Racism on the brain is a disease. It affects many erstwhile well adjusted white people. Racism on the brain is a curable disease. I think President Barack Obama should issue a challenge to the nation to eradicate racism on the brain.
He should boldly declare this goal like President John F. Kennedy boldly charted the nation on a mission to the moon within the decade of the 1960s.
The President should be so bold as to narrow the focus of his challenge to white Americans who suffer from racism on the brain. Yes, I think he should limit is scope to white Americans, and you know the ones I am talking about. The white people who thinks it is necessary to denigrate black people at every private moment when black people are not present.
I have had progressive white friends tell me, “You should hear how white people talk about you all when there are no black people around.” I presume these are liberal and progressive white people like the white friends who have shared these private discussions with me. I can only imagine how horrible the taunts are from conservative white Americans.
Now if you are white, do not race card me, you know what I am saying is true. Surely, you have, whether you participated in the discussion or not, been present when all manner of disgusting generalizations have been leveled at the black race.
It is time to stop perpetuating this nonsense. Please do not tell me that I would stop if the blacks would stop. You have the privilege, so why not take the high ground and cure the racism in you first. Even if it does not bring about a change in black people towards you it will not matter, because you would have established that you are the better person. After all, you have always contended that you were better. Now is the time and the manner to prove it.
On Sunday, when I was leaving the 50th Selma Anniversary, a group of Latino Americans were gathered in a circle protesting the immigration policy. There protest was in Spanish. A middle-aged black woman walked passed them and snarled, “Speak in English so people will know what you are talking about.” Clearly, this woman showed insensitivity to the Latino Americans. I took her to task and told her she should learn Spanish and that those Americans had a right to voice their protest in any language they chosed.
In order to cure racism on the brain, it is incumbent upon each of us to speak up, no matter how slight the offense may be whenever, we hear someone denigrating someone different from their own group.
Racism on the brain can and should be eliminated in this decade. Pull up your pants white people and eliminate racism on the brain.
Harold Michael Harvey, JD, is the author of the legal thriller “Paper Puzzle,” and “Justice in the Round: Essays on the American Jury System,” available at Amazon and at haroldmichaelharvey.com. He can be contacted at [email protected]
Good article. I agree with your sentiments about racism in America and that hatred of black Americans by many white Americans is much deeper and stronger than we know, even in the Christian community. It is spiritual and other-worldly.
Valinda Lewis, thanks for the compliment on the article. You are so correct in your view that it is spiritual and other-wordly. This racism thing is deeper than we can imagine. We only get the jest of the racist taunts that sees the light of day. I’m told these kinds of conversations go on all the time. As a black person I can say that the subject of white people seldom comes up when black people get together. So I am having a problem processing why there is this fascination with white people for black people.
Harold, well spoken truth. The facts are clear. We are not crazy enough to believe, “Good Whites” want to hang out with us, any more than “Good Blacks” with them. It is the hate incited killing of black people we want stopped. America, was not built by white men, it was built by and sustained by the mother of black people across this globe.
Piavazelle Jerome, you are so correct, we desperately want “the hate incited killing of black people” to stop.
Good article Harold…. don’t forget that today is Harriet Tubman Day. ..since her death 102 years ago…. her fight for freedom continues even in today’s world…. her struggle must continue and the names she was called 100 plus years ago are still prevalent today…. Are the generations rewinding or just never left? Our children will face racism even at a young age of 4, 5 15 etc.. .. Have we stopped fighting the fight or we got to complacent/comfortable with where we are?
Rita, you raise some very serious questions that the collective village must answer.