I’m a African American male, raised in a predominately white upper middle class neighborhood. Growing up, the majority of my friends were white; German ,Italian and Polish. (Ich lerne zu sprechen und auf Deutsch zu schreiben.) I speak German. My point being, life for me as an adolescent was harmonious with the diversity around me because race wasn’t blared at us by family and those we knew in the community. It wasn’t until a Caucasian family, that was new to the area, who was seasoned in the belief that white is supreme over any other ethnic group that God created. “One drop of poison in a cup of water contaminates the whole cup” It wasn’t long at all before their abasing views had a negative effect on the community as a whole. How could one family of four embrace such venomous views towards any group of people? Such hate spawned the like of Adolf Hitler, Charles Manson, Mussolini, Nathan Bedford Forrest, Timothy James McVeigh, Theophilus Eugene “Bull” Connor , Brian Raymond Hauth, Johnny Bangerter, Bonnie Sweeten and 88 year old, James von Brunn , just to name a few. A Japanese girl with two of her white girlfriends attacked with balloons filled with yellow paint on our high school grounds. “Zipper head and Jap lover”
was chanted by the attackers and some of the spectators.
My eyes were then wide open to the effects of racism. Being ostracized by individuals who once were my close friends for no other reason than the color of my skin, warrants vigilance. A word of wisdom to whites who are caught up in the color thing. You will find that folks of color, of any nationality, who endeavor to persevere and has reached a high caliber of success did not achieve it by wasting time in hating you. It’s simply counter productive; however, if you have been marked in anyway by racism, you learn to be alert
and very observant . Michelle Obama is vigilant !
Now if you can excuse me, I am on my way to Wiesbaden Germany to visit my life long friends!
