koan,
I think we're out of balance now. My wife and I were out getting a drink with a couple who are great friends of ours. This couple is hyper liberal and my wife and I are Independents, so we usually agree on a few things, but disagree on a few others, so we usually avoid political discussions. Anyway, as I was in the middle of drinking my Guinness beer, out of the blue our female friend says, "All of the world's problems are caused by White Males." Then her husband nods his head and says, "Yep, if we could get rid of all the white males, then things would get better."
I almost spit my beer out, I was so shocked. I mean, this is taking it too far. My response was as follows:
"How can you say such a thing? You both are two of the best parents I've seen. You have raised 3 beautiful children, who are sensitive to others and who bend over backwards to help others. I wish all parents could be as good as you both. However, your 3 children are white. Your son is a white male. You and others who spread this type of proclamation around are putting them in danger. One thing we can all agree on is that racism is NOT ok. Racism against blacks is not ok. Racism against hispanics is not ok. Racism against WHITES is not ok. Our job as parents is to set a good example of how we can lift up those less fortunate than us, but lifting minorities up does not mean that we have to tear white males down. Only the worst people in history have targeted groups of people based on the color of their skin or their religion and singled them out for persecution. We can't go so far as to start to persecute people. Most whites that are alive today, especially millennials and gen x, are hyper sensitive and supportive of minority issues. Most have done nothing wrong and we cannot persecute them for the sins of their ancestors. It is wrong to say racist things about whites and it is wrong to act in ways that are racist against whites. We need to be better about making no distinction between any race, color, religion, sexual preference, etc. The front lines starts with us."
I think they both thought I would approve of their statement, because I am a mix of hispanic, black, and white and I look it. They didn't expect my response. They both changed the subject very quickly, but I don't think I changed their minds one iota. koan, what is happening to our culture where it has now become ok to verbally assault white people, which as we know, is always the prelude to physical assaults and violence? You'd think that all the abuse us hispanics and blacks have had to suffer would make us virulently against doing the same thing to other races. I think very few people are listening to the better angels of their nature anymore. The verbal incitement has to stop. This will escalate out of control.
Oh and btw, lest we all forget, the white males around the world still control most of the power and the resources. Do we really want to make them an enemy? At some point, we need friends and we need to co-opt everyone into this cause. That means living by our own ideals as Ghandi did. Anger, revenge, as well as verbal and physical assault, is not a pathway to reconciliation and progress. |
