Everything is NOT black or white...

it just ends up being gray...

in light of all the racial issues being brought up in society, i felt the need to speak my peace, and remembered that i had a blog, and felt this was the perfect place for it...

in the case of dr. gates and officer crowley. *sigh* do i agree with gates' response? no. do i understand his response? yes. when i think about what this man has probably experienced in his lifetime, and the research he has done in the very area of african-americans and their lives in america, i can imagine that the situation felt very similar to those that happen quite frequently all over america - that rarely make the news... "existing while black".

let me digress and say that i have friends of all races and colors...and i accept them all as the people they are, not based on anything else. in saying that, there are experiences that i've had that many of them, and non-black people, will never understand. yes, i've heard the stories of the elders in my family about the terrible things done in the south - but, i was also taught to recognize and accept people for who they are. this does NOT negate the fact that racial prejudice still exists within america.

i've been followed around the store, simply because i'm black. i've been in the car with black men, and been pulled over, simply because we are "driving while black". i've been the driver of the vehicle many times because the black men with me felt that the police wouldn't harass us if i, as a woman, was driving. i've been in situations where people grab their purses in a crowded elevator, or on a crowded bus, simply because i'm black. i've witnessed the unfair treatment of friends. i've experienced being more qualified and more educated, but still passed over for a job or promotion, and never given an explanation or rather, justification, for the decision. i'm witnessing each and everyday, the criticism, judgment and intent to defame the character of our first black president, based on his race. now, folks can say that it's not, but, what else explains the fact that no other president has ever received this kind of scrutiny and malicious attacks in the media - going so far as to ask for proof of citizenship??? (oh that's right, cuz he's a arab muslim *smh*). not to mention the attacks on our first lady, going so far as to calling her a "bitch" by comparing her to the dog that the president got for his children. (thus far, i haven't seen any behavior that would warrant such an attack)

in saying all of that, while there is no proof that explains that these things occurred because of race, it's quite ironic that i, and many of my black friends, share similar experiences with these things, and none of my friends of other races do not. with that, it's impossible for any of my other friends to possibly understand how these events shape our feelings about things, or our ideas about how society is, unless they have been there to witness, or experience it themselves.

i was watching "prom night in mississippi" the other day, and i was just saddened to see that in mississippi, there are still segregated proms. upon googling for information, i found that this is happening in georgia as well. this, alone, is proof, that racism still exists...for what other reasons can you legitimize have a prom for the white students and then a separate prom for the black students? and while other cases are most subtle, things like this happen everyday...they may not be newsworthy, but that doesn't make them any less real.

so, back to the gates/crowley situation. it was kind of amusing to me, that this story comes out about crowley teaching a racial profiling course in the police academy that feeds the cambridge police department, yet he was ignorant to whom dr. gates was - a "world-reknown" scholar who specializes in african-american research and has worked on bringing about "social, educational, and intellectual equality for black americans" working IN cambridge at harvard university. perhaps, it's just me, but, as an instructor myself and as one who has given quite a few presentations and trainings, i find it odd that crowley had such a resource so close, and yet, knew nothing about him. it makes me question what type of course he actually taught, given the history of racial profiling typically involves black americans. it makes me question his own knowledge base about the subject, and whether he is "expert" enough or qualified to even teach the course.

nevertheless, as i stated, while i don't agree with gates' reaction, there are things in me that allow me to understand it. while i know that crowley was following procedure, i feel as though at some point, he ventured to the left, and he could have handled the situation much better. hell, after hearing the 911 call, i wonder why nobody has brought up the fact that the dispatcher asked, 'are they white, black or hispanic?' this touched a nerve, in that, these are NOT the only 3 races in america, so why narrow it down to just those 3?

and to those that don't agree, understand that everyone's opinions are based off the facts as they are and past experiences. while many say that black americans make "everything about race" (please believe, i've got a part 2 addressing this issue), unless you have been black in america, and gone through things we have gone through, you will never understand the "why" behind our feelings, opinions and actions. seems that many don't understand this simple fact. and the funny part is, as a black american, we voice our opinions and move on ~ knowing that many will never understand or accept our point of view as just that. if you don't have any experiences that lead to certain conclusions, then you won't understand someone who does. at some point, we all have to respect that... not necessarily agree, but respect it and agree to disagree in our opinions.

to my diverse group of friends...thank you for being mature enough to accept our differences in opinion, and for not allowing those opinions to dictate our friendships.