In the wake of the Philando Castile verdict and the horrifying videos of the incident that have been circulating, as well as the abduction and murder of the young Muslim girl just a short drive from my home, I realized that there wasn't a space here as yet for us to meditate on the future of racism/bigotry. I do feel that things will ultimately get better - surely they must, right? - but I'm frustrated at the silence of both liberal and conservative white people in my acquaintance unwilling to confront the inequities and dangers facing people of color.
How do we protect our neighbors? Is a shift for the better visible on the horizon, or must we brace ourselves for yet more dash cam footage depicting senseless violence against black and brown bodies?
I've always felt that the way to unity is to befriend people who are different from ourselves. Make friends with people who are of other religions, races, orientations, even political leanings. Genuinely treating one another like friends & family -- and truly being friends & family with people who are different from whatever we're used to -- is a big part of the ultimate solution we need. Make friends with people who have different skin, eye, & hair color. Be friends with people who speak with an accent. Make friends with the business exec and the redneck and the tattooed. Then there's no "we and them," there's just all of us, and there'll be less fear & paranoia, and less violence.
But of course, there's more to it. I agree, Vida, this is an important topic. Thank you for starting this thread and I hope many people respond.
Vida, Thank you for starting this thread.
The day I first saw this thread, I also had watched a the Philando Castile video. The police had stopped the car for nothing more than a broken tail light.
I could not wrap my mind around the savagery of the police. His racism, internalized and no doubt, unconscious, had led him to fear this poor young man and assume the man would shoot him. But how they treated his companion was a whole other level of cruel because (1) the cop by then knew he'd made a mistake, and (2) he'd murdered her companion, and (3) she posed no treat to them, and so that treatment was conscious, willful, racism.
I wanted to post a response to your thread, but was too overwhelmed front video at the time, that I could not.
Today I can just say that, yes, I believe things will get better in the world for race relations for a few reasons. (1) racism will age out as those who are spreading it are aging out. The people who advocate white supremacy are aging out. (2)The rise of matriarchy will also bring greater compassion and acceptance of all people. (3) Globalization has caused a melting pot of races. A decade ago, Time Magazine published a facial image of the typical human face on this planet in the future. The face was a composite of all races, and leaned towards a person of color. In other words, nearly everyone takes on facial characteristics of people of color over the long term, as people of color become a majority and intermarriage blends the races.
We are watching a last hurrah of extreme patriarchy -- of Northern European white male dominance, which is aging out.
Keep doing what you did when you posted this topic -- raise awareness that racism exists, is horribly wrong, and must change.
Thank you for starting this topic. I find it to be a very important one.
Collectivly I would love for the powers of good to change how we treat each other.
My children are intentionally of mixed races, and when I see these senseless acts of violence without punishment, it hurts.