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Black, White or Clear

EXPERIENCED BY ROSINA KARIKARI

Being a person of African descent, I’m known to have dark skin. It is not choice of mine, a privilege of mine or a downfall of mine. In fact I am very proud of the race that I am. I feel that none should be ashamed of their race. But some people cannot accept the fact that being a certain color that is different from yours is not a downfall to the other person but a privilege for you to learn more and open up to new things and new worlds.

It’s really hard for me to ignore the unintended ignorance that some people tend to show towards other races and nationalities. Going to a school where the majority of the students consider themselves as “preppy” students that are too good to associate themselves with certain crowds. It proves that teenagers at the most consider themselves as “too good” for certain people because of their appearance.

Teenagers can be very frank and up front about what they want to tell you, even if it may hurt you in any matter that you might consider offensive. If the person making the crude comment, whether racial, sexually or religiously oriented doesn’t feel that what he could’ve said hurt you in any way, then there is no remorse. Even if you have informed them that you were not at all amused, but took offense to the words or phrase that they had just stated.

For example many people in this town use the word “NIGGA” or more often then not also said “NIGGER” a lot more frequently then I would like to hear it. They use it in their everyday language to describe African-Americans. When asked or confronted about the reason why they choose those choice of words they give explanations as: “Well a lot of them get on my nerves!” “I only call the really crazy ones that are dirty that.” “There isn’t anything wrong with it!” “You guys say it too.” “I bet that you guys have a word for us to.” Other unacceptable excuses are given also.

I would like to give answers to those illogical questions. If a person of your race for example a Jew is “getting on your nerves” would you resolve to calling him a kite? You probably wouldn’t. So in no way does anything give you the right to call me a name that I have specifically stated that it offends me. There may be a sad reason that African American may be in the situation. If you have no way of helping that person getting out of that situation then do not make any comment about them. The word NIGGER has a symbolic meaning t African Americans. It reminds them of a time when they ancestors were tricked into selling each other into bondage for guns, cigars etc. many will say that was their fault, but they had no idea what was going to happen.

They were used to there style of “slavery” where the people of the defeat town where told to defend the conquering town in war. They were oblivious to what was to occur in the future. Many ignorant African Americans use this word frequently to describe a close friend. Which I believe is abousolutly wrong. I few the generation of today are trying our hardest to get away from the times when we were treated as if we brought ourselves ere. Some people say that they are trying to change the meaning of the word but they are rather giving others the opportunity to call us that in their negative terms. Some of us refrain from the word. So don’t you dare try to call me an inferior person when you don’t know me any way possible. It really depends on the type of society that you live in because no matter what environment that you live in you will experience some type of racism. TO BE CONTINUED

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