I think the truth is somewhere in between what the two of you say. Yes, in some manner the descendents of slaves, the descendents of slave owners, and of white/brown/black/yellow immigrants have all benefitted from the slave labor (and native genocide) that served as the ‘front money’ of the American infrastructure. But it’s very important to note that this benefit-reaping has been so massively unequal (in favor of white people) that it almost doesn’t make sense to compare.

@ Matt

Your assertion, though, that “we all drive on the same roads, rich or poor.” is not true. Go drive around southwest Detroit for a few hours and see what those potholes do to your shocks, man! No rich people driving on those roads. Then go to the latest exburb subdivision an hour outside Detroit and feel the smooth pavement caress your tires lovingly. There’s a world of difference. Then there’s the question of which roads get salted/plowed properly…

All infrastucture is equal, but some parts of it are sure as hell more equal than other parts…

I will completely agree, however, that the forceful isolation of blacks in the US through a continued denial of civil rights has had lasting effects, and this, more than slavery, is worth preaching about. It has prevented full assimilation. Historically, assimilation had been, for many years, key to any [immigrant] group’s success over the long term.

A new chapter is being written now, stressing multiculturalism over assimilation. It will be interesting to see how this plays out and to see if this actually helps realize the dream that we have been waiting for: somehow magically achieving equality without sacrificing identity.

On the whole “teach me” topic, yes I have heard those sentiments many times before and I have heard folks respond in many ways to it. I recognize that a random stranger on the street is not going to “teach me,” which is why I decided to post here.

To random strangers on the web.

I’ve learned from my family that differences are parts of us that make us who we are. The choices we make, the people we love, the things we do and why are also parts that make us who we are.

Not that differences are nothing, but that they are what make us all individuals. No two people of the same shade are exactly the same human being because of differences other than their race.

You’re right, I have not learned in my experiences yet that “difference is everything.” I think common ground is equally as important as differences.

On the whole “teach me” topic, yes I have heard those sentiments many times before and I have heard folks respond in many ways to it. I recognize that a random stranger on the street is not going to “teach me,” which is why I decided to post here. I figured that if everyone thought I was just an idiot, then they wouldn’t respond or they’d tell me to go away.

At any rate, I won’t post here again since I obviously am just bringing up the same old, same old. Sorry about that.

Whatever interview I saw made an impression on me and I added the rss and read it regularly.

If you do read it regularly, then why did you bring up a topic that has been discussed here – and other anti-racism sites – ad nauseum?

I wanted to start a dialogue here because I thought this might be a safe place to show that yes, I grew up being taught to ‘not be racist’ in a town full of hicks and rednecks who are and very few people of any race other than white.

Exactly! You were taught “not think about someone’s race”, but you learned this lesson in a racially homogenous environment. Now that you’re out in the real world, you’re (hopefully) learning that not all of us have the freedom to think the way you do, because there are too many people out there who judge us for what we are instead of who we are.

You’ve learned that differences are nothing, but it seems as though you’re still refusing to acknowledge that differences are everything, also.

Thank you to everyone who responded to me nicely or not so much.

Yeeeaaaah. About that….

Also, I started reading this blog when I saw it on tv. My memory isn’t very good, but I think perhaps an author was on The Daily Show or something like that. Whatever interview I saw made an impression on me and I added the rss and read it regularly. So yeah, your assumptions about why I chose this blog are wrong.

To A. – Quoting the entirety of someone’s work is hardly useful. Assuming you know what I have or have not read is equally futile.

I wanted to start a dialogue here because I thought this might be a safe place to show that yes, I grew up being taught to ‘not be racist’ in a town full of hicks and rednecks who are and very few people of any race other than white. And while I have a college education and I am well-read, I am far from worldly. I do however deeply care about who our next president will be and while I can relate in some ways to both Hillary and Obama, his recent speech made me feel as though there are things about racism in this country that I truly do not comprehend.

So after reading this particular post, I decided to comment.

Thank you to everyone who responded to me nicely or not so much.