As I watch the George Floyd trial one thing
is certain. Which is that Mr. Floyd faced a
plethora of challenges throughout life. Which
makes it all too easy to judge him for who he
was versus what happened to him that fateful
day. In youth he was a loving son, brother,
and friend who inspired many. A star athlete.
That big guy with even bigger dreams. Then
somehow it fell apart. Try as he might success
was elusive at best. Leaving him easy prey for
an unfair system. One in which any error in
judgement could land you in jail. Or... dead
on the pavement under some white guy's knee.
For some of us life isn't fair. From the start its
obvious that others have an unfair advantage.
Hence try as one might - insurmountable odds
made success virtually impossible. Especially
when the color of your skin defines you. A
prejudicial pre-condition that a WASP white
boy like me can't fathom. Throughout my life
I've tried to understand hate. It's root. What
fuels it. And why some of us are racists while
others aren't. Ultimately finding the there are
no easy answers. No magic solution. Racism
is a stealth cancer that poisons our collective
minds, words, and deeds on a daily basis.
Each and every American lives in some form
of subculture. One based on locale, genealogy,
economics, and race. Thus while some claim
racism is taught. I argue that said scourge is
endemically cultural. A misperception based
one's personal melange of heritage, fantasy,
and reality. Thus when it comes to racism -
one size does not fit all. My misperceptions
being very different from someone raised in
the rural south. Therefore finding an antidote
to said poison is daunting at best. Yet we must
confront and end America's racism before it
destroys us. All of us owe this to ourselves.
At birth all are equal. What happens next is
what shapes our destiny. If you're any hue
other than white you will be judged at face
value. Enabling others to limit your options
simply because of what they see. Not who
you are. Such capricious judgment insures
the odds are against you. Making chances
of success all the more challenging. Now...
step back and think about it. Who amongst
us doesn't jump to conclusions? Using our
preconceived perceptions of reality to cloud
our judgement. That my friends is racism.
And we must work together to end its reign.
