I was a
white girl that grew up in the South (U.S.) in the 1950s and 60s. Racism was an integral part of my life though
I did not feel the brunt of its insidiousness… I was white.
Racism is
everywhere…everywhere. The CEO of
Starbucks wanted people to talk about
Here in
Nicaragua, the land of coffee, most of the people are different shades of coffee color from con leche to negro, there are though a percentage of the population who carry the
lighter skinned gene from Europe. These people
are valued. Doors open for them. They win the beauty pageants. These are the wealthiest people and the most
successful.
I and my family
carry that European gene. Doors open for
Mike more than they do for César. We are
more likely to get the benefit of the doubt from those in power. People always thought our boys were so
beautiful…well, they were…but not more so than all the brown boys and girls
running around.
One example
of this white craziness happened when Joseph was born. The obstetrician and pediatrician came to our
home for the birth and assured Mike I was in good hands because they were
European…Mike said, “I thought you were Nicaraguan.” “Yes, but…um…well, you know.” Mike said, “I know you're racist.”
- Recognize that racism is truly embedded in
us, our families, and our communities and not just “pooh-pooh” it away because there do exist some people of color who have achieved power like Pres. Obama as our president;
- Acknowledge that the color of our skin has allowed us more access to power than to those whose color is different;
- Own the fact that racism is alive, well, and eating away at the health of the majority of the world…those who are desperately poor are predominately people of color, wars are waged on predominately people of color, and the imprisoned are predominately people of color;
- And all of the above means that we must actively work to give up our power.
In Martin
Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail in 1963, some of the harshest words
he spoke were to white moderates.
Shallow understanding from people
of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of
ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.
Dialogue is
all well and good. Having active
conversations on Facebook is enlightening but…but…it is time for us, white folks…us,
of European descent…to change.
In the
words of a friend of ours, Mab Segrest, we must choose to be like her and become race traitors, because –
I think – the most insidious aspect of racism is that we who have the power lay
the burden of change on those who already have little power and are struggling
to survive.
Jesus said we must give up power…we must become
servants…he put the burden of change on us.
It is time
to put our vote, our voice, and our actions with all those people who have the skin color of coffees…time to
move to the other side of power.
-Kathleen
