About race and ethnicity, that is.
Rather than just participating in a sporadic conversation born of out of a reaction to some incident beamed to us by satellite via our favorite medium of communication, or something we witnessed at work or play, we must willingly engage in whatever opportunity that presents itself as we go about our daily lives.
All forms of passive engagement only require a minimum effort on our part. To truly lift this cloud of color angst that hovers and hangs above us – some days high, some days low, but ever present – we must be proactive about it.
We must want to overcome our collective reticence, our fear, our conflict-avoidance syndrome, and get to the stage where race relation issues become a natural part of the national dialogue, both formally and informally. Whether these conversations occur in classrooms, coffee houses, community forums, or family gatherings – we need to cultivate a good appetite to learn as much as we can about other people and cultures.
Imagine what a meaningful and giant step that would be in creating a one world, one people concept.
However, we, as a nation, seem caught between two extremes: One, where we would like to avoid the topic at all costs, in nearly every domain – politics, the workplace, and even in the place where we worship. How can we forget the great lengths taken by then presidential candidate Barack Obama, and his aspiring cohorts alike, to suppress the issue of race in the protracted campaign season?
However, despite these efforts, the issue of race kept raising its head whether in bedrooms, around kitchen tables, or across the backyard fence.
Then we have the other extreme, where we want to either declare that history is prologue and there will never be true acceptance, or equality, among or across race and ethnicity. In that respect, we have the Rush Limbaugh’s, the Rev. Wrights, the black, white, brown, and yellow separatists groups, who are happy to always look for a forum to espouse and spew forth their openly racist pronouncements.
If we had any hope that electing the first African American President would broaden and make a national dialogue easier, then that audacious hope has cowered. The Henry Louis Gates-Jim Crowley Beer Summit at the White House cannot be all there is.
Where does that leave the rest of us – the silent majority of Americans? Some of us, no doubt, relate to both of the opposite ends of the spectrum as illustrated above, but there must be a large core group of us who are ready to be part of a new chorus, and willing to sing new songs of inclusiveness.
When will we flex our collective muscle, and stop tolerating platitudes, stop being passive participants in the intermittent parade of comments and analysis of pundits on talk shows and op-ed pages of the local newspapers? When we demand that our leaders view the issue of race relations in this country, and around the world, as just as important – if not more so – as the fight against terrorism, global warming, and illiteracy – all of which, left unattended, could lead to the demise of a nation…indeed the planet.
When will we engage in a national dialogue about race and ethnicity, and begin to identify in civil forums those issues that divide us, and impede our progress as a nation? When will we begin to identify, prioritize, and implement real solutions? WHEN?
At USARiseUp.com we are committed to provide a forum for all races and ethnicities to come together in our understanding of each other, with a goal of building stronger communities, cities, nations, and a better world. It is just a matter of time before we become a nation, and world of minorities.
We do not approach these challenges that haunted us for generations with rose-colored glasses, but we do tackle these issues with an unflappable and unswerving commitment to make things better. We look forward to taking this journey together because we truly believe…
What do you think?
Comments
Race
I like a lot of the points that the article brought up about race. It is so true that people would rather avoid the topic than confront it head on. People don't like to discuss the concept of race for many reasons. Like the article said they neglect it out of fear and continue to stay silent as a whole. Then you have the other side of the spectrum where people openly express their opinions on how we will never truly be equal. Racism is a major problem in society and it deserves more attention than it deserves. I like how the article asks when leaders of our world will recognize this issue as being as important as terrorism, global warming, and illiteracy. The fact of the matter is that racism can actually be thrown in with these topics because they slow down the progress of the world and can lead to its demise. Racism is a reoccurring problem and the only way to help fix it is to stop being silent and start confronting the issue head on. People cannot continue to let people create a divide between the nation because it can only have negative effects and eventually destroy us.
It is so important to have a
It is so important to have a dialogue and to educate yourself on race. Before participating in this website, I was unsure about the real problems that African Americans face everyday. This website and the class that I am taking in school, opens the doors to discuss the problems between races. It exposes us and puts us outside of a comfort zone where we would normally never go. It really important that we recognize ourselves and take a hard look at our everyday thoughts and beliefs. Once we do that, we can openly discuss these with others and really get to the bottom of our ideas about race. This article really helped me understand that.
Start with elementary schools
It seems only in the educational sanctuaries can we find a place to truly discuss what and how Race divides. Even then we can’t entirely break down the walls, because as I’ve observed in the classes I’ve taken, we rank our grades above our commitment to change. As students we are used to being taught, but in regards to the dialogue on race I think the flip needs to happen. We have so many requirements for each degree offered, yet we have no requirement to educate on race. What if as an educational institution we were required to integrate Race and Ethnicity into every major, and not just the social sciences. How is it acceptable that Business majors aren’t required to discuss race? Aren’t they the first people into a new market (which is usually culturally if not ethnically different than our own culture?). I think until we give these discussions the weight they require we can’t create change. So I guess I propose that we should start even earlier – elementary school . We teach math, reading, writing, why not cultural sensitivity? What if we made it okay to talk about, understand and celebrate differences at a really early age. I think the handi-abled community found a way to transform how they are viewed in the public eye (and they started with educational programs in elementary schools) – while not perfect it’s a start. I say we stop talking, because the only people listening are the ones that care and we need to reach the ambivalent, and we start creating change on the ground floor.
In this article, Ellis
In this article, Ellis discusses the issue that race is not broadcasted. She believes that race is a big issue and it needs to be seen by all. America turns its cheek and doesn’t put race issues in the media. I completely agree with Ellis. I believe race is still an issue and it needs to be addressed. A great example of this, is the show Black and White that we watched in class. When Rose was black she was watched in a store that she has shopped in her entire life. She did not realize that this happened to blacks until she was in their shoes. This is a big issue because our country is built on freedom and I believe everyone should be treated equal. Ellis seems to favor the same arguments and they should be addressed.
Hope on Racism
This article among others that I have read was fascinating in that it addressed the point in which people don't want to talk about racism because it is uncomfortable. We need to step aside from our comfort zone and put on the shoes of the Native Americans who have been ripped from this land, or Blacks who were held as slaves and try to understand their pain and suffering. The United States is known across the world as a Nation of freedom and the pursuit of happiness, but happiness and freedom do not apply to all races. People of color are constantly being pushed aside, and the sooner that everyone steps back and takes a look at the big picture, that we can then try to understand one another and work as one nation.
Change
This article in my opinion laid some very basic groundwork and gave useful suggestions of how we might be able to approach such complicated and controversial issues such as race and acceptance of others. It challenges the norms that we so widely accept regarding our tendency to avoid conflict on such issues. It seems that the majority of people today are stuck in a comfort level that they do not want to see changed or scrutinized. A mentality that if everything is going well in my life why should I care about someone else’s well being? Instead of wanting to extend a hand to those around us to help our society grow as a whole. The article is very accurate in the sense that unless we change ourselves how can we expect to change anything around us?
I myself thought that with the election of Barack Obama that we might be taking an enormous step into the future where racism and prejudice might begin to fade away but it seems that the exact opposite has occurred. As the article pointed out it is as though we are split in two and are struggling to find a middle ground where everyone can see eye to eye and begin to work towards something bigger than their own ideals and personal problems. To finally work towards overall equality and acceptance and do not stop until we reach that goal.
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