This weekend, I hopped on a plane and headed down to Little Rock, Arkansas. All of my family lives there, and I went down to visit, spend time with them, and enjoy the Southern Hospitality.
Don’t get me wrong-I love it there. The people smile in the streets, everyone knows everyone, and it just has a great environment. In the past, the South has been connected to racism and discrimination. But, that is a thing of the past right? Now we are in a new world of equality and justice.
Maybe.
As I was walking around the Heights, a suburban area of Little Rock, I overheard a conversation between a few ladies shopping. They were speaking of a break-in that occurred a couple of weeks prior. “Was he black?” the first lady questioned. “Of course, what did you expect?” she responded. They continued to talk of how dangerous all of the black population is, and how absolutely no good could come of them.
Why is it that we claim to be a just country, and have gotten rid of all issues with the Civil Rights Movement? Now that we have an African American president, we have overcome it? Now, in our modern world, we are all equal?
It’s just a story to ease our conscience.
I agree that many people choose to believe the issues with discrimination are a thing of the past, when really racism is still present-but in a different way. Today, racism is not enacted through outright acts such as the KKK or protests. Instead people are racist passively, whether it's a offhand remark or comment.
ReplyDeleteIt's also important to consider generation. With every passing generation, I do believe society has progressed--we may have not rid America of all it's issues with race but I think we have steadily ended many. Will our generation be the generation of complete change? Or does the story pass on, but in a more subtle way?