A Look in My Mirror

I am curious about James Clyburn’s assertion that southern governors who refuse stimulus money are harming black people.  Why did he single out southern governors?  I know there is a history of racism in all the states that he named.  It is well documented.  But, the four states he mentioned, South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, are not the only ones thinking about rejecting the stimulus money.  So why these states?  It is because of the history of racism.  There is an assumption that all white southerners are racist.

I have been accused of racism solely because I am from Georgia and am white.  I know I will never understand what blacks have gone through in many cases, but an accusation against me, by someone who doesn’t know me, is just as harmful.  From an early age I have been taught to respect all people.  It has been emphasized in my family because I do have family members who are not as tolerant.  Many of them have changed, but some have not.  Because of these elements in my family, my father and mother have taught me not to judge.  I try not to judge also.  It does become hard when people do accuse me of racism solely because of the place I was born.  I begin to wonder what the fight is for when some blacks only see my heritage not me.

There has been a phrase “The New South” used to describe the increased industrialization of Southern states.  But, it also means there are new people with new ways to see race, mostly not to see race.  I am from this generation.  I chose to continue to fight against bigotry.  I chose not to let cynicism come into my heart because of peoples prejudice against me.  I chose, none else, me.  My only wish is that others will join me and begin to drown out the old way of thinking.  Looking forward is much better than looking back.  I believe Martin Luther King would agree today that his proclamation of “Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty I’m free at last.”  should apply not only to equality of the races but also the unshackling from past thought processes and stepping forward to a new way where all people are free from racist beliefs.  A place where it is just as wrong to stereotype whites a it is to stereotype blacks or asians or hispanics.  Let us free our minds so we can free ourselves and this nation.