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Bad News – Racism is Alive
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. — Martin Luther King, Jr
I went out to dinner with my daughter and her family this week. My son-in-law, Ismael, is from Guinea and became a naturalized US citizen last year. He asked me what my thoughts were about Ferguson, MO. He told me that watching events unfold made him weep and it was difficult to understand why an unarmed black youth was killed by police and that tanks, rubber bullets and laser-guided rifles were being trained on demonstrators. I told him about the 60s and the civil rights demonstrations, killings and institutionalized segregation. It didn’t help with the understanding. That is because it is beyond understanding. I glanced over at my grandson, Boka who is 12-years old and it washed over me that he and his sisters would experience the scourge of racism. This may not be dramatic (I hope!) but it will be real.
As horrifying as the shootings of unarmed men is, that is really the ugliest tip of a giant iceberg of racism that permeates our society. Whether it is the disproportionate numbers of African-Americans incarcerated or the random stops, searches and suspicions of police, to the person being subjected to racism there is no doubt. The store clerk that follows you around the store, the stares from strangers all lead to show racism. We have an African-American president and yet, it is racism that is fueling some of the most troubling events in our country today.
“Most middle-class whites have no idea what it feels like to be subjected to police who are routinely suspicious, rude, belligerent, and brutal.” — Benjamin Spock
I want my grandchildren to feel safe walking to school the store or simply playing in the park or at the beach and to be free of judgement based upon their race.
Clearly, the response by police in Ferguson was way out of control. I was very impressed with Captain Ron Johnson on his first night on the job when he walked with the protestors, drew hugs and cheers and declaring that he was there to serve and protect. The militarization of our police forces is a waste of our tax dollars (yes you are paying for this) especially when our infrastructure is as fragile as it is. I know that police like new toys just like anyone else and I am sure they were itching to get to use all that fancy military gear but it is completely inappropriate to deploy against people peacefully demonstrating their outrage at the shooting of an unarmed man.
“There’s not an American in this country free until every one of us is free.” — Jackie Robinson
End soapbox