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Some Tuesday Rambling about my race…

  • For most of my life I didn’t have to think about my race.
  • I grew up in a mostly white town, so race really presented no problem.
  • Since moving to Canton in 1995 and then Akron in 2000, I have lived in a city.
  • I wouldn’t say race is now a “problem”, but I can’t ignore it.
  • I didn’t choose my race.
  • But because I was born white, I ended up in the majority culture.
  • Majority not just in the United States, but for much of Western culture.
  • I am not ignorant as to how white people have maintained that majority. It makes me squirm to consider atrocities perpetrated by whites in the name of power.
  • In considering race and race relations, two important words to my approach are “slow” and “listen”.
  • Since I’ve never lived as a minority, I need to go slowly in developing my responses to racial issues in our current culture.
  • It also means I have lots to learn, so listening is the best place to start for that.
  • I do have trusting relationships with friends from different cultural and racial backgrounds. I value these greatly.
  • It’s impossible to lump everyone from any race into categories or generalizations.
  • However, I would not say those relationships are easy. They take time and effort. And, they take difficult conversations.
  • Ask yourself, “What do I believe about race and race relations?”
  • Then ask yourself: “Why?”
  • Then I would ask you: “Are you willing to challenge or change your own views and listen?”
  • Being white, I could just assume the line of thinking which says “I wish everyone would stop talking about this.”
  • I could ignore racial problems in our society and condemn those who want to speak out.
  • Or, I could understand reasons people do talk about it and why we should.
  • Or better, I could SEEK to understand. Slowly. By listening.