Jack & Jill Politics

WE’RE NOT THERE YET.

It seems with the election of an African-American as President, someone in the media decided they would play up the phrase, “Post-Racial” and think everyone should hold hands, sing “Hakuna-Matata” or “Kuumbaayah”, and magically, the issue of Race and Racism, disappears.

Not so fast.  First of all, I’m not sure I want to be “post-racial” because that would mean denial of one’s ethnic, racial and cultural heritage, and I’m not down with that, especially if that’s what it means to be “post-racial” in America. Who was on that panel during the Negro Super Bowl (aka the State of the Black Union) that pointed out how certain elements in society serve to make racism invisible, if its not called out or pointed out?  I think it was Lani Guinier, but feel free to correct me on this.

Second, considering the rise in racial incidents; most notably, the beating of a young African-American girl by a Seattle Police Officer (really a goon who is probably a serial abuser); the Barnes & Noble Book Display featuring a book about monkeys right in the middle of the display featuring books about the Obamas; the increase in gun sales right after the President was elected; the New York Post cartoon and Murdoch’s lame apology after catching an Al Sharpton protest and on and on – it appears that the bigot fringe in this country is not about allowing America to get in a “Post-Racial” state of mind.

Barnes & Noble issued an equally lame explanation for the display: A CUSTOMER MUST HAVE DONE IT.

Excuse me, but how does a CUSTOMER get access to the display cases?  Every Barnes & Noble I used to go in had locked display cases and only the EMPLOYEES could get access. Additionally, if the cases were accessible to the public, you would think the security cameras they train on POCs to make sure we don’t steal from their asses, would have captured the culprit.  Forgive me for thinking that Barnes & Noble are slow to come forward with the culprit because to do so would mean they have to pink-clip Cletus.

Moreover, with the recent CPAC conference featuring a bloated and sweaty Rush Limbaugh as keynote speaker – thus officially transfering the GOP from the Party of Abraham Lincoln to the party of Bigoted Wingnuts and Rush Limbaugh on the Island of Wingnuttia; as much as they probably would like America to go Post-Racial in order to be able to openly wear their uniforms of the Day (hood, robe and burning cross), I think America’s desire to go “Post-Racial” is somewhere near Michael Jackson’s ranch.  You know.

NEVER-NEVER LAND.

As I said, I’m not feeling the Post-Racial Thing.  This eloquently stated excerpt at Urban Legends summs it up perfectly:

Let us not be lulled into a sense of complacency, due to the recent political success of President Obama.

Racism still exists in this country. Like all things, nothing is perfect on this planet, in this world.

We have an obligation to be active on issues that simply cannot be ignored.

So, I’d like to take up our Attorney General Eric Holder’s challenge and open this issue up for discussion. We’re not cowards here at JJP – we discuss issues like race, though painful sometimes it can be.  What does “Post-Racial” mean to YOU?  And should America be striving for that, rather than continue working towards facilitating diversity and inclusion, while respecting and accepting that citizens of this country come from all walks of life, from every culture and religious practice; from every creed and ethnicity?  What would a “Post-Racial” America look like?