R is for Race
I tend to have a hard time choosing sides because I can see both points of view. I am easily persuaded and can quickly get excited about the same things you are excited about.
There are a few things in life that I just can't seem to understand and one of them is judging people based on their race. How can you decide what you think about a person based on the color of their skin, what part of the world they are from, or something their ancestors did many, many moons ago? What happened to "do unto others as you would have done unto you"? The Golden Rule was not made to be broken.
What amazes me the most is that there are still so many issues with race going on today. I remember hearing about a high school when I was in college (10 years ago) that had separate prom's for black and white kids. My jaw dropped open when I learned about this school. How could this still be going on, when I had read about it in my history books? It was in my HISTORY textbooks; that means it happened in the past...not currently. Just last year a judge had to tell the state of Mississippi that segregation was no longer allowed in schools.
Really? For real, people need to be told that this is illegal? It blows my mind...
I understand that one of the great things about this country is that we are all raised with our own set of beliefs. Our parents teach us to believe in the same things they believe in and we follow them with blind faith. At some point you have to decide if you still have the same beliefs you were raised with. Some we keep and some we discard in favor of things that feel more "us". It amazes me that there are people out there that decide to believe that they are better that others just because they are a member of what they see a superior race.
Be proud of who you are and respect everyone else. I am easily persuaded, but you will never be able to persuade me that any one race is better or worse than another one. We are individuals and I refuse to judge an individual based on preconcieved expectations of their race.
Black is Black.
White is White.
Life is always
A racial fight.
Don't date her.
Don't Marry Him.
He doesn't match
The color of your skin.
Why does it matter?
Why do we care?
Would you see a difference
If the skin wasn't there?
They may use a language
We do not speak
They may have beliefs
We find unique.
But deep down inside
Beneath that thin shell,
You may just find someone
You know very well.
Friends come in all sizes, colors, and shapes,
And you might miss a lot
If you see only a face.
Each culture has something
Unique we can learn
To make our lives better,
Our souls much more pure.
So cast off your prejudice
Replace hate with love
And look on each person
As does your Father above.
White is White.
Life is always
A racial fight.
Don't date her.
Don't Marry Him.
He doesn't match
The color of your skin.
Why does it matter?
Why do we care?
Would you see a difference
If the skin wasn't there?
They may use a language
We do not speak
They may have beliefs
We find unique.
But deep down inside
Beneath that thin shell,
You may just find someone
You know very well.
Friends come in all sizes, colors, and shapes,
And you might miss a lot
If you see only a face.
Each culture has something
Unique we can learn
To make our lives better,
Our souls much more pure.
So cast off your prejudice
Replace hate with love
And look on each person
As does your Father above.
-Author Unknown
Great post, and poem... We have come so far, but still have a way to go.
ReplyDeleteisn't it shocking the mentality that still continues to live and breathe in this nation? no matter what, people are always going to have these ideas. thank you for the post and the great poem.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great poem and until I got to the end, I thought you wrote it. I watched a documentary about the separated proms and it was interesting to learn the perspectives of the teens and adults in the film.
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised about this though because I believe that negative viewpoints will continue to reside in this country because that is what it was built off of and just like parents teach certain behaviors to their children such as rudeness and not respecting others, parents teach their children to judge others based on their race. It happens in most, if not all races and it's up to each individual to decide on how they want to live their life.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of people in the country and around the world who will do whatever is necessary to judge others and take disrespectful actions against them.
If I ever have children, I would plan to teach them to respect all human beings but I am concerned that I would not be able to shield them from the world and the judgements of others....that is a challenge that I am not prepared to handle.
The Madlab Post