Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Racism--still going strong.

I was blessed with a mother who taught me that we are ALL children of God.  She taught me to love.  I still count that as one of my greatest blessings.  She truly loved everyone--race or religion never mattered.

Growing up in Southern California--some of my best friends were African American and Hispanic.  Racism did not exist in my world, and I could not understand it.  I saw it on TV in the form of riots, read about it in newspapers, read books, watched movies, heard of wars based on it--but I never actually saw it first-hand, until now.

This weekend I was in Los Angeles.  While traveling alone on the Metro, I got lost, took a wrong train, and ended up in a neighborhood where I was the minority.  I heard angry words, taunting, name calling--all directed at me and my whiteness.


To say I was scared is an understatement.  The thing (other than my safety) that bothered me so much, was the hate.  Why?  Why does our society hate?  It was blatant hate based only on appearance, nothing more.

Friends, I am so very sad to say that racism is very much alive, and has now entered my little world.


P.S. Kindness is also very much alive!  Thanks to the kindness of two young men (oriental), another man (??), and a lady bus driver (African American) I found my way to my original destination.

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