all i know is, i’m from an interracial family in the boston area, and boston is just like atlanta is just like oakland: you stay where you’re known. there’s some places you just know not to go. and you stay indoors and watch out for people of BOTH races when the economy gets too rough, because that’s when the shit starts to fly – everyone’s to blame for everything. and nothing is as cool as everyone says it is. ever. just try being the one white m.c. or one black punk or one mestiza lesbian or one single-mother-of-three lawyer and learn how far we’ve come. everyone everywhere knows to say “that’s cool” about everything now – hell, they watch mtv – but north, south or anywhichway they are sayin some mess behind your back.

i just overheard some businesswoman in connecticut going off about the senator who jetted off to argentina – she didn’t think any non-racists were in earshot – she starts flipping off about him “gettin with a hispanic” and how she must have “turned him crazy” with all that “hot blood,” but “just wait till she gets older – you know those hispanics don’t age well.” ooooh i wanted to kill her! but i’ll tell you what, bitch was jealous! she was getting all red in the cheeks…

anyway, my poorly-made point is that this shit is everywhere. EVERYWHERE. even the supposedly diverse, accepting state of ohio:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/us/12ohio.html?em

http://www.zimbio.com/The+Coal+Run+Discrimination+Lawsuit/articles/12/UPDATE+ON+THE+COAL+RUN+LAWSUIT

An OCRC report noted that in some cases, water lines were extended to within 100 yards of African American residents but that those residents were still denied access to the system. The report also noted that there are 61 homes on Coal Run Road, Langan Lane, Circle Drive, and Russell Street in Muskingum County. Thirty-four of those homes are occupied by whites and 27 are occupied by African Americans. Thirty of the white homes receive water service, compared to four of the African American homes. One of the African American homes had water service established when it was owned by a prior white resident.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/17/us/ohio-town-s-water-at-last-runs-past-a-color-line.html?fta=y

http://blackpoliticalthought.blogspot.com/2008/07/black-residents-in-coal-run.html

the good news is, some white people actually care enough to fight it – i saw the lawyer who took this case from start to finish speak, and he is a good man. (and no, his firm didn’t pocket the legal fees – they put them directly into their next suit, against st. bernard’s parish in louisiana – read the comments on this post to see how far we have yet to go… http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/judge_rules_against_st_bernard.html)

thank you for letting me share in this community.

love and blessings,

khadijah.

that is an offensively stupid coversation and really serves no purpose in discussing racism in american society, north and south. there is no way of deciding whether outright or hidden racism is worse both in terms of social or institutionalized racism, nor is it important which region or state is ‘worse.’

i feel like a jerk for wagging my finger so hard, clearly this is an important conversation to y’all) but this arguement is so annoying to me because this type of arguement seriously slows down serious discussions about racism, and anti-racist movements.

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Worst Dylan lyric ever.