Remember Segregation
by , , February 23, 2007
As part of February's theme RACE & RIGHTS we invite you to take a journey.
For many, Black History Month is the only time of the year to discuss specific issues related to the African American experience. It is important to remind ourselves that black history is an integral part of our world history. We must not overlook the contributions people of all races, including blacks, have made to our culture and history. We would not be the wealthy country we are today, if it were not for slavery, and free labor.
I refer to "black" in more general way than most. I think of it in terms of people of color, those of us who are not white. Whether we would like to admit it or not, the white experience is very different from that of coloured people.
I loath the fact that we must even use these terms, but after all they are terms that those in power use to catagorize people, and we in turn, use them to define ourselves and our experiences with oneanother. We are still in the aftermath of slavery, learning and struggling to make peace within our American borders. Not too long ago, we were segregated, and in some parts of America many still live very segregated lives. Before we can focus on our international relations, we must first heal our wounds at home. We must improve our resources here for all people, and make equality a truth, before we can dictate over other nations.
No change can come along, without first making a change in you. We all can improve on our cultural outlook and how we view one another and the world around us. We must take an active role in this change, and start from within. It is only then, that we can look to others.
So we invite you to take a journey, but you must choose. What experience would you choose if you had a choice. Would you take the white path or the colored. Whichever you choose, I suggest once you have completed your journey, you begin again, and take the other path. Then compare your experience... Remember to try to walk a mile in your someone else's shoes to get a better understanding of the world around you.
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