This is where I struggle, what are those causes? Is it completely the fault of law enforcement, do young men bear any responsibility for their actions, do the politician who inflame opinion, how about academia and the social activists who have pushed the idea that everything in this country is a result of racism.
Also where I really struggle, I have heard many times (in fact I think Biden said something similar this morning) that we are going to have to have a hard discussion. We can't have that talk when one side is afraid to voice their opinion for fear of being labeled a racist, losing their job etc. etc. Early in this discussion there was a reference to statistics of the number of African-Americans vs White killed by the police. I don't know if the numbers were accurate or not but they seemed realistic, and I hear similar statics on mainstream media. But I never hear it pointed out 13% of the total population , is responsible for over 50% of the crime in this country or that the rates of interracial crime are overwhelmingly shewed towards black on white particularly sexual assault. I think many people fear being perceived as being racist., and if we don't have open and frank talks we will get no where. Quite frankly I am hesitant to even post this.
That's a very interesting comment to read, concern about being labeled a racist. Causes me to think.
As a white guy who has very little real life context to adequately understand what black people experience, I find that when I listen, I have very little likelihood of being labeled a racist. In an instance like this, I feel compelled to listen and learn, not try to pretend I have answers or that I understand, because I don't understand.
I do know that my rural-white life, lacking any context for understanding these issues first hand, has been bombarded with media and entertainment images of black people as the most common reference points I've acquired. For my young life, the only positive images sent to me that showed black men in a positive light was when they were wearing a uniform with a number on the jersey, a logo on the helmet, or a ball in their hand. Movies I saw or TV shows, fit every possible stereotype the media found useful.
Even through my adult life, I have come to realize that even though my continued rural-white life has a bit more context as a result of some personal relationships, but still lacks much for understanding. And as I've studied media, both news, TV, print, digital, and entertainment, I've come to see that the final picture, the final story, the final draft, is normally approved by a white person, usually a white male, who gets to put his stamp of approval on the final product we consume in media and entertainment. Yeah, we have the occasional black reporter or journalist, but the final say of how the story is told falls to editors, editorial boards, publishers, or senior executives. As such, I've been spoon fed imagery of the black male experience in America through the eyes of white people who have final say in the message.
Do these white folks who have the power that comes with these media and entertainment platforms really understand the black experience in America? Does the final message that we get to consume, a message that sometimes makes up the majority of influence rural-white folks like me will be exposed to, give us any context to understand the reality for black Americans?
I suspect I am not alone among Hunt Talkers or folks in this country who have little personal experience to give context. I suspect a lot are like me in how their view of the black male experience is limited to what we read, see, learn from media and entertainment. When all of that messaging is created through the lens of white males in those industries, I've come to doubt how accurate that messaging is. I would go so far as to say that my reliance on that messaging has made my understanding of these issues even more difficult, as after 55 years I have to put my mind in reverse to try not view this discussion based on the white-centric media, entertainment, or information that got me to this point. I don't feel guilty about that or blame anyone. It is just a reality of how, and from what source, this issue has been presented to me, a person born in 1964. Accepting that as a reality allows me to question things when those media, news, and entertainment images are shown today.
I now purposefully seek a portion of my media consumption that from start to finish is from people of color to try give me a better understanding. I don't need the Ted Turner or Roger Ailes version. I wouldn't piss on Tucker Carlson or Rachel Maddow if either of them were on fire and I don't need their bullshit, "produce for ratings" versions of this complicated topic. I don't need the version of white dominated Hollywood movie funders who are unabashed in their effort to make the greatest profit off whatever narrative can be converted to seats in the theater. I don't need the NTY or WaPo versions that too often come across as the token person of color so the editorial board can check the box. I seek the real life experiences to read and listen to that will hopefully augment my bigger view of the world.
I don't feel I need to have the answers. For me to provide the answers is like asking me to build a house - it's gonna be a bad outcome. I need to learn. I need to listen. I need to be willing to take some risks to do what little my actions can do to help things improve. None of that gives me the slightest concern about being labeled a racist.
Trying to learn doesn't seem like I am at risk of being labeled a racist. I worry that I could let those fears be a cop out for listening and trying to being part of the solution. I support more funding for better training of LEOs and I don't expect I'll be labeled a racist for supporting better LEO pay, training, and selection. If others want to kneel for the national anthem, I don't give a damn and I respect that they have every right to do so. I won't kneel and I don't expect that I'll be labeled a racist for not doing so. I wouldn't be apologetic for supporting police or not kneeling, as there are some very powerful parts of my life experience that form my views on those topics. If somehow a claim of racist is made for that, I suspect that claim would be from someone not interested in progress. Such possible claim is not going to prevent me to try do things in my life toward that collective citizen effort of progress.
I hope to listen, learn, and understand. As my Grandma would say, in reference to the old transistor AM radio next to her ash tray, "Some folks need to stop broadcasting and do more receiving." I'm gonna follow Grandma's advice.
