Racial History and Denial
by Elouise
It began with conversation on a call-in National Public Radio show, “Indivisible Radio.” The topic was racism and protest. The conversation explored public protests. Why protest? Does it matter? Aren’t there so many protests now that it’s just a fad, if not a huge cacophony of meaningless sound?
One caller, a younger African American, described his personal commitment to ongoing protest. It was his way of life. His occupation. Though he didn’t give his age, he was part of the younger generation of black men whose lives are in danger every day.
The topic turned to the effectiveness of these protests. When you protest, what are you trying to accomplish? Do you think you can bring about change in the system or in the people on the other side of the protest?
He thought for a few seconds and then responded. “I don’t know if I can change them. I don’t want them to change me!”
He further explained that protest is his way of holding a moral position on behalf of change—for the longterm. If he became ‘one of them,’ they would win, and the long-term prospects for change would diminish. For the next generations, not for himself.
There’s much truth in this man’s wisdom. In my observation, most protests are attempts to change or control someone or something. Or they’re expressions of fear.
So what does this have to do with symptoms, much less racial history and denial?
Clearly, the proliferation of protest in the USA is a symptom of something. Or of many ‘somethings.’ For me, given the current state of our disunion in the USA, I believe it’s at least a symptom of denial.
We aren’t just in denial about what’s happening to our country, neighborhoods and presidency today. We’re in denial of our history as a nation.
History comes home to roost, especially when denied. Of many strands in our national history, I believe denial of our racial history is biting us, hobbling us in ways we don’t understand, putting it in our faces, doing whatever it can to get our attention. Individually and collectively.
We ignore it to our peril. This symptom isn’t going away. It cannot be dealt with quietly or in secret.
So I’ll be posting my thoughts on this from time to time, whether the WordPress Daily Prompt gives me a way in or not!
Thanks for listening and thinking about this with me. Especially if you care about our future as a nation among nations.
© Elouise Renich Fraser, 23 March 2017
Cartoon found at quotesgram.com
Response to WordPress Daily Prompt: Symptom
Telling the Truth 
An interesting and well-written meditation. I’d also suggest, Elouise, that protests are a show of solidarity, critical for any group of like-minded people, but especially empowering for African Americans given their history of marginalization and disenfranchisement.
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Yes, absolutely. Thanks for your comment, Denise.
Elouise
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I agree with everything! I saw someone on Twitter today comment along the lines of Denial 101, “Whites never enslaved anyone. They ended slavery.” Huh? Though sometimes I can’t tell if people are just trolling, or if the denial is *that* bad.
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There are many ways to ‘rewrite’ history. And you’re correct–sometimes people are ‘just trolling.’ However, when I was a high school student in the late 1950s, this was at least an assumption, if not a belief. Writing history out of textbooks is a form of denial. Thanks for your comment.
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I think if I was a ‘black’ , ‘brown’, yellow or any other colour American I’d object to being labelled Afro-American, Chinese=American, Indian-American.
Why not just American, indeed why must people be labelled in the first place/ It’s obscene!
I don’t see why Negro is any more offensive than Caucasian or Oriental, Negroid is the correct word, in the English language at least to describe the features and characteristics of this race.
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It’s about the way words get used, and language that demonstrates respect for others. Unfortunately, our history is rife with terms used to demean others, especially if we think they need to be put down and kept in their places. I don’t accept demeaning terms for women, and don’t feel any need to explain or defend why I find certain terms demeaning. I’m guessing Australia has its own code words, too. As do other countries.
For me it isn’t simply about definitions. It’s about attitudes and behaviors, and what those being addressed would find respectful and humanizing. Words make a difference.
Good issue. Thanks, Brian.
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