There are a lot of big things going on in America in terms of race relations,and it seems that very few of them are good.Even when it is a good news story,there is usually some form of push back on social media,so racism in thought and in practice is hardy dead.
Today another American city is in a state of turmoil,because of the shooting of another black man.It's an all to frequent occurrence in what would seem to be the Neo-Jim Crow Era. Every time such an event takes place,there is the predictable,and to some extent justified anger coming from black Americans.And every time there is monumental push back from the law enforcement agencies involved,and law and order junkies nation wide.While I don't want to slight the obvious problem as being less significant than it is,today I want to take a more micro approach to race relations.I want to look at some seemingly smaller issues.
Some of the specific news articles I've been seeing lately are disturbing.Perhaps it's because a lot of people I've talked to seem to consider them trivial in the grand scheme of things.But they are not really trivial at all.Rather,they are an indication of how all embracing,how penetrating racial discrimination must seem in the eyes of people of color.But the real point here is that they are a call to practice empathy for white Americans.
Consider the case of Butler Traditional High School in Louisville,Kentucky.This school used to have a policy of "no natural hairstyles." In ordinary language that forbid such things as braids,dreadlocks and cornrows,styles favored by and culturally appropriate to African Americans.It's unclear to me what would constitute a "natural hairstyle if the person in question was white,Hispanic or Native American.The reason it's unclear is that there seems to be a particular leaning here,a particular targeting of some trait deemed to be undesirable.Recently the ban has been lifted,but certainly the damage has already been done,the discrimination has already been received.You can't unslap the face.And it's all a controversy that need never have taken place,if the state had only stayed out of an area of personal choice,that needs no such menial and restrictive legislation.
Speaking of hair-hair,for heavens sake-The 11th Circuit Court Of Appeals recently ruled that an employer can require an employee to cut her dreadlocks,and not be guilty of racial discrimination.Race,and racial discrimination,in this case seems to be defined by skin color,not points of identity that are culturally meaningful to many persons of African heritage.How far we've come from the days when color was less the determinate than was a single drop of black blood.And what high minded,holier than thou hypocrisy.
Meanwhile,in Portland Oregon,a local school district is rethinking a recent ban of Rap Music,as well as Religious Music on it's buses.The policy,it seems was geared toward limiting access to violent and profane lyrics.That's all very noble,but such things are hardly exclusive of other forms of music.Consequently,the assault on a predominantly black form of music tends to reinforce already existing stereotypes about violence being more indigenous to African culture than to Portland's dominant culture ,which is overwhelmingly white and significantly Mormon.We can all hope,from this rethinking,that the Portland School District will address the issue of appropriate music content with far less regard to race.By all means,be intolerant of violence and profanity under an all embracing,zero tolerance policy.Also,be inclusive of all music that does not violate such a policy.
Even when the story is a good one,reflective of more progressive attitudes,there is often push back.Yesterday,on my Facebook page someone had posted a picture of a man wearing a turban,in an American Army uniform.The caption indicated the man pictured was a "Muslim",though he appeared to me to be a Sikh.Not that that is ,or should be the basis of differential treatment,but it seems to have some currency today in inciting negative responses to the policy of permitting such attire in the military.Not surprisingly,the picture was accompanied by a lot of comments,mostly negative,some violently so.Never being shy in matters of social justice I fired off my own reply.To paraphrase:This man wishes to serve his country.That is admirable.If he is,in fact a Muslim,he may well be doing so in spite of the disapproval of family members.Some may disown him.Some may even wish to kill him.Still he stands and does the right thing.PLEASE SUPPORT ALL OF OUR SOLDIERS!
Then,of course there is the issue of Colin Kaepernick. The San Francisco Quarterback who refuses to stand for the American National Anthem,in protest of the way America treats people of color.As I've said,I would have chosen to take a stand in a different manner,but I still applaud Colin Kaepernick for being a role model,for taking a stand.But it seems that since it's a black person we are talking about here,the only interpretation of his actions is that he is disrespecting his country.But,it's equally reasonable to think the,in reality that he loves his country,acknowledges it's deficiencies,and is trying to urge America to be the best that it can be.And that seems to be so lacking in American society,either black or white.
There's a reason I'm pointing to these small things.Small,but nevertheless culturally important to many Americans,especially minorities of many different stripes.Racism can penetrate to the least of things,like choice of music or hairstyle.These issues my not appear important,but they illustrate how all pervasive discrimination is.They show the picture of a society where even menial things,and I only mean menial in comparison to bigger,life and death concerns,are subject to racial attitudes that are less that progressive.
So,if there is no respect of culture in small things,is it any surprise that America is so racially fractured? Is it so shocking to find a striking lack of empathy among many Americans? It may not stop the shootings or the degradation of families and communities,but empathy,and a better orientation to race relations begins at home,in you community,with the people that you meet every day.So let's ease up on the small things.
blyndpapaya
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