As of right now, I will not be able to post tomorrow. I will be headed out of town and where I am going, there is no Internet. I am sad, because I didn't want to miss a day so early in our time together. Since I will be away, today's issue will be very very serious.
Have you have heard about Jenna 6?
For those of you too lazy to click the link and read, I will give you a little overview. One tree stood on a school ground. White children sit under the tree. Black children want to join. They try. Nooses hang from the tree the next day. The school deems it's a prank. Fights break out among children. White kids beat up black kid. Black kids beat up a white kid. Black kids held in jail and are being charged attempted murder.
It is shameful to think that racism like this still exists. It worried me down to the core. What would I do, as a teacher, in this situation? What if this were a situation my son was involved in? How would I feel if this happened to a friend.
I would like to sit here and think that this only occurs in places that I don't tread, but that isn't true. Living in Indiana, I have heard my fair share of racist comments. Most of them come from my family or friends. I can't believe the hatred people show to one another. It sickens me to think about hate and racism. Pushing it aside and pretending this doesn't exist will only perpetrate it further in society. It's one of those ugly things you have to stare at in the face. It must be dealt with daily.
Bring some light into the darkness.
Color of Change Petition
Jena 6 Petition
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1 comment:
Racism will continue to be alive and well until our racial/ethnic differences are melded like they were prior to the Tower of Babel. For some odd reason, GOD had other plans for mankind and put an end to same language/same color/ same intent/ same "m.o." Each race and ethnic background has its own strengths and weaknesses. And to some extent, like it or not, we are all racists. So I maintain that the 'evil' connotaton conveyed by labeling others as racists puts one in a position of self-denial and/or self-aggrandizement.
A far more potent emotion and 'deadly crime' against humanity is prejudice. This insidious behavior feeds from the predilection of biases pertaining to the suspicion and fear of other people and things. Prejudice is NOT based upon factual input and is forbidden by GOD. Prejudice afflicts all races - not just white-on-black.
I do not condone what these caucasion young 'adults' perpetrated against their fellow Negro classmates. However, all student actions were premeditated - each student knew exactly how to react to the situation because prejudice is a 'learned' response. They were educated by significantly important adults, i.e., parents, teachers, ministers, doctors, lawyers, etc.
Those administrators in charge are as guilty as the teenagers who committed any instigated/retaliatory act of violence because they were aware of the prejudices running rampant within the system (newspaper articles insinuate that message.) They are accessories to any and all the 'crimes' committed during the Jena 6 incident.
Likewise, I cannot sign nor will forward the Jena 6 or Change of Color petitions. In my opinion, no good can come from inflamatory petitions such as these are worded. Both ethnic groups reported are guilty of prejudiced actions and reactions.
I was raised in Indiana as well under the same sickening prejudices as Flower has stated. I chose to leave that behind and move to the southern 'hot bed of civil unrest and racial upheaval.' While I have been a "victim" of racial, economical, professional, and spiritual prejudices, all disputes and disagreements thus far have been peacefully and maturely concluded through discussion and dialogue with perpetrators - not through defensive yet aggressive posturing (I'm going to sit under the "white" tree ... yada yada yada) nor by fist-a-cuff altercations (whites-beat-blacks-beat-whites) nor by hurtful yet foolish name-calling (that's a lesson I'll let my best female "black" friend entertain as she can rather artfully put one and all into the proper perspective about labeling). I've never signed a racially-biased petition either - these petitions perpetuate the underlying cuurents of malice towards the caucasion students, thereby condoning the adverse posturing and physical abuse the Negro students committed.
I raised three GOD-fearing children and am influencing my 4 almost five granddaughters by living a godly life. I am convinced that if one understands the 'good that came from Nazareth,' s/he will move passed the petty differences of physical human existence to a higher plain of wisdom for GOD is LOVE.
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