.
I am learning to speak out more strongly against racism, whenever its ugly head pops up. Not foolishly - I will continue to choose my battles in order to maintain my effectiveness.
One of the main differences in my attitude today is that the more I hear denial of racism or privilege, the more resistance I get as I work *against* racism, the stronger my own resistance becomes to *institutionalized racism* and the quicker I will respond to individuals.
It has been said, "We live in two separate realities."
That is true as we are talking about Black reality versus "white" reality.
There are, in fact, more than "two separate realities" because discrimination against minority groups takes different forms as it is applied more subtly today toward Asian, Native Americans, Hispanics, Muslims, and other groups, in contrast to the *in-your-face* threats and violence, lynchings and disappearances, earlier in American history.
In a broader sense, that line is absolutely correct, however, because what each of those groups is challenged to overcome is a deep and long-standing form of racism embedded in our business practices, in our government agencies, and in our military, but perhaps more importantly, is constantly reinforced subliminally through so-called "media" - in advertising, marketing practices, and in the very design of products themselves, which most often favour the "dominant" group, which is thought (by marketers and advertisers) to be "where the money is"
The more I am confronted with not just denial, but with the "insincere lip-service" given to the *resistance* of racism by those who want to "appear" to be on the "right side" - the more I am challenged to formulate my own thinking in order to RESIST racism, whether on a personal level, or the "unseen by the privileged" racism embedded in our culture.
*resistance* IS a *conscious ACT* in which every individual MUST engage for racism to be overcome.
African Americans are a strong people who do NOT need me to "fight for them"
Native Americans are a strong people who do NOT need me to "fight for them"
Asians are a strong people who do NOT need me to "fight for them"
Hispanics are a strong people who do NOT need me to "fight for them"
Muslims are a strong people who do NOT need me to "fight for them"
NO minority group needs some other group to "defend their rights for them"
If you or I choose to RESIST racism in any form, at any time, in any place, we do it for one reason only.
We do it because RACISM IS WRONG !
Racism is a societal disease.
... and we all will be more effective at confronting and resisting racism by studying, and following, the lessons in resistance already demonstrated by people of colour who have *survived* against racism !
Racism keeps nations divided, keeps people ineffective, mentally ill
... fighting against perceived "others" - fighting against themselves.
Racism is harmful to individuals.
Just because you or I may have been born to some "privilege" for which we can, if we choose, deny the existence of, or the effects of, racism, does NOT mean those effects of racism are not personally harmful to ourselves, to our own families, to our children, to our friends and acquaintances ...
So *choosing* to remain in denial, choosing to allow racism to continue
- is a collaboration with evil.
Your turn at bat, my friend.
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