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So, on this blackface stuff...maybe one of these politicians and their teams will be candid about the fact that they were raised and socialized during times and places where racism was normal and the impact of that is still pervasive in our lives to this day. Maybe.
/probably not.
It’s hilarious how obsessed we are with appearances. This weird polite facade to protect people’s grossly unrealistic image of our society and sanitized/watered down American history. Folks tip toeing around the most obvious answer and potential path to redemption. The truth.
Just tell the truth. Shit. The Tuskegee Experiment ended in 1972. Is it really shocking that white college kids wore Blackface in the 80’s for fun? This ain’t that complicated. Having an honest conversation about race, historical or contemporary, is apparently the last option lol
Mind you, I had someone mention last week that the 80’s seems a little late for this type of behavior. Not faulting them as an individual for that belief. It’s just indicative of the issue with how race relations and racism are perceived, even by a lot of well-meaning white ppl.
In the 360 years leading up to 1980, Black people were owned by other people, not considered human beings, beaten, killed, raped, and stolen from even after being freed. Deliberately frozen out of wealth, housing, healthcare, education, legislative process and job markets.
I say all that to say 340 years of the aforementioned state and federal sanctioned and mandated crimes against Black people were not magically reversed and eliminated when a document was signed in 1964. 1980 is not so far removed or contemporary or progressive a time. 2019 isn’t.
You don’t reverse 300+ years of negative cultural and social norms and oppression in 1/8th of that time. Especially when you’re spending the better part of that time blatantly lying about, watering down and denying the impact of said 300+ years.
