Monday, July 13, 2009

More Than Just a Color


I’m sitting in my upstairs office reading and reflecting. The black kids who were kicked out for “safety” reasons are now being asked to return to the pool. There have been no communicated adjustments to remedy the safety concern, but there is a law suit.
A potential Supreme Court justice is sitting before congress and her past words and views are being scrutinized.
My young friend who is navigating the wrong end of the justice system has a final court date early next month and things are looking better. Turns out the original police report corroborates my friend’s story which will most likely lead to an acquittal and the question as to why this has taken over six months. I think his cousin did it.
Another friend is questioning her faith not because of doctrine but social issues. She hasn’t said as much but race has something to do with it. Not directly, but those with whom she has issue, all share the same complexion.

The kids are sleeping, my wife has yet to return from her day trip to New York and I’m listening to Jack Johnson. Whenever I listen to Jack I mentally wander off into lamenting that I have never learned to surf. I always wanted to, but never lived near a beach. My mother in law once told me of how she used to go by the beach all the time while in L.A. I asked her if she ever wanted to surf and she replied, with a surprisingly thoughtful look on her face, “naw, that was always just for white boys.”

Swimming pools, Supreme Court, the justice system, church, and surfing; none of them are really about race. When you add race to all these things you have an added layer of complexity and issues. Sure I could try to ignore it but no matter if I do, my wife will still be black. I will still be white. One day my daughter will realize that those two things aren’t just a color.

7 comments:

Jake the Snake said...

Drink some ginger ale and sit back and think how great your life will be when your little Idaho buddy makes his triumphant return to Philly to visit. Man.....you are blessed.

uglyblackjohn said...

After a missionary told me that I'll become white if I enter heaven, I had to leave.
I think most religious issues are social issues.

brohammas said...

Funny how listening to a missionary can be both the best and worst thing a person could do.

uglyblackjohn said...

Oh... I still let them come by.
I often explain that they aren't really teaching me anything - that the point of their mission is for THEM to learn.

Jake the Snake said...

I think there are a lot of people out there who still don't think it is an issue at all.....racial or social. I have to be honest, that I really only knew one black person before Philly, and never really thought anything of it, but I now realize that it is racial, social, cultural, religous.....
I neverr realized the different childhood, advantages, and just plain differences I had as compared to some of the people I met there. I don't find racial issues to be a daily part of my life like you do, just because I don't have to mostly, or because I am lazy, but I do find myself thinking about it more often than I used to and trying to learn more when I can. I don't necessarily use Jack Johnson to get it done, but I do still ponder it and work on understanding our similarities and differences more. Thanks for that Philly.

Jenna said...

Since moving to the South, I have learned that racial issues are much more complicated than I grew up believing. I am trying but think that ultimately I am doing a pretty bad job. Thank you for another thoughtful post.

Corbie said...

Or maybe, with a little luck and a whole lot of societal effort, your daughters will find out that those two things are just colors.