Being White in America


 The only difference between man and man all over the world over is one of degree, and not of kind, even as there between trees of the same species. Where is the cause for anger, envy or discrimination? – Mahatma Gandhi

I am a white person.

There, I’ve said it. To make such a statement is as shocking as hearing the “N Word”. If I said this in public with even a faint hint of pride, shocked gasps would be followed by revilement and possibly even physical violence. It conjures up images of the KKK and skinhead neo-Nazis and I would be forever branded as a racist. Being white can only be acknowledged when checking a box on a form. A Caucasian in today’s world is the only race that cannot be claimed with pride, will not be supported when other people call us ugly racial names and cannot ask for a special emphasis month to celebrate our accomplishments and contributions to art, medicine, science, music, humanitarianism and philanthropy.

I can never say I celebrate my race. I can’t add my whiteness to the rich fabric of our ethnic nation. To do so would be to set myself up to be called a bigot although I have never in my life used a racial slur against anyone of any race or ethnicity. It is estimated that by 2050, some think even sooner, white people will be the minority race in America. Will Caucasians THEN qualify for a White History Month and affirmative action to get jobs and a college degree? I would be shocked if we do because it is decreed by the world that white people must be remembered by the wrongs of some whites, but never remembered or honored because of the overwhelming good things we have done. Just as a German might hesitate to announce “I am proud of my German heritage!” because a group of madmen for a time wreaked havoc in the world and stigmatized a nation’s heritage, so might white people refuse to say “I am proud to be white!” Our racial pride is forever tainted by the awful shadow of slavery and racial intolerance. Our efforts and successes in equal rights do not free the people who have never discriminated against others from living in perpetual fear that we will offend someone by saying the wrong thing in our egg-shell delicate, politically correct world.

White people who have uttered racial slurs in the past and are ashamed and bitterly regret their actions can never be forgiven in today’s world. Their words will forever be used as an obstacle to atonement, but our highest leaders in the land and the most powerful people in the agencies that oversee our laws can unashamedly lie to Congress and to the American people because they know there will be no repercussions. They act with impunity to defile the rights of the American people as set down in our Constitution. Maybe an amendment needs to be added that all people are created equally, except white people. They cannot be respected, they cannot fight back when attacked, and they cannot be proud because that would be “insensitive”.

On average, biochemically all humans are 99.9% similar to other humans. The criteria that people use for race are based entirely on external features that we are programmed to recognize and certainly they are useless in seeing beyond skin color to what is in a person’s soul and mind. We as a country can never know full freedom until everyone feels free to celebrate who they are and take pride in themselves. Now that I have declared my whiteness, I know that there will be repercussions, but you know, it just had to be said.

2 thoughts on “Being White in America

  1. Black, brown, yellow, red, white…they’re all just colors which may be used as an excuse for discrimination, but since when did we ever really need an excuse. If not color, then I’m sure we could find some other way to undermine and subjugate. “That person speaks slowly; he must be dumb.” or “Those people wear scarves on their heads; stupid rag-heads.” The core problem is that people are intolerant of anyone who is different, no matter how small or insignificant. I believe that education, travel and experience leads to better understanding and appreciation of all the wonderful possibilities that exists in the world, and hopefully with that comes more tolerance of those differences.

    Liked by 1 person

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