Racism is not cloaked in most of the south because too few ppl want to see it so they don't. Because we dont look for it racism is not real to us. Those who participate in racism think racism is just the way things are & thereby keep the reality in focus, strengthening it. Their own actions of alienation of those who are different from themselves are common so they dont see it as a problem. The coloreds & the whites in these rural areas of America accept separate & unequal treatment as how it is & they dont step outside of the box of racism they accepted as children. Then they train their children to believe the same BS.It is a NEVER ending cycle if we dont force change.
The reason the confederate flag still flies is because some are still fighting the Un-Civil War & winning. We still have separate & unequal America alive & well outside of the major urban ghetto meccas & the facade of integration. At the same time people of color are still attacked with immunity on jobs, on the street & remain jobless because this is how the war is won. If blacks cant find jobs they must steal to eat. When arrested in the fight for mere survival, they are then subject to legalized slavery, working for nothing but the will of the government that has mastered enslavement of the poor.
Black ppl (including my 40 year old cousin who grew up here in the Sanford area) dont go to the places that did not accept them 20 or 30 years ago. Yes the KLAN attitude still exists here & white ppl here still see ALL black ppl as criminals. But black ppl dont talk to white ppl in order to force them to see the humanity in us.
I talk to white ppl all the time to make sure they see me in all my humanity. Because we dont let go of the past, the past doesn't let go of us! We must stop acting like we CANT go to places because they dont want us in them.We must also force white ppl to see us even though it is uncomfortable to be around ignorant racist. The only way to stop racism from continuing is to stand in the face of racists & ask them why the are who they are.
Do U know that local Ft Lauderdale black people still do not go to the beach because they think "white ppl dont want us there!" This is what they tell me. The Ft Lauderdale pool on the beach has NO black swimmers. When a black guy found out my daughter & I swim he told us to go but it costs too much. We swim on the beach for free & had a pool in our complex so we did not force white ppl who still don't want us in the same pool with them to deal with us. The racial divide is wide & strong. But we ALL strengthen it by giving too much attention to it.
Where your attention goes, the energy grows. We must stop feeding the reality of racism by changing our behavior to accommodate it. I take FREE ME everywhere I go. I act free so I am free. Try it. U might like it. Even when silly white ppl treat me like I don't belong & even ask me where I am from because locals don't go near them, I am still “free me” & I am still walking free. So my conclusion is that ppl live up to your lowest expectation. Expect more & receive it!
I was on a mock jury at the Sanford court house with my daughter & 4 white women on HLN during jury deliberations for the Zimmerman trail. Only 1 of the white women said she thought Zimmerman should go free. I asked her why? She said because she did not know what Trayvon was doing & why he just didnt go home instead of waiting for Zimmerman in the dark. I shared that the only person in his home was his 12 year old brother. I then asked, "Should Trayvon have allowed a creepy pervert to follow him home? Even if Trayvon got in the house & locked the door, the pervert could come back & get him or his brother later. So wasn't it right to try to hide & then when caught ask, 'Do U have a problem?' & when the creep reached for his gun/phone shouldn't Trayvon have fought for his life?"
She looked stunned! She said she is not a racist & she didn't want me to think she was racist. She repeated this several times during our conversation. But when she left I saw her crying in her car because she realized she did not give Trayvon the consideration she should have given any human being. I did my job. I did not curse her out or tell her she was racially biased. I just shared my perspective to allow her to see that her perspective really was biased.
We need to share more stories. I am video tapping my stories & sharing them on youtube.com. I will share the page with you soon so U can C the power of Truth.
Much Love & success with healing the racial divide. - Michelle Lynn Harvey July 19, 2013
commentary
"You are consistent and persistent, Michelle, with the truth and the heart of what matters. With what matters you are truthful, frank and plain. It isn't simple what you've asked of others in the way you live, Michelle, but it is simple if one addresses their contradictions in the reasons they really are not free! - Gregory
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| Daughters of RA August 23, 2013 |
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