Seven Generations
I probably shouldn’t write about racism. I’m a white man who grew up in a semi-rural suburb of a Midwestern city, and have never lived in very diverse communities. Someone like me writing about race runs the very real risk of saying something stupid out of ignorance. What are the odds that I can make a meaningful contribution to the reduction of race-based bias and intolerance?
Visiting the National Civil Rights Museum a few weeks ago made a real impression on me. It reminded me of a view I had previously held, but honestly it had drifted due to lack of use. That view has been resurrected, and it is this: It is insufficient to be a non-racist. If we are to move society in the direction of greater fairness and equal opportunity, all of us need to be actively anti-racist. We have to challenge even the most subtle racist acts and let those who propagate them know that it is not acceptable. Living in a suburban Ohio town with little diversity has provided very few opportunities to demonstrate this value.
I can’t fully appreciate what the lived experience of a black person is in today’s America. But I do know that just 200 years ago, White Americans owned Black West Africans as slaves. I know that slavery was abolished by the 13th amendment in 1865, but it was ninety-five years later that young Ruby Bridges needed adult escorts in order to attend an elementary school that up until that point had been exclusively for white students. I have some sense of the blindspot that I possess, because I can read, and think, and empathize with the circumstances in which other people find themselves.
A thought experiment: If we could wave a magic wand and expel all racist thoughts in America, and ensure equal access to good education and job opportunities to every citizen, how long would it take for previously oppressed communities in America to reach socio-economic parity with the rest of our society? I put this question into Claude.ai, and it estimated it would take 3-5 generations.
Of course, we don’t have such a magic wand (and what does Claude know, anyway?). Disadvantaged communities will still be at a relative disadvantage for the foreseeable future. There are still segments of our society that are more than happy to keep piling on such adversity.
From 1865 until today about seven generations of humanity have played out. The current state of affairs must be about as good as it has ever been in America. But the issue is far from resolved.
Even though the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery was ratified in December of 1865, it wasn’t until June 19th, 1866, that the news of slavery’s abolishment reached some corners of Texas. America’s recognition of Juneteenth as a national holiday is considered by some to be America’s “Second Independence Day.” It certainly was a step in the right direction, in terms of honoring the truth expressed in our Declaration of Independence, stating that “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” A straightforward pronouncement, finally applied to every human being on our soil.
It has taken us seven generations to get to this point. It could easily take seven more before such essays never need to be written again. Please join me in this anti-racist posture. Let’s keep things moving in the right direction.
Sunday Supper
It is officially summer, so let’s light the grill and cook these Dijonnaise Grilled Chicken Breasts along with Grilled Summer Vegetables w/ Tahini Dressing. This cool American Flag Fruit Salad provides a strong finish.
Sunday Music
This Stanley Clarke performance at NPR’s Tiny Desk flat-out cooks. So to does this set by Ezra Collective. Enjoy!
If you know anyone who might like this essay, please share it with them.
Have a great week ahead! You can do anything you set your mind to. Let me know how I can help.
Peace & Love,