Subtle Racism

With the March on the Department of Justice unfolding in a little more than a day, one should be aware of racism. However, one would not believe that an individual who suppose to bring pride and cheer to our campus would purport to using text messaging as a way to express his/her perception of a particular race of individuals. Here we are Homecoming Week--a week of pride, joy and tradition at our institution--and I have to find a cell phone with racist text messages towards one sector of individuals. A homecoming pageant that went so well suddenly became a cloud of grey for me, as I realized that racism is like a bad virus. While some individuals believe it is a one-day flu virus, I would assert that it is more like HIV. Like a person who has HIV or any other terminal disease, you cannot always sense that there is actually a sickness until suddenly out of the thin air, the person becomes extremely sick and the disease is exposed. I believe this is how racism operates in some individuals. They claim that they are not racists, yet after a pageant where two black individual won the titles of King and Queen, a message is received to one of the contestants--who won a title other than King and Queen--that states: This is a yet another prime example of [school name deleted]--typical black shit!

Now, as one of the most diverse institutions in the state of Virginia, it is hard to believe that one would believe that one race is more than pertinent than another. Furthermore, to have one say that I didn't send the message but my friend was giving my mother updates, is beyond me. First of all, how could you even allow your friend to send such a filthy and disrespectful message to your mother? Secondly, are you not saying that your mother agreed with the comment, thus making her a racist to? It is just beyond me.

I say all of this to say this: we must be cognizant of the company we keep, as often times, our friends and loved ones can begin to represent us. Furthermore, they can begin to speak for us inexplicitly, thus expressing our morals (at least from perception). Character is more than cheering. Charactering is more than saying I am not a racist. Character is more than walking straight with confidence. Character defines our every action. It is exemplified through our actions. Most importantly, it defines us as individuals. Racism is racism. Racial slurs are racial slurs. Ignorance is bliss. Subtle racism is worse than apparent racism, because at least I know what to expect from someone who proclaims to be a racist. HOWEVER, the danger of subtle racism is that we know nothing; therefore we expect nothing. As a result, we become extremely blinded by it, and ultimately destroyed by it.

Lets keep the dream flowing...what do you think? Talk to me...