Much has been said about what America is as of late. Most of what is being said is not good. If you were to take a surface level look at everything that is published in the media or reported on our television sets you would think that America is the most egregious violator of civil rights in the known world. As a Nation, we are so racist that people of color fear leaving their homes every day because they don't know whether they will return because they might be killed by a cop. The rioting hordes in the streets denounce the United States. Those taking part in "peaceful" protests are demanding that systemic racism be ferreted out and everyone punished for their role.
You have entertainers (from all genres) and politicians demonstrating their angst and anger over their recent revelation that "racism" is a problem in society. They pound their chests and claim a new level of enlightenment that has helped them see the problem. Then, like all good boys and girls, they swear to do something, to be a part of the solution and to promulgate their solution to the whole United States to stop this great injustice to people of color.
First of all, before I go on, let me tell all of these self-righteous, hypocrites that I don't need them to defend me. Yes, I am a person of color. Yes, I have experienced bigotry, prejudice, bias and in a very few instances actual racism (and that was in Spain, not the United States of America). I am more than capable of handling my own issues when they arise and they don't arise often. I don't wake up terrified of walking out my door and driving to work thinking that I am going to be stopped by the police and beaten or worse yet killed. There is nobody who actually feels that way. Those who do are not afraid of the police, but those that the police are trying to stop from committing crimes against society. So let's be perfectly honest here, the police are not evil and they don't put on their uniform every day with the hope that they will be able to put another notch in their belt indicating another person of color that they either beat or killed that day. It's disingenuous to say otherwise.
Secondly, let's define racism. I know what society's definition is, which is pretty much anything that they want to say it is, but none of these definitions are the actual definition of racism. Racism is defined as "a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race". I do not believe that there is a systemic problem among white people thinking that they are superior to people of color. Don't misunderstand me, I am not saying that there are not some people who actually believe that they are superior to another based solely off of race. What I am saying is that there is not a systemic problem with this. Additionally, I believe this is a universal problem found within all races. Growing up I would here my people going around saying "la raza" (the race, for those who don't speak Spanish). I asked what it meant and was told that is was to signify the power and superiority of our race. The blacks in our neighborhood would shout "black power". There would be fights in school and in the community with one race trying to subject the other through fear and intimidation (and no, the whites didn't have a dog in that fight). So it exists among all sects of society.
So if I don't believe that racism is the underlying problem; what is the problem? Well, let me answer that. I believe that we have a problem with prejudice, bigotry and bias based on race. And this is rooted in ignorance and intolerance. Ignorance is dangerous and we are seeing just how dangerous being played out before our eyes on the evening news cycles. We are bombarded with scenes and stories of victimization or perceived victimization. I apologize to those reading this for what I am about to say. Please understand that I mean no disrespect, but I must say it. We see our lily white neighbors foaming at the mouth screaming at the top of their lungs that we need to stop killing black people. Well in practice I think that is pretty good advice. If they are killing black people or anybody of color or other white people for that matter, I think that they should stop immediately and turn themselves in to be prosecuted. If they are not, they need to shut their mouths and stop acting like fools.
I saw a video the other day of a white gentleman screaming in the face of a black police officer calling him every obscenity in the book telling him that he was a 'black Judas'. Now, let me put this into perspective for you (me being a man of color and maybe your not. I don't know), how do you think it feels as a person of color to be told by a white person how you should be feeling and what you should be doing? Think about it for a moment before you move on. You done thinking about it? Let me tell you how it feels. Nothing drives me more crazy and nothing screams actual racism than when a white person tells me how I should be feeling and what I should be doing about how I should be feeling. Or, when they tell me that if I don't agree with them then I must have never experienced anything in my life and lived a sheltered existence and that I need to open my eyes to what's going on. I have actually had "well meaning" white people tell me that. I don't need them to tell me what I've experienced in my life. I've experienced it. I don't need them to tell me how I need to or should react to what I've experienced, because I've already dealt with it in my own way, and guess what they didn't have to tell me how to deal with it because I somehow without their help knew what to do. It's amazing I know, a person of color not needing a "well meaning" white angel screaming in my face telling me how to feel.
