Let’s Get Something Straight
The Conscious Corner by Maceo Z. Keeling, Sr. –
Let’s get something straight: Racism exists in America.
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina claimed that America is not a racist country. Just as I stated my opinion of what seems irrefutable to me, Mr. Scott is free to opine what is true for him.
This debate is academic because the determination of whether racism exists or not will not yield any measurable benefit to those people who bear the stripes of post-traumatic slave syndrome, institutional racism, and systemic and oppressive inequities. However, what remains crucial is that the debate continues in a purposeful way.
Even the mention of the Critical Race Theory and the debate surrounding it is a mere deflection from the core challenges before us. What is irrefutable is that bigotry is at the bedrock of social and racial inequities. It is fundamental to white supremacy and the power differentials that come with white entitlement.
Poverty and ignorance contribute to many of the ills of our nation. But they are not the only factors. Black folk must also acknowledge that we have a role to play in the eradication of poverty and ignorance in our communities. We can insist on excellence from our children. We can restore dignity by having a job—any job that helps us move toward self-reliance.
I remember when I was laughed at by my high school peers who had no job at all when I worked for McDonalds. I laughed in the line at the bank when I made my deposits. Doing something beats nothing every day of the week.
We can redefine what is cool! We can make savings cool; we can make entrepreneurship cool; we can make good grades cool, and we can make an honest day of pay for an honest day of work cool—even at McDonald’s, as I did.
Of course these changes have to be accompanied by opportunity as well as federal and state action. A savings account needs to earn real interest, not one-tenth of one percent while the banks are loaning out that same money at 8% or 10%. Entrepreneurship requires investment, and “angels” have to direct some of their money to small, neighborhood startups instead of Silicon Valley corporations founded by this year’s Ivy League graduates.
Good grades have to reflect our students’ actual hard work and studies, and be rewarded with Advanced Placement classes for those who earn them (something minority students are denied every day, in states all across the country). And the “minimum wage” that has been stuck at 1995 levels for a generation has to reflect the real cost of living, instead of being stolen to increase the billions of the already rich.
But before we can change our situation, we have to change our minds. We have to create a new culture. We have to be involved in the political culture and demand action by OUR government. But most of all, we’ve got to change our “get down” before we can “get up”!
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