Reply #3: Race is um.... [View All]

touchy. I'm not sure how to acknowledge it in the way you put it. So I'll just bust out my thoughts on it and give you a link to a Paul Wellstone speech that helped me figure a few things out.

Ok, first of all, I am an enrolled Blackfeet Indian from Montana. The hardest part of including all of the races together is that it is easily exploitable. In theory, approaching them as one social problem should work, however, then the unique attributes of racism tend to get lost in the shuffle. I wish more than anything, race could just be left alone and that would be that, but, a few bigots ruin it for everybody. There is always that cop who will pull over someone because of their skin color. There is always that employer who would discriminate on someone due to race. There is always that university official who wouldn't admit a smart student to graduate school because of a perceived difference. Much like supply side economics, racial equality is something that could be concieved were it not for those few greedmongers and/or bigots with an agenda. Like deregulation, without that safety net to regulate the process it begins to be taken advantage of until something bad happens, in deregulation's case the big blackout. For this reason, we need affirmative action, not because of quotas or special treatment, but for that safety net to be there. When a qualified applicant/student etc, from a minority group is dead even in ability with another applicant, well, give them the nod, not the shaft. That isn't unfair, and, in fact, the opposite of that concept still happens. Especially in the form of wages. Women get the hammered in this as well. Now minority women are interesting because they face a "triple-threat" oppression. They do this as women, minority women, and minority women in the workforce. Minority women in the workforce make anywhere from one-third to nearly one half on the dollar compared to a white male doing the same job. Simple discrimination that not even affirmitive action, civil rights or Woman's liberation has been able to stop.

Sickening.

Ok, now, here is my deal. I am a huge education advocate. I believe that eurocentricities -the telling of history through the eyes of Europeans- needs to be countered. In education. In film. In literature. I will include links from a few of my columns so you can get all of this better. Here is my short version. At an early age most of America learns about George Washington, Abe Lincoln etc. By and large, we are ignorant to other cultures, most minorities are so assimilated we don't even identify with our own. If I wasn't a voracious reader I would be a practical moron about Indians, even though, I am one. White and minority cultures live together and in close proximity to each other. Often white and minority neighborhoods clash cultures, and those living the closest to each other often have the most ignorance. Incognizance breeds rancor and rancor brings about violence. In schools, and universities, the plural backgrounds are not as big of a factor because of the cultural diversity in the education. (or much of it anyway) I see plenty of white people in my Indian classes who are more obsessed with my people than I am. They love us. I propose that in our youngest of children we enable them to learn history from all perspectives. That we allow Middle Eastern studies into junior highs and high schools. That Indian, African-American, hispanic, etc programs become implemented all over the country. That way it eliminates stupidity and stereotypes in young eager minds willing and capable to learn. After a generation or so of this type of cultural rennaissance, racism and bigotry would be minimal. My belief is that much of our problems in this area are due to ignorance, not stupidity. Ignorance can be cured while stupidity, of course, cannot. Much of society's hatred stems from ignorance. Whether it is racial, gender or even sexually oriented. It all can be fixed, but this country needs a major commitment toward it. Anyway, I will give you some links that may clarify my rambling for you. Hope this helps some.

http://www.populist.com/3.97.Wellstone.html
http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/96/86/03_2.html
http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/96/111/03_4.html