Many Colors of Racism

Racism is a sensitive topic in the United States. However, some events have happened to me in the last week that have made me inclined to blog about my views on race relations.

I am a white woman in the United States.
I honestly do not "see color" when it comes to relating with other people.

I regard myself as a completely non-racist individual. I am not going to go on-and-on to prove this here. Suffice it to say, my very best friend is African American, and her daughter is my God Daughter. I have dated men of all races, all religions, all creeds. My friends are all different colors of the rainbow.

Last night I went to a highschool basketball game. A good friend of mine is a teacher at the school, and he is the coach of the team. This particular school is 80% minority. My friend informed me that 90% of the school's population are eligible for reduced or free school lunch, an indication that the school is in a lower socio-economic class area. The basketball team at this school is one of the best in the area. This was to be a very important game.

The "away" team was from an area which I am familiar. The area is a middle to upper-middle class area. Many young doctors, lawyers, accountants buy their first house in this area. Also in this area live many upwardly-mobile blue-collared workers. It is suburbia at its purest.

I enter the packed gym. Coming from a small town in the country, I am surprised by two things. First, the sheer amount of people at this game - literally in the thousands. Second, I'm surprised by the amount of security at thi game. I had to go through two metal detectors to enter, and it appears that the entire cities police force is there, numbering over 50 officers.

My friend spots me. He points me to the "home" team bleachers, and nonchalently tells me not to go back outside, because there have been shootings at a few games this season in the parking lots. I guess he is desensitized. I am panicing.

I walk up to the "home" bleachers. I am literally the only white person on this side of the gym. This fact alone bothers me not in the least. I sit down towards the front.

Almost immediately, I hear racial slurs sailing from above me. "Reverse racial Slurs" Racial slurs aimed at me. A number of teenage boys approach me and start saying sexually explicit comments along the lines of

"Have you ever had a black cock, pretty thing?"

I respond:

"You are young enough to be my son."

My friend, who as I mentioned before is a teacher at this school (one of the only non-minority teachers, may I add), sees the problems I'm having. My friend gets along with his students well. He walks over, makes it clear to the individuals in the bleachers that I'm with him, and walks away.

For a while the harassment stops.

I observe the "away" team on the other side of the gym. As I had expected, the group is racially diverse. Groups of young ladies and gentlemen, white, black, Hispanic, asian, sit side by side by side.

The game soon starts. during the pleadge of allegiance, my side of the bleachers hoots and hollars. they "BOO" the other team's cheerleaders.

During the first quarter, food starts to get thrown onto the court by member's of the "home team". I get hit in the head by a hotdog.

I had enough of the throwing, the cursing, the lewd behavior, the harassment.

I got up and went to the "away" side of the bleachers. I enjoyed the rest of the game over there, and actually met some really nice people, despite the fact I was "cheeering" for a different team then them.

After the game, my coach friend said to me, sarcastically:

"You couldn't sit with 'my kids? You had to be with your 'own kind'?"

I did not respond.

My "move" had nothing to do with race!"


Second scenerio. Today I was studying in my apartment. My downstairs neighbor, a young African-American woman, is BLASTING rap music. This is the same neoghbor who says my disabled son "Walks too loudly" and bothers her. After an hour of this horrid music, the base of which was making my brain vibrate, I go down to ask her to turn the music down.

OK, I was pissed.
OK, I'm a little short on temper, because I'm trying to study for finls
OK, I already dislike this woman.

"Can you please turn down that NOISE." I say
"What noise?" She responds, sarcastically
"The noise you obviously think qualifies as music."
"You can't make me turn it down just becaue you don't like my music." she responds
"I'm sick of you people." I respond, storming away.
"And i'm sick of you. RACIST." he yells as I walk away.

My comment had NOThiNG to do with race, but rather inconsiderate persons!


The third scerio is somewhat subtler. I was at a club with my best friend. My best friend is African-American, and she is an attorney. We were at a club that was predominately black. A good-looking black man approaches me, and asks:

"Do you date black me."
"Of course I do." I say in flity tone
"If they prove worthy."
Then I add:
"Why would you ever thing I was racist? My 'sister' is African American."
He responds:
"Oh, C (my best friend) She's not REALLY black."

This is most racist comment I've ever heard! I did not even repeat it to C, she'd be so upset. The implication was that because she was educated, had multi-cultural friends, and dated men of all races and worked in a white-dominated profession, she was not "black.

That implication makes me nauseous.


I am tired of minorities "dividing" the world into "Black and White" or "Us and Them" then calling me a racist for THEIR prejudices.

I am tired of minorities who blame every difference of opinion on the other party being "racist"

Most of all, I'm tired of being "excluded" by persons of other races, just to be called "racist" for these divisions THEY created.

I DO NOT SEE COLOR.

DO YOU?