It's mostly because I keep trying to write something, and then stop myself because I feel like there are more important things I should be talking about than my love of Fruit by the Foot. And there are. And you may not give a crap or be sick of hearing about it or want to tell me to shut up and draw more pictures of mice tap dancing on bread. And as always, my response to you is this:
Lately, I have been becoming increasingly disheartened, and sickened with how the majority culture behaves, thinks, and acts. And by majority, I mean White People. And by White People I mean, knock it off you honkie mother fuckers, you are embarrassing me. Let the record show that I am, in fact, a honkie mother fucker. But due to my complexion, and curly hair, have been confused as a Person of Color for most of my teenage and adult life. I have had many a discussion with friends on how upon meeting me for the first time, 1 out of 5 people will think its somehow appropriate to ask 'what are you?'......and inevitably, these same people, upon finding out I'm just a boring mixture of European Italian and Slovakian gypsy, will turn away with a look of disappointment on their faces, their fetish for the exotic remaining unfulfilled for the day.
And that kind of shit got me thinking. How White People have the luxury of being able to be entranced and disdainful of People of Color all at the same time. And make no mistake, it is a luxury. In college, I was introduced to the concept of White Privilege. This term is something that makes a lot of White People go fucking ape shit. They hate it, don't understand it, and become instantly defensive about it. The most common response to any conversation with uneducated honkies about White Privilege is "BUT IM NOT RACIST!!!!!!" Let me clarify here, and say that by uneducated, I mean someone who hasn't ever fully grasped the big picture of White Privilege, and instead clings to the self absorbed notion that it is somehow an attack on an individual's personal character. It's not. Truly understanding White Privilege means being able to comprehend how 200+ years of Institutionalized Racism puts White People at a distinct advantage in nearly every aspect of life. Its acknowledging that yes, as a White Person, I have had clear advantages that a Person of Color has not, and that many of these advantages are so subtle, I have never even thought about them before. Why is that so difficult for some White People to accept? I'll tell you why. Because it means this:
Most people want to believe that they are 100% where they are in life because of their own character or merit. The all too tired and familiar Bootstraps Analogy comes to mind. "I have a nice house/car/job/family/life because I worked my ass off my entire life, and I deserve it god damn it, don't tell me its because of some other reason I cant control like how I look!!"
But acknowledging White Privilege exists doesn't automatically negate hard work or gumption or success. Its a simple acceptance of the fact that being part of a majority culture that actively worked/is still working to dehumanize People of Color for hundreds of years may give way to some advantages. Does that seem so incredibly unreasonable to accept? Being able to let go of the Ego of "I AM SOMEBODY SPECIAL, LOOK WHAT I DID" is the first step in evolving as a human being anyway. And who doesn't want to evolve? I know I do. I'm super pumped to eventually turn into a sparkly ball of floating energy.
And it goes the other way as well. Some White People want to solely blame People of Color for the current disparities in household income, imprisonment, education, and family stability because it's easier to shift blame than accept truths. "YOU ARE THE WAY YOU ARE BECAUSE OF HOW YOU LOOK. IF YOU WERE MORE LIKE ME, THINGS WOULD BE BETTER FOR YOU" But accepting truths leads to a burden of responsibility to then do something to change these truths. And like my very good friend said to me, "Most white people don't want to let go of their privilege, even if they understand it exists" Why? Because Privilege is comfortable. It's easier. Its worked for so long, why mess with it? And if you are on the receiving end of something good, why would you want it to stop?
Why am I talking about this? The recent events in Sanford Florida, and the Trayvon Martin killing has unleashed a torrent of unacknowledged racism from White People all across the Internet. The arguments range in variety from the defense of George Zimmerman's actions, to the absurdly backwards statement that black people should be marching against other societal problems instead of focusing on a single death. Where that logic comes from scares the shit out of me, and truly makes me believe in testing people's emotional intelligence before allowing them to reproduce.
