My Optimistic Thoughts on Racial Tension.
By: Rock Kitaro
Date: February 15, 2014
Epik High ft. Dumbfounded – “Life is like a Maze”
Rock Kitaro – 27
The following is an empirical observation given by a 27-year-old black man living in the state of Florida. Yes…the same state of the Trayvon Martin incident, and most recently, the Michael Dunn case.
I don’t claim to be an African-American. But simply an American. Does this mean that I don’t have any pride for my ancestors? I don’t know. But regardless of what I claim to be, it’s undeniable that my skin is dark and that I am an African-American. I don’t see this as a bad thing or a source of pride. It is simply a biological technicality. Very similar to my stance on family members who I don’t know or care about.
When I come across a rude and inconsiderate person, a stranger who gives off a rude vibe with disdainful stares and a fearful caution of me. The type of people who would rather project invisible friends to stare at in order to keep from making eye contact…
I’m the type of person who likes to give strangers the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they had a bad day. Maybe they are under a lot of stress from either a job, or difficulties in the family. Maybe they’re not feeling well and just want to keep to themselves and go on about their day. Maybe its just their personalities to be reserved and in their own bubble. Or maybe the person is just flat-out, an asshole. Or an uneducated person who was never taught the simply concept of common courtesy.
Regardless of the reason why, I simply don’t like assuming people are racist. I also go so far as to take in the consideration that I’m a big guy. I may come off as intimidating, so they’d rather not make any moves to get on my bad side, ignoring the possibility that simply avoiding me or not reciprocating a greeting could just as easily land you in the pile of people I wish harm to.
…
…
This editorial… If I’ve learned anything over the course of the past few weeks, its that the media outlets like CNN, Fox News, HLN, and MSNBC always seem to put the worst of us Americans in the spotlight. This is a good and a bad thing. It’s a good thing because with the media spotlight on such situations, the window of avarice and corruption is relatively smaller.
The bad thing is the effect it has on the general public in which people are quick to assume that the emotions conveyed by one group of people is the same as the general consensus. And when I say “group of people” I’m not even talking about ethnic groups as a whole. I’m talking about a handful of people who have gathered under a particular cause and just so happens to be of one race.
