I read a great blog on Linda Hargrove’s site about racial reconciliation and the reality of one election not fixing all our race issues.
She’s right. But, we can go so much farther than we have and are if only we’d be allowed to be who we want to be as a nation. If only we’d heed the words of Jesus.
My first encounter with racial tension and reconciliation came in 1972. Sixth grade. Black students were bussed in from their school to the one I attended. Tensions were high for a bunch of 11 and 12 year olds for the first few days. The black students didn’t appreciate being “shipped” off, and white students were already set in their routines and friendships and perhaps prejudices. I don’t remember any particular prejudices, but I’m sure they were there.
I wanted to be friends with the black students. I’d gone to small town schools in Oklahoma and Kentucky where there was no such thing as schools separated by skin color.
I loved people with dark skin. Always have. My parents embraced all races. Never ever in our house were derrogitory or racial slurs uttered.
Unfortunately, the black girls didn’t want to be friends with me – at first. But by the end of the year, Latisha was my best friend. In seventh grade, my black art teach was one of my favorites.
In ninth grade, we moved to Homestead Florida. I was the only white girl on the bus. The blacks and Hispanics wouldn’t make room for me to sit with them on the seats, so I sat on the bus floor a few times.
I begged my Dad to drive me to school, but he refused. I had to learn to get along. Eventually, I think he did drive me, then a friend’s father picked me up. But the situation did improve. I mean, what 14 year old wants to ride the bus. Agh, so uncool.
In high school and college, I had black friends. One of my best friends now is black. But here are some thoughts from me, a little ole white girl.
Linda challenged mindsets or habits toward races on her blog. What color are our neighbors? Would we borrow a tool from a black neighbor? Would we hire a babysitter of color?
For me, I don’t want to see skin color. I want to see character. I don’t think some of our leaders, especially black leaders, have done anything to help reconciliation. They’ve caused more and more divide. In the past decade, people are more concerned about culture than blending.
We don’t see ourselves as American’s, a melting pot. We see ourselves as American’s, an a la cart of cultures. And lately, we don’t want any of the food on the plate, touching. 😉
Hispanics want to speak Spanish without learning English. Oprah said to Bill Cosby on her show, “You thought you were talking to your people, and we have a way to speaking among ourselves.”
Well, wait, did I miss something? Isn’t Bill Cosby an American? Did he just arrive from Africa and I missed it? Bill Cosby is my people too. He was raised in this same country I was, with the same leaders and forces and influences.
Maybe he was raised poor and in the hood, but whites and Hispanics are also raised poor and in some form of the “hood.”
I think American’s have a way of speaking to each other – regardless of skin color. What does that have to do with speaking the truth.
Look, Barak Obama is not my choice for president. Not because of his skin color, but for what he says he believes and stands for. Bill Clinton was not my choice of president either, for all the same reasons.
I don’t want to have to say, “Oh, I have black friends.” It makes me feel like I’m pandering or talking down. Does that make sense? Like I’m throwing a bone and I don’t want to be like that, and I’m sure other races want to be treated like that, either.
I don’t want people to say, “Oh, I have white friends.” We should have friends, of all races.
In my neighborhood, I’m surrounded by Hispanics, whites and blacks. In fact, of the surrounding houses, most of my neighbors are Hispanic, one from India and one white couple. Pretty blended around here.
I think if we want true racial reconciliation,