It is said, by some who have moved around America, that racism is more blatant in the North than it is in the South. According to those sources, you are more likely to encounter outright, hostile racism in the North than you are in the South.
Apparently, one explanation for this is in the South, where people and communities of color are more common, racism is often rooted in cultural differences. In practice, Southerners, whatever their bias and background, are more likely to have close friends, acquaintances, or co-workers of different races whom they interact with on a day-to-day basis.
Here in the North, racism is based more on perceived differences.
Being lifelong, white Yankees, we honestly can’t speak to the truth of the above. However, it is true that in parts of the North, like Maine for example, it is still possible to live an entire lifetime and never have cause to interact with an actual real-life person of color.
It is much easier to demonize something you don’t know.
Of course, this is really a roundabout way of addressing the shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C last week. It is another shooting, yet another mass casualty event; nine more innocent people dead. Thank God it is not another school, which is the only thing preventing this tragedy from being another there-but-for-the-grace-of-God-go-we feeling
While we are loath to look for the silver lining in such an event, we are cheered to see the discussion about racism advance this year, although it is saddening that it still takes the dynamic of spilled blood to actually push the issue into the center of public discussion.
Racism is such a toxic thing; just the word itself is an insult and, thrown around carelessly, potentially libelous on its merits.
It is said America needs to have a national conversation on race. If that will solve the problem, then bring on the conversation. It is not going to help advance the issue if honest and uncomfortable questions or opinions are shouted down with accusations of racism or strident variations of “I can’t be a racist, because … “
We don’t have a solution, but we do believe the way forward requires taking a deep look inward and being honest about what we see.
