I needed a haircut badly.
I usually shave my head bald and I’m done, but I didn’t have any more razors and my money was tight at the time. So while driving around I saw a barber shop that offered haircuts for $7. Great, I got about eight bucks so I’m there! One problem: I’m a tall black man; the owner of the barbershop is white. Imagine the awkward looks I got when I went in and asked for a shave. He couldn’t shave my head so he buzzed it as low as he could and I paid for the cut.
I crossed the line.
It is a line not many whites see or even notice, but many people blacks understand clearly. White barber shops for white hair; black barbers for black hair. White funeral homes for white bodies; black funeral homes for the black ones. And on Sunday, as Senator Barrack Obama stated in his address in Philadelphia, it is still the most segregated hour in America.
This is the challenge Senator Obama has issued to each of us to confront. Years of racism, prejudice, and bigotry instituted both in law and in our society for decades. In the 21st century, our generation is challenged to confront head on with one of America’s greatest sins. The progress of the last 40 or 50 years aside, I still think we need to get something straight here in the debate.
Some whites may argue their lives have not put a noose on a tree or signed up for a KKK meeting. "Why should we be responsible for something we didn’t do?" Most whites may not have instituted the very hidden racism in our society, but allowing its roots to continue growing un-checked, to not confront the issues facing black Americans is just ignoring the pink elephant in the room.
In all the recent rhetoric about Rev. Jeremiah Wright and his words, with all the talk from Fox News’ Sean Hannity about Sen. Obama’s "racist pastor", I wonder if anyone is going to ante up to the table? Let me say for myself the one thing bugging me is how we’ve been waiting at the table for a grown up talk about our relationship together, but we get a no show from whites. Wait, that’s not totally fair. There are plenty of whites making the effort to meet us half way and try to work hard for issues involving our culture and our people. To them, I am deeply thankful for your efforts and it doesn’t go by unnoticed. What I am talking about are those whites who talk a good game about ending racism and giving "props" to Dr. King, but do little to address what is wrong in the world they live in.
Let me ask this to my Anglo-Saxon brothers and sisters. I have learned about 300 years of your history on these shores. I’ve learned of courageous men and women who spoke of freedom for all people and put their lives on the line for these beliefs. I know more about the Old Country where European culture and heritage permeates books, television, movies, and theatre. I know more about how some family genealogy are traced hundreds of years to ancient ancestry.
Can I ask you a question Angelo America? When was the last time you picked up an Ebony or Jet Magazine? Can you name an article you read from either publication? What about Essence Magazine? Read anything good from there? Any Latino or Asian stories your read lately? Do you own any of these magazines in your home and do you have a subscription to them?
Let’s go deeper.
Other than a black athlete or entertainer, can you name for me a prominent black person in a field that fascinated you and made you want to learn more about them? (Hint: Colin Powell or Condoleezza Rice does not count) What person or event made you stop and think about black Americans contributions to society during Black History Month?
Squirming? Let’s dive some more.
When was the last time your family decided to eat at a Soul Food restaurant instead of Italian or fast food? Have you marched with other men and women—blacks and whites—during Martin Luther King Jr. birthday remembrances?
Have you ever watched a show from BET? Other than the Cosby Show what other predominantly black cast show do you watch regularly in the past 15 years? Have you ever listen to Tom Joyner or Doug Banks on the radio in the morning?
Have you ever visited a black church? Do you know how long a service at a black church last?
Other than someone at work, do you know anyone black you’d consider a family friend?
And now for the bonus round.
If your son or daughter falls in love with someone other than your own race what would you do? Can you invite them to meet the rest of your family? Would you go out golfing with them? Would your family visit their family?
If you could not answer at least a few of the questions with a yes or some reasonable answer to any of those questions my friend we need to have a long talk. It is one Angelo Americans have pushed away for a long time. How can you dictate how we, as black people, should act and do things if you can’t even take five minutes to come into our world and find out what makes us angry, frustrated, and polarized? How can you say you won’t vote for a black, Latino, Asian or (gasp) gay candidate if you can’t even bring yourself to learn what the other side of the fence do for a living?
The talk of Rev. White the last few weeks have been frustrating to me because I believe as Sen. Obama we need a better ethos towards each other as we are different races. Our society dominated by Angelo Americans point of view where many would not take the time to leave from the suburbs, working neighborhoods and penthouses to come and see life I live. As a courier driver I go from place to place delivering items to small and big towns and cities. The subtle hints I get from some of the various places I go to are enough to let me know I’m a threat. From golf courses where I’m the only other black thing for miles (shy of the cup) to small towns where seeing a black person there is a miracle to big city mansions where I see either hired help or garbage men seeing how the other side live we are just spectators in the game of equality. I call it a game because really this is one big game, which we are asked not to participate in but to act as if everything is fine on our end.
