Maybe it’s time to admit that large chunks of America are in the hands of unreconstructed racists and vulgar idiots, and that the popular election of a black man as president just might’ve pushed these furious, economically doomed old white people into a final rage that is going to end very, very badly. Ready? Here you go: An Arizona elementary school mural featuring the faces of kids who attend the school has been the subject of constant daytime drive-by racist screaming, from adults, as well as a radio talk-show campaign (by an actual city councilman, who has an AM talk-radio show) to remove the black student’s face, and now the school principal has ordered the faces of the Latino and Black students to be changed to Caucasian skin.
Call me naive, but here in America, 2010 A.D., I’d have thought that by now we would have evolved beyond judging people based on the color of their skin. No, I’m not silly (or stupid) enough to believe that we could or should have evolved to the point where we’re all singing Kumbaya as we roast s’mores around the campfire. Still, it shouldn’t be too much to expect (or at least hope) that we could get past skin color as a barometer of human worth…right??
Welcome to 21st century America, where Teabaggers and Far-Right bigots want to “take our country back”…apparently to the time when African-Americans were considered “property” and only 3/5 of a person. Yes, America was SO much better when Blacks (and Jews, and Indians, and Koreans, amd Muslims, and…ad infinitum, ad nauseum) knew their place….
The “Papers, please” law in Arizona is merely the latest example of how racism is once again making itself known as a divisive force in American society. I’d suspect that the truly virulent racists represent but a very small minority of the population of Arizona, but whether it’s the accents that teacher speak with or the skin color of children shown on a billboard, something ugly is happening in Arizona. Making things worse is the reality that what’s happening in Arizona is only a reflection of what’s happening nationwide. In South Carolina, we’ve been treated to the spectacle of a White Republican state legislator referring to a Republican gubernatorial candidate as “a raghead”. Go to any Tea Party rally and you’l find signs (and people) attacking President Obama based on the color of his skin. It’s sad, it’s sickening…and we should be better than this.
Racism isn’t a new or novel phenomenon A good part of this country’s history is based on our tenuous relations with the issues of race and place. Americans have always been conflicted when it comes to race. Whether it’s through feelings of collective superiority or collective guilt, there are those willing and able to exploit the issue in order to advance their agenda.
I think what disturbs me so much now is the realization that there are too many Americans- far more than I would have suspected- willing to judge and demean others based largely (or solely) on the color of their skin. Perhaps the Civil Rights era is far enough in our past that few recall the lessons learned and the tragedies that occurred during that ugly, embarrassing chapter in our history. Or perhaps far too many Americans are simply too stupid and self-righteous to care.
I don’t pretend to know what the solution is, but I do know that this sort of hatred and divisiveness make it difficult to effectively address the many legitimate and serious problems we face today. It may be easy to blame our problems on those who look, think, or believe differently, but it does nothing to make our world a better place to be. I can’t help but think that we’d be in a much better place…if we could just see our way clear towards devoting even a fraction of the hatred towards more constructive pursuits. Then again, that would require a measure of honesty and creativity, qualities that haters aren’t exactly overly blessed with.
WE DESERVE BETTER.
