Occasionally from time to time I may address a controversial subject...Thing is, I will ALWAYS give you my honest opinion no matter the subject. On my gravestone it should read "He didn't give a shit what you thought". So here we go....
I have been watching a PBS special on Race. A group of white Americans traveled to the West Indies. They wanted to travel the slave trade and discuss their feelings. They all seem to be middle age hippies who through looking inward at their race are now questioning their accomplishments, the very being of their intelligence, how they were brought up, and their privilege. Out of the 10 or so white Americans, there are 5 Harvard grads and 9 Ivy Leaguers. And that right there fucking pisses me off. The white Americans representing white America on this excursion of guilt are all from wealthy Ivy League families???? what? are you fucking serious?
My History of Virginia class at Virginia Tech taught me many things. One of those things, is the fact that as of the 1861 census....5% of all white males in the state of Virginia owned slaves. 5%! While 20% of white males in VA had the good fortune to own land, they usually had indentured servants or white males who just worked their land cause in reality, the owning of someone was a very expensive enterprise. MY family on my fathers and mothers side have existed in this country since at least the early 1700's. I have yet to find existence of ownership of people in my family. We just didn't have that type of money. We were independent farmers. Military people. My family's experience is a typical American family experience. Let's get it right. The white American did NOT enslave people. The RICH white American enslaved people. Those rich people on the PBS special do not represent me, nor do they give a fair representation of white people in America.
Now every one are these guilt ridden Ivy League sons of bitches think that because their ancestors made horrible decisions for our humanity, that they STILL have the right to represent Americans with their fucked up opinions. Their families had money, slaves, power, and they hurt the humanity of our country. They feel guilty. They believe in Reparations. The believe in Affirmative Action. They believe because of their affluence that white America is on a different plane than minorities in this country. Wrong. See, people that rich are never in touch with America. TODAY's America is not divided by race. It's done by class. Poor see's no color. This is not 1950's America. Not saying its perfect. Its not. But today's America is divided by Green, not by race.
Their privileged families oppressed people for generations. They deserve that guilt but don't make the mistake that those families represent white America. I just don't believe it applies to me or good people who are my age. The average American from my generation, growing up in the 80's and 90's, knows that my public school life did not differ in any form from anyone else in the suburban East Coast community. The opportunity I had was the same opportunity that my friends had.
Now do I blame a Black American for having hatred towards the white race? NO. Let's get it right. Blacks have every right to hate white people. That's a level of hate brought down from generation to generation. But this is the thing...it is up to the strength of my generation and the generation after me to be stronger than that. Its up to whites to not listen to family rhetoric...its up to blacks to not pick up their previous generations hate of white people. We have to get past that hate and have to try to continuously make it better for the next generation. People from every race...just have to let go. Let go of the guilt you had no responsibility for. Let go of the anger that makes you want people to feel guilty. Guilt will not let people move forward. Guilt will not bring progress. It just wont. Plain and simple, its time to be bigger people for the future of our great country. The only way to reach our true potential as a country is to put race aside and to unite as Americans.
Im Jus Sayin
Wait...it's ok for black people to hate white people? That's racism. I did not enslave a black person. No black person I know has ever been enslaved. They can't hate me or my race. If they hate me, it would be the same as me being prejudiced towards them. Not fair, not cool.
ReplyDeleteI feel no guilt for the way I've lived my life. My family is made up of immigrants. All people who arrived after the end of slavery. My mom grew up in the white south of the 50s-60s, where it was ok to be prejudiced. Her family was not at all, and she passed that down to me.
Seems these ivy league kids are just trying to stir up some controversy to get a name for themselves. I can understand that. If they want to reflect on their own guilt, so be it. If they are trying to force white americans to feel guilt, then that's just wrong.
Good statistics on slave ownership, Ashby. I didn't realize it. Unfortunately, the actions of a few overshadow the actions of the masses. And those actions of the few were heinous for the most part.
I give my generation of black americans a pass on racism in general b/c removing hate can be a multi-generational process. Especially if you grandparents or parents experienced the open public racism that existed in the 50s-60s. More power to those who arent racist. and THATs what im trying to convey.
ReplyDeleteI understand based on when your family arrived in America how you couldnt POSSIBLY have any guilt in your ancestory. I can trace both sides of my family til 1711 at LEAST. But i have found independent farmers and military members back to the French-Indian War. I believe I have an extensive stake in the way people may refer to White America and its extended history. I have no guilt, but my fam was there.
I may tend to sound off on race topics with this blog...but I see it every day. I have personally experienced racism towards me at least 12 times since Ive been in phx. And I only got into 2 fights because of it! Hello! Gold Star to me!!! Its the wild wild west out here and you just always gotta be on your toes.