Most of what I write here is straight from the heart, and I am usually apologetically honest, even when it's not the popular thing to say. But how does a white man talk about race without it blowing back up in his face? We are in some ways (and many will argue with me on this) the "privileged" race and sex, so that's two strikes against me. How does one engage in an open dialogue with anyone if they are white and male? I've been told before that I just don't understand and to be silent, because I was (as if I was around) the oppressor for so many years. Yes, my fellow white men (and women) were oppressors and they did terrible things to people of color. A long time ago. No one alive today remembers anything about slavery except what we hear from older generations (the stories they were told by older people) and from what we read in our history books, etc. I know people of color today in a lot of ways still feel oppressed, whether it's by society, law enforcement, political leaders, etc. Do I feel that oppression is a problem? Absolutely. You'd be a fool to think it was not. But I see a world that is open and ripe for the taking regardless of your background. Accepting personally responsibilities and not blaming the world for your problems, no matter how big is a step toward maturity.
I know that racism still exists. And it's still a prevalent part of our society, unfortunately. It will always be to a certain extent. Race has been brought to the forefront the last handful of years. With the
#BlackLivesMatter movement, racial justice has been a leading discussion among people. Beyonce has caught some heat for her Super Bowl 50 halftime performance, which she performed her new single "Formation," which highlights the Black Lives Matter movement. and her backup dancers were dressed as an homage to the
Black Panther Party of the 1960s. I will personally say that, I like Beyonce, and I like her new music video, and I respect an artist's freedom of expression. But, I think maybe the Black Panther Party, which advocated violence to overcome black struggles, might have been done in poor taste.
But hey, it's Beyonce and she can pretty much do what she wants. I think most people will forget about it, and buy her new album and attend her concerts.
I recognize the significance of racial injustice, and know there's still more work to be done. As a libertarian, I recognize the decriminalization of harmful drug laws most affects the African American community. These are steps we can take to keep non-violent offenders out of prison, which often times tend to be African American males. It's a problem that is bipartisan, and I think we're headed in the right direction.
It's important to listen to your neighbor, even if your neighbor isn't like you. Something that isn't an issue to you, might be a very important one to your black, Latino, gay, elderly, transgender, female, etc. neighbor. I am for the individual. I re-posted a picture on Facebook the other day that read, "The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." This speaks volumes in my opinion. Because most who claim to be for minority rights don't typically care about the individuals rights at all. But that's for another article I suppose.
My biggest question is what can I do to help? The only way I know to help is to treat everyone I meet with kindness and respect. Something I was raised to do. I'm not much on protesting or attending rallies, or even arguing with anyone that disagrees with me. As a white person, I believe I can still recognize and acknowledge these issues, without feeling any "white guilt." I am only an individual and I only represent myself. I don't represent all white people or all men. I only can speak for myself and myself only. And I suppose you can relate.
