RACISM!!! RACISM!!!

Having seen a great deal of the world over the years,  I eventually concluded that most places are far more racist than the United States.  For example, even with our neighbor to the south, Mexico, color-consciousness reigns supreme.  And this is especially evident for Mexicans of pure, indigenous extraction.

One of our friends in San Miguel de Allende was a remarkable woman who had left her ancestral Tarahumara homeland at the base of Copper Canyon and had immigrated to the United States, where she had learned English, taken a nursing degree at Texas Women's University and had studied anthropology at SMU.  Eventually, she joined the United States Navy and had retired with the rank of commander.  When she settled into San Miguel to enjoy her retirement, we made her acquaintance and felt privileged to have her as a friend.  However, as Americans, we were shocked by comments directed toward our friend by Mexicans on several occasions when we were at public events with her. In conversations concerning such experiences, our friend expressed that unpleasant instances of a  racial nature were far more likely to happen in Mexico than in the United States.

All things considered about its racial mix, the United States is probably the most racially tolerant society in the world.  Yet, despite this, there are "leaders" of various groups that have made their own very profitable cottage industries based on racial division and invective.  Consequently, we have arrived at a point in our history when civil discourse about different points of view in such areas such as politics, economics, education and even national defense are almost impossible, owing to the strident cries of "Racism!! Racism!!"

The 1960's were a time of confrontation and ferment in Nashville, while I was a graduate student at Vanderbilt University.  Not only was there student activism concerning the war in Vietnam, students at Vanderbilt joined hands with their brothers and sisters at Fisk and Tennessee State to protest palpable inequality in the treatment of the races.  Our goals were very simple:  equality of opportunity and inclusion.  But now, sadly, I see a country that is devoid of optimism and idealism about the unity of human beings.  Instead of "Hope and Change," we now see "Divide and Politicize."

As a young, twenty-something idealist more than forty years ago, it would have been unbelievable if someone had told me that in 2013 there would be Black and Hispanic Congressional caucuses that would not be open to other groups.  Even more unbelievable would have been the idea that these kinds of groups would be hurling charges of racism at other congressional groups, such as the Tea Party Caucus, which has gladly and appropriately accepted representatives in Congress into their midst from various groups, not on the basis on race but on that of ideology.

At this stage of the game, it might just be a fair question to ask, "Just who are the racists?"  From whatever side, racism is racism.  I don't know about you, but I am entirely sick of "Racism!! Racism!!"