Yes, I've experienced prejudice, bigotry and bias. My 4th grade year I went to a predominately white school. When I say predominately white I mean 99.9999% white. I was the only Hispanic and there was one Native American. Every day that I went to school I was called "spic", "wetback", "cherry picker" and so forth. Every day someone wanted to beat me up because of the color of my skin. I learned to defend myself quickly. I would pretend that I was sick so that I would not have to go to school. We tried to get a district waiver to allow me to go to a more diverse school, but we were told that it was all in my head and was denied the waiver. I was forced to go through hell every day. I was so happy when we moved. A few years ago I was stopped for DWM (driving while Mexican). I just came from a business meeting and was in a suit and a big old truck. I noticed that I had an unusual amount of police vehicles following me, but didn't think much of it because I wasn't doing anything. I then noticed that these police vehicles were actually starting to box me in and then all of a sudden I was forced off the road, surrounded by about 10 cruisers and demanded to keep my hands in open view. I complied since they all had their guns drawn and they seemed pretty serious. I was questioned and vetted then was told that they stopped me for not having insurance on my truck. That was a lie because I did have insurance on my truck. A couple of days later the same thing happened again.
I've been followed in stores, refused service in jewelry stores, gun stores, car dealerships, etc. The list goes on, but that is not the point of this posting. I just want to establish that I've experienced things and guess what I am still alive and for the most part I think that I am well adjusted.
I saw a video a couple of weeks ago of a white lady kneeling before a group of black men and she was kissing their feet pleading for forgiveness. Each man made her kiss his feet and then came back to have her do it again. This scene was disgraceful and I am appalled that one; she felt the need to do that, and two; that they were relishing in the act. What kind of society are we trying to create here? Are we determined to make all white people out to be the enemy and pariah of society? We demand equality by demanding the un-equalization of society. I know of no white person who currently owns or has owned a slave. I know of no white person who currently owns or has owned a white robe and pointed hood. I know of no white person who wakes up every morning looking for that one unsuspecting person of color that they are going to make miserable that day. I do know many who just want to live their lives. They could care less about the color of the skin of the person that sits next to them. And it's not because they don't see you and your struggles, it's because they have their own struggles that they are dealing with.
If we are to have peace we need to stop pitting one race against another here in the United States of America. We need to stop looking for racism and start looking for solutions. One solution would be to eliminate laws that put people on uneven ground (i.e. hate crime legislation because all crime is rooted in hate). Stop fighting school choice options, thus allowing children from inner city failing schools to attend better schools. We have proven that throwing money at schools doesn't make things better. We need to refocus our educational efforts to allow for learning rather than mere indoctrination. We must focus on removing ignorance from the general populace understanding that it is a choice to remain in ignorance. The Constitution of the United States, does not intend to put everyone on equal ground, but rather it provides the opportunity for everyone to have equal opportunity and access. There is a difference.
We need to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America. We need to teach its principles and ensure that our laws justly represent it in scope and purpose. We need to ensure that all rights are being extended equally to all individuals regardless of the color of their skin. The freedom guaranteed within the Constitution of the United States is for all and is universal in nature.
Primarily, we need to turn to God and establish His word in our hearts and ask for forgiveness. We need to put down our weapons of our rebellion against His laws and accept all as our brothers and sisters, equal in the eyes of the law. We need to stop the violence against our own people. We need to respect life at all stages. We need to acknowledge that life is a gift from a loving God and that life matters regardless of who you are or what you've done. The popular rebuttal to the "all life matters vs. black lives matter" argument is that when we say that all lives matter are we saying that pedophiles matter, and thus we can't say all lives matter. My answer to that is yes, the life of a pedophile matters. His crimes are heinous and represent the deepest betrayal of society, but he or she is still a son or daughter of God and will answer for their sin, but of us it is required to forgive all...their trespasses.
Lastly, we need to stop hyphenating our Americanism. We have so many hyphenated Americans that it is ridiculous. No other country does that, yet here we are dividing ourselves with words and grammatical markings. This encourages the us vs them mentality. Let's just be Americans. Let's stand shoulder to shoulder and honor this Nation as the freest Nation on earth (or at least it should be). Let's take those that would divide us and pit us against each other for power and control over us and show them the door (in some cases a prison door). Let's show these high-minded erudites that they are nothing. Let us, We The People, take back this Nation and the power which belongs to us. We can do this, and we must do it, or all will be lost, and this great experiment of freedom will be gone forever.
My fellow Americans, let us on this day, this Independence Day here declare that America will not fall on our watch. Let us stand united in purpose and resolve to ensure freedom's noble banner waves from sea to shining sea. Let us be that light on the hill that we have always been meant to be. That beacon to the world that freedom reigns supreme. Let us be a Nation United!