When we do protest; when we do shout; when we do write letters and protest you think white America encourages us to speak our mind? No.
"Can’t you be less angry please you’re starting to scare us?"
Nice.
So pointing out the in-equalities in our American lives is too angry, too vocal. Pointing out how the distribution of money fails to reach poorer families is being too angry. So having equal access to a quality education, speaking out about this is making us sound too angry. So pointing out how we have little cash to help our relatives and friends when they are down and out while the wealth of kings flow freely in upper middle class to upper class homes is making us sound a bit cranky.
Right.
I’ll point out to you the last time African Americans had a real temper tantrum most whites headed for the suburbs and beyond. Cities burned and many were arrested; curfews were placed while the media "analyzed" the anger of black men and women. We don’t need just one "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" we need a library to contain our frustration and anger. For once we like a fair shake at the pie. But when we do play by the rules what we are told is "thanks for playing, but I’m sorry you’re just not good enough and will never be good enough." Many of us walk away thinking a cruel joke was played on us. We play by the rules, work hard show up on time, etc. and in return we get the short end of the stick.
White Americans can feel the same way too and we try to understand where they are coming from too. We get it when someone is placed in a spot because of a quota and not by qualification. We understand your frustration when you may not get the service from the government because you’re white.
We get it! That’s why we both need to show up at the table and talk.
Sen. Obama made it very clear it is up to us as a nation to talk about this now and really get to the heart of the argument. Only then can we move to deal with the common issues we face together in the world. Filmmakers have reached out and tried to make movies addressing the deep divide between our two races and how we are more alike and yet more different (i.e. "Babel" and "Crash"). Some in society have gone the distance to bridge the divide between our two cultures. They work with us, play with us, love with us, and share our family’s worlds together.
Yet some still will not sit down and be a part of the discussion.
Let me address this election cycle and the things at stake for our nation and world. The world yearns for a leader with a bold new vision to help us deal with the crisis of the 21st century. Not just racism but global warming, the economy, gas prices/energy issues, terrorism, famine, genocide, etc. The world is staring at the United States and wonders when will we get over our petty issues and join the rest of the world for the common good?
I believe Sen. Obama is probably the most refreshing candidate I’ve seen since I started following politics in 1974. He offers a very refreshing marriage of civic responsibility and common ground missing from politics for a very long time. It is not the skin tone which attracts me, but the depth of his words and the conviction of his purpose which draws all men and women to service for their nation. Sen. Obama is, to me and other Americans, the obvious choice to be the nominee for the Democratic Party. His candidacy is unique where I believe he can really turn the table on our national mess and stir the discussion our nation needs to deal with its fears. From there we can really talk about what divides us and what can unite us.
To my sisters who want to have a woman leading the nation I say YES I do too! But I think just because you put a woman—any woman—in office does not really address what ails this nation. In fact, I prefer a man of color to a woman in this cycle (if for nothing else) the person of color can address issues touching both men and women. If our nation can’t tackle racism—affecting both male and female circles—then how can women be unified to tackle the glass ceiling united if they don’t see the world in the same way? I believe it is foolish to think women be "entitled" to an elected office if women are divide in how they treat one another. If a straight white woman can’t treat a lesbian or a woman of color (or both) with respect and dignity for their lives how can it translate to the broader issues of our nation?
In all the talk of color let us not forget the other sin of America: the treatment of Native Americans. Their nations were as organized and diverse as many tribes in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. In nearly 300 years, many of the tradition and tongue have all but vanished; their people relegated to a piece of land where opportunity is a joke. The most tragic tome of late is the raping of Native American women . Because lack of funding and confusion about who to call for help (among many other issues) many of these crimes go unsolved. This is yet another blot on a proud people and their generations.
Look, I don’t care if you are progressive or conservative, liberal or neocon, Jew or Christian, black or white. If we the people continue in this course of denial and decline over race (especially during this election cycle) I promise you a person unqualified and unfit to be president will come in and will not boldly address these issues. I don’t care if televised or not this is a matter of the hearts and minds of every American. My hope is we do this now before going to the polls in November. If we vote by race and disregard qualifications I can simply say we the people deserve to get one of the shredder trucks brought to the National Archives and shred the Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Obviously the ideals of these documents have no real meaning and we can just forget why they are there. If this happens our nation is doomed and the great experiment failed.
I pray each of us will finally take the time to do some soul searching and meet each other half way. In fact, I would hope that white America would just meet us and get to know who we are. Love us or hate this and us we—blacks and people of color--are here is our country too. We could use the help to make things better for all of us.
The table is here. Are you coming?
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