Lately, America has been forced to deal with the issue of
racism. As a white man I can honestly say I haven’t really given it much
thought. Oh, every once in a while, when something happened in the news I would
give it a thought or two, but then quickly retreat back into my own world. I
was even naïve enough to think that once a black man had been elected as
president that the issue was put to rest once and for all. I believed that
America had finally come to the place where race didn’t matter. But honestly,
it never has mattered much to me, maybe because I am white. I have never been
touched by discrimination. I have never been followed around a store by
security because of the color of my skin. I have never had someone avoid me on
the street because I am white. Never have I been insulted because of my race.
No one has ever passed judgment on my character due to my race. I have never
been considered a threat to anyone’s safety because of my appearance. I have
never been stopped by the police simply for driving in the wrong part of town.
And the list could go on. And guess what? I don’t even think about being white,
because it simply has never been an issue.
After all that has happened lately, it just seems wrong not
to think about these things. I hear a lot about “white privilege” Are there benefits
for being white? I don’t know because I have never considered it. Would I even
know since I have never thought about it? But the question that haunts me right
now is personal…
Am I a racist…?
I love people! I have no one that I can say is my enemy. (Ok, I admit some people annoy me and there
are plenty of people I annoy!) I love talking to people especially people
who are different than me; there are all kinds of interesting things to talk
about with people of different backgrounds, life experiences, and cultures. I
can honestly say that I am not intimidated because of someone’s race; in fact
my curiosity creates a strong desire to interact with people different than me.
By the way, this doesn’t just go for race but religion, politics, and a whole
host of other differences. But I will have to concede I sometimes get nervous because
I don’t want to offend, since often I am unfamiliar with what is offensive I say
things and do things that offend.
But that isn’t my heart...
And that is my point! My mouth may say something considered
racist but I truly don’t know that it is… So in writing this I’m asking that
there be a path to forgiveness without labeling me something I do not want to
be. I also realize that it is my job to learn these things; it isn’t the responsibility
of others to teach me. So I am willing to learn how to be a better man, a
better white man, a man who sees the struggles of others and is ready to do
something about it!
**I
wrote this some time ago but have purposely waited for a time when emotions
aren’t running high.