I have to say, over the past few weeks I have become exhausted with all the media reports about race or racism or racially charged situations. I wonder how much emphasis would be on race if our President were White again. Yes, I think the two are related. Now, it seems like every time someone says the words "black" or "white" it makes national headlines. I know race is an issue. My next door neighbor's dog knows race is an issue.
Let's be honest, we all have some racism issues. We all have pictures in our minds that we associate with a specific race. When I think of trailer parks, I immediately imagine a White person. When I think of the ghetto, I will most likely envision a black person. When I think of casinos or Oklahoma, I will probably think of a Native American. I feel at liberty to say these things because I am Scottish, African-American, and Cherokee...in case you were about to be offended.
Whether we say it at an NAACP meeting, on TMZ, or just think it, it's still there. Honestly, I believe in some ways racism will literally have to die off. Those who let their mental pictures or racist ideals dictate how they interact with people of other races will simply have to take a dirt nap. Yeah, it sounds sensational, but really...some people will never change. Actually, I think religion will be the new "race" in the next 100 years...but that's a whole different episode of Oprah. For those who find it hard to let go of their racism, consider this...there are bad things about all races. That's because it's not really a race thing...it's a people thing. It takes all kinds of people...as they say. We just need to learn to take a long look at ourselves instead of letting racism determine how we interact with our fellow man.
The Bottom Line:
Let it go already! We shouldn't need TMZ to catch Mel Gibson in a racial rant. We shouldn't know who Shirley Sherrod is. Life is about showing respect to all people regardless of what you are taught as a child or what stereotypes are out there. We all have some hint of racism lingering just below the surface, no matter how small. What matters is whether or not we allow that to control us. Color is skin deep. Peel away our skin and we're all hideously ugly. Lighten up...no pun intended.
