Aristotle
Senior Member
- Sep 9, 2012
- 1,599
- 126
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The internet is amazing and due to the benefits of anonymity, many people express and equally amazing view of the world. A brief background of me just to make my point relavant:
As a black man who grew up in Compton in a "black conscious " although ethnically accepting household, as a young kid I was aware of racism. My mother used to be a member of the Nation of Islam during the 60's so she indoctrinated me not to hate, but to be racially conscious and that society is still not always accepting. Growing up my friends were majority hispanic, since that was the demographic makeup. We all played together, ate at each other's houses had sleep overs etc racism wasn't even a thought until.....
First time I encountered the "n word" was during a silly kick ball call (I was in grade school still) this white kid and I argued over something trivial he ended up calling me the "N word" so we fought. I was suspended for the day cause I didn't stop fighting after he was on the ground. I admit I was an angry kid because during the late 80's and 90's, Bloods and Crips were going at it. I stayed inside most of the time. I couldn't wear blue or red, couldn't wear british knights shoes or calvin klein.
I eventually moved to Arizona where I completed middle and highschool. I my experience living there it had to be one of the most racist experiences in my life. Whites were both indirect and direct with their views on blacks. What I can say despite my experiences with whites there, there were some excuse me, a lot of cool ones.
I remember when my mother and I were in an IHOP eating breakfast, some old white guy walked and apologized for slavery and began crying because he was ashamed that it was apart of U.S history. My mother hugged and told him "its not your fault."
Since then I always took that philosophy of my mother (who passed already) that racism is like a blind man trying to see, but can only judge reality based on being blind. At 30 years of age and still living in a racially conscious society, we need to do more dialogue. Like the old man at the IHOP, who tried to apologize for something he never took part in, I think its not about remorse, but about acknowledging the human nature of cruelty in society. I apologize for the long post, thought I share that.
As a black man who grew up in Compton in a "black conscious " although ethnically accepting household, as a young kid I was aware of racism. My mother used to be a member of the Nation of Islam during the 60's so she indoctrinated me not to hate, but to be racially conscious and that society is still not always accepting. Growing up my friends were majority hispanic, since that was the demographic makeup. We all played together, ate at each other's houses had sleep overs etc racism wasn't even a thought until.....
First time I encountered the "n word" was during a silly kick ball call (I was in grade school still) this white kid and I argued over something trivial he ended up calling me the "N word" so we fought. I was suspended for the day cause I didn't stop fighting after he was on the ground. I admit I was an angry kid because during the late 80's and 90's, Bloods and Crips were going at it. I stayed inside most of the time. I couldn't wear blue or red, couldn't wear british knights shoes or calvin klein.
I eventually moved to Arizona where I completed middle and highschool. I my experience living there it had to be one of the most racist experiences in my life. Whites were both indirect and direct with their views on blacks. What I can say despite my experiences with whites there, there were some excuse me, a lot of cool ones.
I remember when my mother and I were in an IHOP eating breakfast, some old white guy walked and apologized for slavery and began crying because he was ashamed that it was apart of U.S history. My mother hugged and told him "its not your fault."
Since then I always took that philosophy of my mother (who passed already) that racism is like a blind man trying to see, but can only judge reality based on being blind. At 30 years of age and still living in a racially conscious society, we need to do more dialogue. Like the old man at the IHOP, who tried to apologize for something he never took part in, I think its not about remorse, but about acknowledging the human nature of cruelty in society. I apologize for the long post, thought I share that.