According to research psychologists, there is unconscious bias in us all. Even African American children have an unconscious bias to (statistically) predict white dolls over black dolls as positive ideals. And you can test yourself if you dare at this website.
Having unconscious bias doesn't make a person racist. And for this, let's just say racist is treating someone more negatively based on their heritage, skin color, or other external group trait or otherwise contributing to that end.
If you're reading this on Facebook, your a friend among all types. Big white biker boys in the Carolinas, tiny Asian women, men who look very much like Bob Marley, fat old white ladies in the Dakotas, slender nubian-princess activists in New Orleans, young men you'd mistake for Mexican Gangsters if you didn't know them, Jewish women from Alaska and South Africa. Most of you can claim the same - a panoply of diversity. I like to believe I'm not racist. My past experiences have embarrassed most of it out of me, having met men and women and children of every race, color and creed who have bested me in everything I might take pride in within myself. After my teaching and work with street kids, and in my travel throughout 4 of the 7 continents, it's hard to hold onto beliefs based on anything aside from behavior over time. But not being racist does not make me Anti Racist. To balance out and eventually neutralize racism (so we can all use our energy to bring our world to a more productive place), there needs to be sustained effort in fighting it.
We all have room in our lives (with the exception of young mothers and graduate students writing their theses and others struggling with overwhelming issues) for our vocations, our families, and an avocation or two. And a little exercise and "me time." Based on the persistent trouble in which we find ourselves here in America (like since 1492?), it's time for way more of us to add one more. Fighting injustice.
Awareness is a good first step, and I think you can feel this with me. We've had social media, with FB posts and retweeting galore, and that activity is not getting it done. But it IS a first step. The first step (awareness) doesn't get us there. It's the second, third and the habits of moving forward that could get us there. "There might not ever be perfect, but does anyone believe we can't do way better? We see the steady progress of technology (because it's fun and puts money in the pockets, and a compelling sense of accomplishment in the egos, of those perpetrating it). There may be very little (or even negative) direct individual financial gain, in taking more steps toward effecting racial equality, but as a nation, there is ZERO doubt that being able to re-enfranchise more and more Americans into an greater participation will create opportunity, and raise more boats, and ultimately have deep, positive economic results for everybody.
Bringing anti racism to your main vocation may be your greatest influence. Giving a minority the benefit of the doubt, even if it doesn't ultimately pan out, is fair, when you consider that they've been on the receiving end of the opposite side of that equation more than you'll ever know. But taking some of your personal bandwidth and pointing it in the direction of fixing yourself and the world could have additional and important ripples in our ill society.
Life is complex and when you ask all the "why's" about how we got here and what we can do about it, there are a thousand answers. But there are hundreds of millions of us who are spending plenty of time "social mediating" and video game playing and in the gym and watching TV and reading novels and etc. If we were to replace some of that (by all means, waste some damn time -- everyone needs a little of that every week) with something else that propagates positively into the real world and answers a few of those "why's", can you think of a better way to spend that time than working to improve the lot of those worse off than yourself?
Not sure where to start? Me either. Getting together with some friends you trust and talking about what you could actually DO to make a difference. Ask your black friends. Ask your Mexican friends. Talk about it. Think about it. Read about it. Be creative and then create. My gut tells me that our eventual hope lies in the next generation. Let your own kids tag along and have those hard conversations with them. You don't know the answers, but together you can ask the questions together and research answers.
I'm sitting here watching The Shawshank Redemption. When Andy tunnels out and they discover his escape, Red narrates Andy's love for geology, ruminating on Andy's love of geology and its main forces of pressure and time. "Pressure and time." And how that persistence meant his escape. The pressure is growing. The more pressure, the less time it takes for the plates to shift. There's hope now, but it's by no means inevitable. If we care enough about what's right, and we apply some pressure within our sphere of influence, and if we work to expand that influence wherever we can, even if it's within our small circle of friends, and if we network that circle to the next degree of Kevin Bacon, I don't know what might happen. My imagination tells me that it could matter.
Many of you reading this are already actively working within your jobs, AS your jobs, and through other means working toward relegating racism to the ash heap of history. Clearly we need more of us in on that endeavor.
What are some things I could do? Brainstorm:
Get involved in the Urban League or NAACP or Southern Poverty Law Center, participate in their activities, ask where you can contribute to their efforts to help out.
Create your own Meet-Up Group (White's for Universal Rights/ Minority Rights, Anti-Racist San Diego Action Network) and get together, create an action plan, and go with it.
Recruit friends, make friends and get together to discuss options. How awkward is that? As awkward as suffering through another 4 decades of racially-motivated atrocities?
Volunteer at your local school (elementary, middle or high) to help organize an anti-racist program, including curriculum, club, etc. According to Stanford's school of education, Anti-Racist Teaching is one of the 10 Features of Successful Small Schools. Anti-Racist Teaching. Students, staff, leaders, etc.
As you start, learn what you don't know. Expose yourself to some writers from within disenfranchised groups. Read about the enemy (racists). Read about reformed racists. Read the words of Jesus and the Dalai Lama. I started with I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Sula, Invisible Man, Huckleberry Finn and some speeches and letters famous for their power and perspective. Get in there and turn your perceptions on their heads.
Google it: What should I read to understand racism? What can I do to stop racism?
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