In society there are a lot of complaints and strife’s
that you hear from day to day. Why does
racism still exist? Why is there still a
dominate class and a subordinate class?
Why are people so fixated on our differences rather than our equalities? If these types of questions are floating
around in our heads, why don’t people do anything about them? These types of issues will always exist if
society keeps allowing them to exist. Without
realizing these ongoing issues will not change without the action of every citizen,
than the United States of Inequality will always remain.
The reason I bring this issue to light, was
because I witnessed a rather eye opening discussion in my social justice class. We had a guess speaker who grew up in a real
small town from Texas named Mart. She told
us stories of how interracial dating was forbidden, and that sons and daughters
would be excommunicated by their families if they did so. She explained how racism was the norm, and
she felt that there could be no change in a town like Mart. Just in the past couple years people have
been trying to change the way people think around Mart by town projects
(organized by individuals who are associated with the town, but never have
lived there) and openly speaking about the issues surrounding the town. I always knew there were towns all over
America that were like this in the past and still exist today, but what really surprised
me the most was what a fellow student said in class. “Why does it take a white lady that never
grew up there, to come and try to make a difference?” “Why hasn’t anybody who has grown up there and
seen the racism first hand try to make a difference?” This blew me away, because I never thought of
it like that.
What she said is exactly true, why does it take outsiders
to try to change ongoing issues? When I
say, “these types of issues will always exist if society keeps allowing them to
exist”, I mean exactly that. Citizens
who grew up in Mart knew of these issues well before any of the outsiders did. Who knows, if someone from Mart would have
done something to try to change these racial issues, things might have been better
for the town today. We as a nation need
to use our abilities to see the wrong in society, and stand up to the issues
head on. We need the passive voices to
become aggressive, we need the insecure to become secure, and we need the
unable to do everything they can to try to become able. One
voice might seem insignificant, but without one how will others follow? An engine does not run without gas, a business
doesn’t profit without customers, and a country doesn’t exist without a
population. It only takes one voice to implement
change in an unequal environment; it only takes one voice to change today for a
better tomorrow, and it only takes one voice to give sight to a society that
has been blind and ignorant for way too long.
HERE’S TO AMERICA’S ONE UNIFIED VOICE AND THE CHANGE THAT NEEDS TO COME!!!
Amen! I agree
ReplyDeleteI completely understand the feeling and thought behind your post. The issue of Gerstenblatt a white woman heading a project on behalf of African American Mart community members, reminds me of several scriptures. No I am not a religious nut, just very familiar with the Bible. Matthew 13:57 and they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” I am not suggesting Gerstenblatt is a prophet. The simplest definition of prophet is a human chosen by God and given revelation to deliver to mankind. Did Gerstenblatt come to a revelation of African American history within the Mart Community being completely ignored and in essence forgotten? I think she did. I may not have taken the same route of introducing change to a community, but I certainly cannot and will not condemn her efforts on behalf of her racial identity. Would doing so be racist in and of its self? Would someone within the community of Mart be heard and supported in making change? Perhaps, however perhaps within this particular community, it did take an outsider. This is just my thoughts; I am not disagreeing with your sentiment at all.
ReplyDeleteThere was no way I was condemning her for her trying to create change in Mart, and I believe that she is the example of taking issues head on. I was trying to state that it shouldn't of only been her that saw a need for change, and many people should of stood up to the issue. I believe what she did was absolutely amazing, and our society should have many more people like her. She is motivating to me, and should be motivating to many others as well. Thanks for the input.
DeleteCade -
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that if one person stands up to an injustice and tries to bring positive change to a community, then things could change eventually. But, sometimes, one person may not feel strong enough nor loud enough to make the overall society listen to him/her. Many people may have good ideas to bring about positive change in a situation, but may be cowarded down by the negative response of those who at least seem to be in power. When I was going to ACC, I was introduced to the motto: "Each one, reach one." That has stuck with me for a while, because a person's positive efforts toward the changing of a group's negative thoughts and actions may only reach one person in the group. But, if that one person's mindset is changed for the better, then there's a chance that another person will be reached, and another, and another. Eventually, the entire society may not be totally changed over to a new way of thinking or acting, but more are positively affected than if that first one in the crowd had not had the courage to stand alone. Right?