The race issue in America

I have no idea what it is like to be a black man in this country, no clue. I do however feel I have put forth a strong effort to fight against racism. Blacks and whites had their heads beaten in the 60's in an effort to promote equal rights, and I would think they now are simply sad. Race has become a hot topic right now, and rightfully so. We have seen far too many incidents of police brutality, the sadness of Katrina, racial slurs in the workplace, schools, and streets of our communities, we see unfair jail sentencing, and unfair reporting of a man who's about to be President. The race card has two sides to it, I mean how people have you heard say "some of my best friends are black, I am not racist", or "You won't take my check at this resturant 'cause I'm black!" (I personally experienced the latter), or how about "Kyle, who you voting for? You want that n****R in the White House! WTF!". What age are we living in? This is a topic I get heated about, cause when my single mother raised me, she taught me from a young age, that I see humans, that's it. It has stuck with me for 36 years, thanks Mom. The issues that need discussed is what are whites afraid of, why the KKK or Neo-Nazis are not yet extinct. When we look at race crimes in this country that are played over and over by the media, it's no wonder whites might think they ought to be scared, and blacks angry. Take the Jena, La. beating of a white male by six young black men over the hanging of a noose. The media played the tape of that to death, and what did it accomplish? Nothing. It did not spark conversation amongst black and white colleagues or neighbors of why the noose was hung, did it? It sparked more racism. Or take Katrina, poor blacks and whites stranded in a city full of water, and what got more attention than the Bush Crime Family's horrendous reaction...yep, Kanye West's comment . I feel shame when I hear people of all colors say "we have come so far", we have not accomplished enough. We have made progress, but we have a long way to go. The following video says that much.



We, as Americans always praise ourselves for our "compassion", but I ask, what is it we are so compassionate about? Our ignorance to what a diverse safe community we could have? I am always intrigued when I hear a PSA about crime in our neighborhoods and how we should discuss it with people on our streets or in our apartment complex. I always wonder how many people discuss race issues, or political topics that revolve around race with those same people? I was chatting with the folks over at Democracy Interactive about race last night, and see the frutration growing in the country over the issue. If we choose to move on and pretend it's not there, then we run the risk of it rearing it's hateful head again. Let's honor those that fought for all of our rights by standing proudly in the way they visioned... unified.

UPDATE: Gov. David Paterson make clear that noose hanging in the form of a threat will now be punishable by law. Will other states follow suit?