Blacks in America
Written by Raynetta James Sunday, 26 July 2009 00:00
Don’t relax. Racial profiling is alive and well in America.
If you thought having Obama in the White House would get us to a post- racial era, think again.
Headlines read “Harvard scholar arrested on his front porch.” Before that it was a NFL football player in Texas pulled over in a hospital parking lot for speeding to his mother-in-law’s side that only had moments to live. She died before the police let him go.
Regular black folks have little recourse because they are not famous and usually poor. The criminal justice system has failed us. The bull’s eye rests firmly on us like the color of our skin. We can’t run and we can't hide.
In Michael Jackson’s case, it doesn’t even help if you die. Although it was thought that he was a tortured soul, I think he was a marketing genius. After working in the entertainment industry for several years, one thing is for certain: Age is not your friend and color is not marketable except in certain instances.
But Michael must have figured out that there are some whites that would not allow a photo of a black person to be kept in their homes. Since his money came from more whites than blacks, changing colors could only help him sell more of his product.
What does a person of color have to do to live in peace? Obviously education, wealth and respect are trumped by stereotyping. I’ve thought about leaving the got damn United States but why? After all, I’m black all over the world and the United States does influence the rest of the world in some respect.
After traveling overseas, the question most often asked was, “What are real Americans like?"
"Real Americans?”
"You know – those white Americans," they would explain.
It was a memorable 'ah ha' moment for me. "Oh those people. They’re constantly trying to get a tan," and I would leave it at that.
Trying to get a hold of my emotions, I wonder if the Harvard scholar and the NFL football player are remembering the Reverend Wright video. I know I am.
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