Tuesday, August 20, 2013

No place for racism here, there or anywhere


You don't have to be a minority to be offended by racist comments. I am a white girl from a small New England town.  My high school was a class of 70 something and consisted of maybe 2-3 people who were not white. I have parents who came of age during the civil rights movement.  They have a deep awareness, first hand of what people of color had to face in this country at that time. My mom (obviously also white) marched with Dr. Martin Luther King. 
I am educated. I went to school in Boston for communications and written and oral expression and interpersonal communication are paramount in my life. My formal degree didn't make me anti-racist though. Before all that, I was raised to have empathy. I was taught to try to put myself in others' shoes. 
Am I judgmental? Of course. Do I say hurtful things sometimes without knowing all of the facts? Absolutely. I try to weigh it out though. Put some thought into  the assumption I have made and question it. I don't tolerate blanket  racist comments. Even though I am as white and corny as the town I grew up in, my blood boils when I hear or see ignorant statements from stupid people who haven't even stepped out of their own big fish, small pond scenarios. Facebook is a public place. It is not a place for hateful jokes that can be misconstrued. 
I have to emphasize the message that even if the 800+ friends you have are all white,  you never know who you are going to hurt by what you say when generalizing about an entire group.
Get a job, get a degree, go learn something. Connect with some people who are different than your messed up and fragile self. Maybe you don't mean to appear ignorant. Maybe you are trying to be cool with some of your friends. Let me say that there is nothing cool about being ignorant. I suggest some new friends. Be aware of what you are saying because your words are hurting people, beginning with me via the news feed. Stop it.

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