Well one could argue that we did own slaves and that demonstrates it to be so. Yes, we should all aknowlege the fact that this is a dark spot in our history but should that alone define us? I say no and here’s why.
We didn’t stay there. A lot of white people fought other white people to end this injustice. And it was Abraham Linchon and primarily the Republican party that fought many in the Democratic party to end this ugly injustice. They sited the Deceraction of Independence that proclaimed, “all men were created equal ”
Was there still injustice and pregigist against people of color? Yes, indeed there was. But again there was the civil rights movement and Dr. Martin King Luther Jr. along with other whites that fought for equality. Laws were set on the books such as The Civil Rights Act of 1964, and verious additional laws against discrimination.
The question today is are we still a racist nation? And is there systemic racism today? I would argue no we’re not, and no there isn’t based upon the following.
Before I make my case, please know this writer is not saying that there are no racist today, or that pockets of racism don’t exist, for surely there are.
Many years back when my daughter was in highschool play at a soccer game, I was shocked to find racists on the bleachers.
I was sitting high up in the stands next to an older couple watching the match. The official had made a series of most most of us viewed as bad calls. I yelled, “hey ref do you need glasses!” The old guy next to me said, “ya know why he’s so bad?” “It’s because he’s a f*##n Nig$###r!” I was so taken off guard and in shock that I just looked at him and instinctively moved down to another seat.
However, that one old guy doesn’t define all of us. I wasn’t taught to be racist. Let me site a personal example.
I was born in Nyack New York and lived in a diverse lower class neighborhood. I was the new kid on the block. No one would play with me except a little boy named Frankie who lived accrosed the street. Frankie and I played every day together. We were each others best friend. I couldn’t help but notice Frankie was different than myself. He had a very noticeable studdering problem. I really didn’t think much of it.
Later on when I was around 12 my parents moved us to Western PA. They enrolled me in an upper middle class, predominantly white, elementary school. It was there that I realized that Frankie was black. Racism is taught!
My experience not withstanding, that doesn’t make us a racist nation.
Deroy Murdock wrote a peice just the other day, “Coming to America: Africans, Caribbeans, flock to Systemically Racist US. If AmeriKKKa is so bigoted, why do Africans and Caribbeans leave black-run, predominantly black nations and come to the United States of America, which the Democrat left condemns as Earth’s headwaters of “systemic racism” and white supremacy?
In it he sites that according to DHS 548,891 African immigrants became permineant U.S. residents between 2015-2019. It’s a great article. You should check it out.
Secondly, if we’re so racist, why did we elect the first black president, not just one term, but two terms?
Thirdly, in 1958, only 4 percent of Americans approved of interracial marriage between blacks and whites. In 2013, 87 percent of Americans approved.
Again, I’m not saying there aren’t racists in America, clearly there are. But what I am saying is, “we’ve come along way baby.”
Why then is there today so much racial devide? Well there really isn’t. There’s a group of politicians, activists and celebraties that would make you believe there is. They want to keep the lie alive to gain political power. It’s just that simple. Let me ask you, how many of you have close friends or relatives of another race, or that are biracial? Which brings me to this last point.
None of us are, genetically speaking,are 100% of one race. I recall watch Dr. Alveda King on Fox news last year make an interesting comment about herself. She said that she is part African-American, part Native-American, and part caucasian.
By the way, there is reverse discrimination too! Why very recently Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she will only grant one on one interviews with people of color. I could site many more examples.
The bottom line is that America has a checkered past when it comes to racism, but we have made much significant progress. And while there are still racists today, we are not a racist nation.