Well Informed 2.0-Racism

I read an article from the Huffington Post written by Roberto Montoya he as a teacher, student, lecturer and co-founder of R.A.C.E. studies, teaches and writes about the topic of racism.   In his blog post he gets comments ranging from full support to "stop being a puss."  A recent comment from a college asking him to stop fueling the fire and look more for solutions.   This comment is what really got to him.  He feels that writing about his feelings is what gets to the cause.  The cause he felt, is not racism but a larger problem of white supremacy.  He pleaded to fight to end white supremacy and asked whites to work against their own unearned privilege to make this happen. 

I feel like I don't truly understand racism or white supremacy for that matter.  I know it exists I know it is real but I just don't understand it.  My first racist comment the I recall was that of my Grandma talking to my mother I was probably only 7.  She commented that so and so white girl was marrying a black man...scandalous! I remember thinking so what? I didn't understand what the problem with this was.  I went to schools in Arizona where there were always black kids probably more white kids but a good number of black kids too.  one of my first "boyfriends" that I "went with" in 5th grade was black.  I dated other black boys in college as well. 

 I was able to live over seas recently  for a couple years and noticed totally different dynamics between black and whites living in the UK vs USA.  In the UK they talk, walk, dress the same as white folks where as in the USA there is often a difference in these mannerism.  I feel like the mannerisms generally express hostility and a attitude .  I feel like if our country was built up without the wrongful acts of taking humans from Africa ripping them away from their family and culture and bringing the here to build up our country as slaves, that the attitude  and interaction between whites and blacks would be more like it is in the UK, not a issue. But can the wrong be undone? Will we ever be able to undo the damage that was done?  How can the wrongs that were done be made right?  For one I feel like white folks should never tell black folks to "stop being a pussy" or stop venting their anger.  We will never know the pain and suffering that has been endured and how it has affected the next  generations.  If I could I would give all the African Americans a big hug and apologized to them for the things that my ancestors did to their ancestors I would.  I feel like this kind of attitude, an apologetic attitude is a starting point.  Beyond that I don't know what the answer is.  Maybe we should be asking this question to this gentleman instead of basically telling him to shut-up. 

As far as the comment where this gentleman asks whites to work against their own unearned privilege to make this happen. I don't understand this comment.  Do I feel privileged because I am white?  I don't think so, maybe I do?  Obviously he feels this way for a reason.  But truth be told I have always felt like white folks are envious of black folks, I am.  If any thoughts of supremacy are going on in my head it is black supremacy!  I am generalizing but I feel like the black culture has more culture. I once was at a drill/band competition at a military base in Chicago where I was the only white person in an entire stadium.  The feeling was incredible! Everyone elderly to toddlers were dancing to the music. The band sounded like no High School band I had ever heard!  There was so much love, sass, attitude and support.  Is it racist for me to say that it seems like black folks do everything better then white folks?  Music, sports, dancing?  In a Music in the USA class when we studied the first American made music it was... you guessed it made by black folks.  It was the campfire fun and dancing that white folks tried to copy.  The early minstrel shows where white folks dressed like black folks, they painted their faces and tried to sing and dance like blacks.  This now is seen as racist, but I personal feel like this is just the start of a continuing trend of white folks trying to emulate blacks in their innovative music!   This started with these minstrel shows and was followed by marching bands, vaudeville, ragtime, crooning, jazz... on and on to rock'n roll and now days rap.   Its always a pattern of blacks inventing music it and whites copying it.  This is my opinion.  This is also my way of fight white supremacy.   I disagree with this idea.  If I had to choose a superior race, I think that the African Americans  are a superior race.  I am apologetic for how they arrived in this country but am glad they are here contributing in arts, music, and sports and many other way to this county!