on RACISM - 013017

(kracka's note:  i never meant to post this, my first stab at writing down what was coming up for me with regard to racism in America; specifically, what i was witnessing as an increase use of this word, and oftentimes, careless use of this word (imho), which can have unintended consequences.  after writing this, i experienced an AHA moment, which brought to light my own ignorance in pretty glaring fashion about the fact that i was writing this piece through the lens of my own white privilege.  So i started another writing, which i posted here, and since the time of this writing, have been having a very interesting conversation between myself and one of my readers (you can read that at the bottom of the white privilege post).  during this conversation, some of the issues i addressed in my earlier piece came up and, at the risk of exposing my own glaring ignorance to my audience, I agreed to post that piece here...for what its worth.  Enjoy!)

Since the election of Donald Trump, i have noticed, with increasing frequency - and carelessness -, the use of the word racism set right along with the words prejudice, bias, and even, preference, as if these words all mean the same thing.  they don’t.  they are markedly different, and to use them as synonyms is dangerous, divisive, and dare i say, even lazy, since the use of the word marks a clear qualitative DISTINCTION between self and other in a way that allows self to ignore one’s own damaging prejudices. 

the word racism has a very specific meaning and is NOT synonymous with these other words, and, as i have learned time and time again, words MATTER!  They can UNITE, spark discussion and elicit forward-moving action, or they can DIVIDE.  inherent in the word/concept of racism is a very definitive superiority/subhuman dichotomy; in other words, when I call you out as a racist, what I am suggesting is that you consider me to be less of a human than you; that you consider yourself to be a GREATER, SUPERIOR human being.  Unless this is really true, I would consider the use of this word divisive.   

In my experience as a brown person walking this earth, i have rarely encountered or experienced the workings of a true racist, ala Dylan Roof.  As a brown person adopted by white people, I have spent most of my life in communities where I am usually one of the only brown people.  I often make the joke that I went to a high school of 1,500, where there were 3 ½ black ppl; I was the half.  Mostly in these communities, i came into contact with prejudice and bias, very different words; at the heart of these words is typically (i have found) fear of "otheness" - a very natural and workable by-product of being human.  I am not suggesting that prejudice and bias don't have their problems, only that these words suggest a very different working of the mind; one that is easier to stare right in the face, because it doesn't suggest a basic lack of HUMANITY.  Never once can I say I dealt with a racist, or a person who looked at me as if I were less than human. 

I bring this up because when the word racist/racism is thrown into the mix when it should not be, it can have unintended consequences, such as (1) shutting out dialogue and discourse with the very ppl who may be allies to you, or (2) getting someone who is completely unqualified elected as President of the United States, because ppl (mostly white ppl in rural parts of America) are sick of the neo-liberal BS that often suggests white ppls *racism* is THE problem in a world gone amok. Now certainly our nation, and the world in general, is in a very precarious state at the moment, but this is not because of an ideology of racism, which is, in its purest analysis, a form of mental illness.  How many ppl do you know that actually feel that black and brown ppl are SUBHUMAN?  For me in my circles? I encounter pre-judice on the daily, and i am guilty of holding pre-judices myself ), but I can’t think of anyone who i would call out as a racist.

I am writing this here because i think that the biggest issue facing humanity right now is the subjugation of the feminine, and the ongoing battle of the sexes.  We see this as humanity continues to rape and pillage mother earth, even as we XX’S continue to fight for this thing called *equality*, all the while, denying that there are very VALUABLE differences and distinctions between XX's and XY's.  Equality does NOT mean *same*, and if we can accept that it was set up this way by design, perhaps we can begin to make these differences work FOR US, rather than against us. As just one example, generally speaking, XY's are physically STRONGER than XX's, so why do we continue to fight for the right to do ANY JOB men can do? Seriously, if you want to be a garbage collector and sling 50 - 100 lb cans of trash over your shoulder for 8 - 12 hours, more power to you; personally i would rather use the emotional depth that is an XX's gawd given gift (and if you would like to argue this, remember; its woman who are charged with the primary job of NURTURING) to help heal the deep fissures that exist between the sexes.

So - the next time you are tempted to throw the word racism into a post or conversation, think about whether THIS is what you really mean, or whether there is another word, that is more appropriate, and might work to facilitate dialogue rather than shut it down and make the existing divide even deeper. 

Thank you for listening.