Racial strife and discord have existed for ages. Immediately when we think of racism, we think of hatred between blacks and whites. However, what about the the racism and hatred that exists among individuals of the same race?
The other night I was hanging out with some friends on Beale St. My white friend’s fiance, who is also white, locked his keys in his car. I called Roadside Assistance from my cell phone, and they said they would send someone within the hour free of charge.
My friend’s fiance, Paul, is a big white guy and by his own description was dressed “red-neck like.” I, of course, am said to be a somewhat attractive black girl and I was wearing a somewhat short, but classy, black dress.
Well, Paul and I had to walk several times back and forth from the car to the restaurant to make sure everything was okay and to look out for the locksmith. On our final trip back from the car, a black taxi driver pulled up next to us and drove beside us, even as we turned the corner. He had his window down and seemed really upset.
He began to yell at us: “What’s up with this? What’s up with this?” He pointed back and forth between me and Paul. I was so stunned that I stopped in my tracks and just looked at him. The evil looks and yelling were directed at me! He looked me straight in the eye every time he began his tirade!
I was so shocked that I wasn’t even able to respond to the hate. Paul and I hurried on into the restaurant as the guy continued to send us evil looks.
Later, I tried to look at it from the perspective of the black guy. He was yelling at me out of hate, basically asking why I was with that white man. All he saw was another good looking black woman with some white man. Another white man stealing a good black woman from all the available black men who work hard instead of hanging out on street corners or in jail.
Yes, he does have a point, but is it a good one?
Among blacks, I often hear about oppression from whites and how they try to keep us in certain positions. White people aren’t the only people who perpetuate the racial strife that exists in America today. Blacks also play a part. It seems blacks not only help continue the hate between races, we also create hate within our race. Why can’t we be happy for each other when someone has something new? Why can’t we be happy for any relationship a fellow black has whether it’s with another black or not?
Why can’t the world just be happy that two people are in love?
I thought back on the incident and wondered how the man would have reacted if I would have yelled back “I’m not with him,” like my boyfriend suggested. Then I realized, that’s not the point. No, I’m not dating a white man, but what if I was? What’s the big deal? We would only be two people with different amounts of pigment in our skin, bottom line. It shouldn’t matter what color person I’m dating as long as we’re happy and love and respect God, each other and ourselves. Everything else is just details.
Are blacks not the ones keeping ourselves in certain boundaries? We are continuing the segregation. Why not support each other and not limit ourselves to one ethnic group? Stop the years of racial injustice.
We are all people; act like it.
