June 22, 2015 6:02 AM

"[U]ntil neither the Plain nor the Star-Bellies knew whether this one was that one...or that one was this one....

(My apologies to the late Dr. Suess. I hope this inspiration does his message justice.)

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

  • The Dalai Lama

I recognize that this story is four years old (June 26, 2011), but in light of recent events- the most recent being Dylann Roof’s murderous racist rampage in a Charleston church- it seems a good time to revisit this tragedy. We White folks have a tendency towards blithe ignorance when it comes to issues of racism and White privilege. We have a disturbing collective tendency to pat ourselves on the back for successfully creating a “post-racial” society, where color no longer matters. This is a reflection of our equally disturbing predilection for indulging in truly impressive feats of willful self-delusion.

Racism didn’t just reappear out of nowhere in Ferguson, Baltimore, and Charleston. No matter how much we might delude ourselves otherwise, skin color still absolutely matters in this country…and White privilege is as real as it is deeply ingrained in our ethos. Racism continues to reappear and wreak havoc because we in the White majority do a damned poor job of recognizing the benefits that accrue to us simply by virtue of being White. There’s no reason for shame, to be certain, but to seriously believe that skin color doesn’t matter is to ignore the realities of life in America today. If you don’t believe me, ask any of your minority friends, acquaintances, or coworkers about what their lives are like…and listen, really listen to them. I’d wager you may well be surprised at the answer…and I certainly hope for the sake of humanity that you are.

Sometimes, I feel as if we’re stuck in an endless loop in which “The Sneetches” plays and replays ad infinitum, ad nauseum. Instead of loving and appreciating each other for our shared humanity, we continue to accept living in a world in which we differentiate and assign value to people based on the color of their skin over the content of their character. Worse, we pass those values on to our children, whether by omission or commission it matters not. Each succeeding generation internalizes the values of its forebears and learns that while all men and women are created equal, some are decidedly MORE equal than others. It’s difficult to imagine truly being able to move this country forward until we stop teaching our children to hate.

I can’t say I know what the answer is, because the problem of our latent collective racism is complex, complicated and immune to simplistic solutions. Still, I can’t help but believe we can all begin to make a difference by examining how we treat one another. Speaking for myself, I realize I could stand to be a bit kinder and more consistent in assuming the best of people (particularly when I’m behind the wheel). I could be more charitable in my thoughts regarding others and how I react to them…and who among us wouldn’t enjoy being treated with more respect and perhaps even a smile? It’s a simplistic approach, I know; but it’s also what I can do in the short term to help make my world a better place. Being a confirmed introvert who’s no fan of people (the concept, not individuals), my inner asshole on occasion resides a little too close to the surface for comfort, so I’m doing what I can to be a better person. It doesn’t always work as well as I’d like, but it’s a process and remains a work in progress.

Beyond that, here’s something that bears consideration and reflection: What are we teaching our children? What behaviors and attitudes are we modeling for them? Are we making a conscious effort to teach tolerance and respect…and then modeling that behavior? Or are we behaving in ways that teaches the next generation it’s OK, even expected, that we treat those who are “different” as “less than” and therefore suspect and less worthy of respect? Do we talk the talk and then fail to walk the walk because it’s just too damned much work? Our children learn as much, perhaps even more, from the behavior we model than the words we speak. Anyone can talk a good ballgame; it takes commitment and a kind heart to make a habit of defaulting to treating people with kindness rather than anger.

I can’t change the world…but I can change myself.

I’m not here to preach…if for no other reason than I’m fully aware of my own shortcomings in this regard. I’m merely suggesting that, in the immortal words of Abraham Lincoln, it would be nice if we could find it within ourselves to willingly and consistently “Be excellent to each other!”

That seems like a pretty good place to start.

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This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on June 22, 2015 6:02 AM.

Life: If you can't control it, you might as well try to enjoy the ride was the previous entry in this blog.

Because every night in Oregon looks just like this. Really. Honest. No kidding. is the next entry in this blog.

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