A House Divided is Better than None.

“I am for truth, no matter who tells it. I am for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I am a human being first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.”

– Malcolm X

Over the past couple of weeks, I've watched and read some very disturbing/depressing news on "race based injustice". (Note: I use that phrase instead of "racism" due to the fact that the literal definition of racism doesn't accurately and fully describe the inequitable, negative externalities experienced by a person (or group) as the result of their race.) Renowned scholar and professor, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was arrested in his own home after being suspected of burglarizing "himself". A black EMT in the midst of escorting a patient to the hospital was choked by an Oklahoma Highway Patrolman. A Philadelphia swim club revokes access to black and latino daycare children. Black policemen (also in Philadelphia) reveal the racist message board used by their fellow officers. You know, the typical stuff.

I grew up in Birmingham, AL and have lived in the south all of my life. Being a black man, the south (or the United States for that matter) hasn't always been very hospitable. I've been called names, spit on, and accosted by whites because of my skin color. I've been stopped by the police for DWB (driving while black). I get the dirty looks when I'm on the "wrong side of town". Women clutch their purses when they see me. For some reason though, the clothing and electronics store employees are always overly helpful. They follow me all around the store and compulsively ask if I need any "assistance". I guess this being black thing isn't a total bane :|

That being said, I'm convinced of two things:

1. If the socioeconomic positions of blacks and whites were reversed, blacks would be just as unfair and abusive.

2. Bigotry (although not in and of itself) speaks volumes to how much we (as human beings) value capitalism and democracy.

The discriminatory and hateful practices of some whites isn't a result of the condition of their skin. Rather, it's an expression of the depravity of the human heart. That heart condition is by no means restricted to caucasians. This is more than evident in much of the bigotry tinged rhetoric concerning the influx of Mexican immigrants. Sadly, too much of the vitriol hypocritically comes from those that are best positioned (by reason of their own experiences with prejudice) to convey empathy. Take a look at the violence in countries where everyone has the same skin color but may differ on religion or geographical origin. Hate and bigotry based on ethnicity are just as (and in many cases even more) rampant there. The fact of life is that the low man on the totem pole is most likely to be the object of animosity and less likely in a position to equally demonstrate his own. When given the ability (through power or money) people are "free" to be more expressive with their hate.

My second point is also illustrated by the flow of immigrants from Mexico (or Haiti, and any other country for that matter). In most cases, minority immigrants come here and have a supremely heavier burden to carry than just their pigmentation. I consider the dangerous and often deadly voyage taken to come to the US. I think about the crippling inability to read, write, or speak the native language. I think about experiencing the refusal of employers to pay a just wage (if they pay at all); the inability to fully access the social safety net that average citizens are entitled to. When coupled with the inescapable handicap of skin color, it is a wonder that anyone would even entertain the thought of crossing the border or ocean. Yet, the opportunities and rewards presented by the principles and philosophies upon which the United States was founded provide an overwhelming incentive to brave the comparatively insignificant atmosphere of hate. In what country will I (whether black, white, or purple) have a better chance at accumulating wealth than in the United States? I may not always get my way but I can actually participate in the decision making process of the government. I can own land. I can worship my God.

I wish racism didn't exist. I wish race-based injustice wasn't as prevalent in the US as it is. However, I understand that, like poverty and war, there are some things that will always exist as a result of the sullied human soul. There are numerous countries that I could live in and never have to experience the race-based injustice that I experience here. Nevertheless, the quality of life afforded by a relatively "free" market system and relatively democratic system of government greatly outweighs the hate and injustice I endure. This is of course coming from a guy that was never tarred & feathered, lynched, whipped, raped, burned alive, dragged to death, bludgeoned with a police baton, sodomized with a broomstick, shot 41 times, or sitting on death row for a crime I didn't commit... but you get my point..... Right? :\