks?” said the beleaguered me.
“I didn’t KNOW any of the rest of his family.” Art
“So…don’t you think it is a tad bit wrong to say that the man was a drunk BECAUSE he was a Native American?” sez Scotti.
“BUT…they are ALL drunks!” sez Art.
“REALLY? Oh, how strange. Because you know, Art, I graduated with several Lummi Indian Nation people, and they were VERY high in our class academically. Never partied, never did drugs, never did anything but study hard and try to make their lives matter. How strange, to me, that they could do all this while being drunk all the time. How strange.” sez me.
I was so angry I could hardly see straight to drive home.
Dad, of course, was upset. Why did I “find it necessary” to upset everyone?
“Dad, is it okay to call someone a nigger?” “Don’t you EVER let me catch you calling someone that!” “So, dad, why is it okay to call everyone of Lummi Indian Nation birth a drunk?” “He didn’t MEAN that.” “Yes, he did. He SAID it.” Much discussion ensued. Well, he is 84 years old and he just wants everyone to get along. I’m a whole lot younger, and I want everyone to get along too.
Eventually, we agreed that Art is an unintentional racist. He IS a racist, he just doesn’t KNOW it. A very sad place to be. Dad is going to try to get Art to see this if it comes up again, I am going to drop it unless it comes up in my presence.
Once again, this whole thing makes my heart hurt.
HOW can you fight racism when it is so totally unrecognized by the people who hold it? It is one thing when we have the white supremicists…it may not be perfect, but at least it is accepted that the government should root them out and deal with them. But…the regular Joe, who DOESN’T EVEN THINK HE IS RACIST? What do you DO with that?
Sheesh, once again I hijack a thread.
Sorry.
I think I will go dye my hair. Green.