OVERBOARD/DOING ENOUGH?

excerpts from RACEUNITY@ (see Aug 31, 2010)

9-18-99 response

I can't count the times I have had a conversation with whites who wonder if I don't go overboard "just a little" they say nicely.  I promise you, I try extremely hard to be diplomatic, loving, patient and  humble but I can't hide my profound investment in making a difference on the race issue.  My primary goal (1) learn the reality as much as possible for a white from my darker skinned brothers and sisters, (2) open the eyes and hearts of "melanin challenged" individuals who look like me to this reality, (3) build bridges of friendship and sharing of actively making the burden of prejudice and racism diminish.

It is not acceptable to me to just hope it will all improve with time and being nice.  If we all tried that on cancer or pheumonia we would soon die.  Thank God we have a physician who is willing to stand in the same room with a sick person and challenge the disease.....

When Nat Rutstein describes racism as a disease I think he has two motives.  One is to acknowledge the wounded (internalized racism) and the wounder (unaware racism).  Secondly, very few people attack a sick person but try to help in some way.  If everyone is trying to help the wounded and the wounder there is no attack.  An attack immediately calls forth a defensive counter-attack.  Rutstein's goal is ally building, not inducing shame or defensiveness.  So is mine.

There is the component of power, inferiority and superiority complexes and scapegoating in the issue.

I wholeheartedly agree that there are a lot of wonderful people doing a lot, humbly and lowly, and never noticed.  Unity in diversity is, after all, IMHO, the only way to go.  Not just in looks, but in style, personality, ways to do your thing, etc.

Unfortunately, because I have such an intense desire to see things change, it is misconstrued as if I am saying "You are not doing enough", which is not my intention.  People talk about the things that interest them.  I am interested in what others are interested in and hope that they will respect what I am interested in. 

Love in the struggle,

Anne