In today’s world the worst thing you can be called is a racist, but what is a racist? You all have your definitions. Let me give you a biblical definition. “Not loving my neighbor as myself based on ethnicity. (or skin color)
As a writer I would like to tell you a story. I am a white woman of Irish, English, Scottish, with maybe a little of everything mixed in, ancestry. I grew up in a community that was predominately white. Did this effect my mindset? Yes, I am sure it did. I would be highly offended if you called me racist.
Let me describe my community. We lived in the country and both my mother’s and father’s family lived close by. My dad’s parents had an elderly black couple living on the adjoining farm and an elderly Indian man living on the other side. The Indian man was somewhat of a loner and I never knew him very well, but the black couple were friends with my grandparents. He and my grandfather had a thing going, who could grow the best watermelon. The families could never choose sides until one year, my grandfather lost out. His friend grew the first yellow watermelon anyone had ever seen, but back to the race thing.
My older brother grew up and moved to Iowa where he fell in love and married a northern girl. They eventually moved back to Oklahoma. I remember the year her mother came for a visit. Her one request: “I want to meet a real Indian.” My first question was, “Mother, do we know an Indian?” This was the talk around our dinner table one night. After much discussion we decided that we did indeed know one family. Two sisters that I went to church with, were of American Indian heritage. That got me to thinking. These were people just like us. They worked hard, this was a poor part of Oklahoma and everyone worked hard. They raised their families. (Did someone from the north expect the Indian of old in full headdress?) As you can see that was a simpler time and I did not see in color.
As I grew older and moved from my isolated community I encountered more people of color. I grew up where it was not a bad thing to call a black man or woman, a Nigger. Before you burst with rigorous furry, let me quote something. “”Nigger is derived from the Latin word for the color black, niger. According to the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, it did not originate as a slur but took on a derogatory connotation over time.”” The first time I noticed a change in the way black people were referred to, was when the world informed us that we should say Negro. But that soon was labeled as unacceptable as well.
I guess the point I am trying to make is that as long as we see a person of color we will have a problem. There are only two kinds of people, good and bad! I am convinced that this has nothing to do with the color of your skin but what is in your heart.
Now to the point of this post! Yes, I do have one. As long as the world reports that a white or black person did something to a white or black person, will that in itself encourage racism? Do you believe it is possible for there to be racists of all colors? Will the day come when we will be able to put color aside and discuss the issue? Do we still believe in the motto, “In God We Trust?” Because whatever higher power you believe in, our country needs help!
Please everyone, be kind to one another!
Happy reading,
Linda