Kathleen, I hope you don’t mind a different point of view. When it comes to human rights, civil rights and labour rights, the idea that white people have too much to lose, and too little to gain, to get involved, is pure, unadulterated propaganda.
Imagine America today, if all of our country’s potential doctors, scientists, businessmen, educators, engineers, etc. were employed in their professions – instead of menial labour jobs that pay too little to support a family. Imagine how clean and beautiful American cities would be today, if we’d treated all neighborhoods with care – instead of driving huge swaths of cities into decline. Imagine how safe and secure Americans would be today, if so much time, money and energy were not devoted to keeping “others” down. Imagine how well-educated and skilled the American people would be, if we had not spent so much time, money and energy keeping education and training from the children of “others”. Imagine how much healthier and safer our food supply would be today, if “others” could have owned prime farm and ranch land – instead of white people only. Imagine how much more money American workers would be earning today, if working people had stuck together – instead of allowing the wealthy to divide and conquer us. Imagine how much safer, peaceful and content Americans would have been today, if we had made “others” our friends and neighbors - instead of making enemies of “others”.
Domination is expensive. The cost of racism has proven far too expensive for American taxpayers to maintain, and the consequences are visible everywhere we look around us. That white Americans cannot afford the price of racism any longer is plain to see inside our own homes, personal bank accounts, and social circles. My goodness, how often do you get a raise at work – compared to an increase in your rent, mortgage insurance policy, tax bill, electric bill, and grocery bill?
Unfortunately, very few white people have truly understood these awful, terrible truths about racism. Unfortunately, again, the few white people who did grasp the truths of racism, were and still are, attacked by same the self-centered, hate the “other” machinery of the rich and powerful. Unfortunately, again and again, white people today, still defend themselves by pointing to the tiny number of white people who stood up and fought racism. Such a tiny number of white people cannot excuse, or explain away, the overwhelming number of white people who did, and still do, nothing.
Katheen, I know that doing something is scary. I also know you meant well. I know you are speaking what you honestly believe is your truth. But allowing our nation to continue down the path of decline is even scarier.