The simple fact of the matter is, a young unarmed teenager was shot to death on the way home from the convenient store, and the man that shot him is walking free, with no charges currently pending. **As of 4/11/12, charges appear to be currently pending!! As of 4/12/12, 2nd degree murder charges, and Zimmerman is in custody** In any country, on any planet, this kind of injustice is inexcusable. No matter what race or nationality, no parent should have to worry that their unarmed child will be killed while walking home from the store because of how they look. There really isn't anything more to debate. The evidence against George Zimmerman continues to pile up, and as it does, Trayvon's character comes more into question. But why? Do we believe that a young black man who wears baggy clothes, allegedly smokes weed, and has tattoos must be inherently bad, and thus deserves to die unarmed and afraid on the sidewalk?
Which brings us back to White Privilege. Would my husband have to worry about being shot by a self proclaimed Neighborhood Watch member while walking back from the gas station if he were wearing a hoodie? No. The chances are slim to none. Being able to dress and look a certain way without creating an immediate fear reaction in other people is a privilege White People have. It's something we don't have to think about. That's a privilege, whether you want to acknowledge it or not.
Trayvon's murder has increased my desire to learn more about the types of injustices People of Color deal with on a daily basis. Things I don't have to worry about, things that Ive never even dreamed of dealing with because I was born the correct color of the current dominant culture. Because in case you've forgotten, it's 2012. 60 years past the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. How have we progressed so little in this amount of time? Don't say to me that we have a black president. Was that in and of itself a triumph for society as a whole, with special significance for People of Color? Absolutely. But has Obama not been one of the most disrespected presidents ever in terms of his fellow politicians and representatives, even while being one of the most well qualified, intelligent, and well educated Presidents of all time? Without a doubt. To say that his race doesn't play a part in that disrespect means you aren't paying attention, or would rather pretend Racism is a thing of the past.
http://newsone.com/1507575/obama-disrespected-president/
http://videos.nola.com/times-picayune/2011/10/obama_the_most_disrespected_pr.html
http://newsone.com/1826025/continued-gop-disrespect-of-obama-is-unacceptable/
http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/obama-presidency-brings-out-worst-many-white-people/
But it's not. 17 stories of unarmed black men killed by forces that are supposed to serve and protect the people of this country in case you would like some more current proof.
http://www.theroot.com/multimedia/beyond-trayvon-black-and-unarmed
Trayvon isn't alone. This isn't just a fluke story making national headlines. This is real. It happens to real people, and real families, and entire communities suffer. And for what? I realized many years ago, we, everyone, all want the same things. Those things boil down to contentedness, safety, peace, being loved by someone and having all of our bodily needs met-food/shelter/clothing/water. We are all looking for that, in different ways, no matter who we are. How can those so very basic and yet universal needs not be enough to stop us from focusing on all of the differences all of the time? We are entering an age when we cant afford to continue to cling to the archaic prejudices of past peoples. Its now or never. The majority of the population in the US is over 55, and that means in a few decades, the majority of the population will be gone. Let their prejudices and hatreds go with them. I don't want that shit around anymore.
All I ask of you is this. If you are white, take the time to learn these stories. Fight any anger or defensiveness or instant reaction that pops up when you hear terms like White Privilege, or hear news stories that raise your hackles. Reverse racism is not real--in the sense that things like Affirmative Action are not in any way racism against Caucasians. You have been told by other White People that it is a form of racism in order to make you feel justified in lesser treatment of People of Color, and to redirect your attention from the real problems. If that's hard for you to understand, if it incites an emotional reaction in you, explore what that is about. Education and a willingness to understand is the key to breaking down these walls. I used to get defensive too. But that's only because I didn't understand. You have to be willing to be an Advocate. If you agree with what you just read, act on it. Be ok with calling people out when they say or do something you know is openly or covertly racist. Dont let shit slide because someone was 'joking'. Grow a pair and tell your friends/coworkers/strangers to STFU.
Find People of Color that are educated in the history of their struggles--Native American, African American, Asian, African, Latino, Jewish, Middle Eastern--and listen to what they tell you. Try to picture what it would be like if you weren't born white. If you had to worry daily about the possibility of your children being targeted and feared because of the tone of their skin. Imagine your 87 year old grandmother being called a racial slur while on a trip to the grocery store next week. Think about coming from a group of people that were almost exterminated by the insanity of one man. And after all of that, if you are still a closet or open racist piece of crap:
Go play with a plastic bag on the Freeway. Because you are taking up my precious Natural Resources.
Thanks for Reading POC and Honkies
Have a Good Weekend
~Maria
