These are interesting times in America. All of a sudden the Black Lives Matter movement is relevant, and white America is having a coming to Jesus moment when it comes to racism. Corporations are all becoming woke (RIP Aunt Jemima), institutions are all scrambling to show that they are not racist, Black employees are finally speaking out, and everyone is looking for a Black friend. Heck even republican senators are decrying racism and trying to find ways to tackle institutional racism. Juneteenth is being declared a holiday by at least one major city, and employers, not to be left out of this new found wokeness, were giving their African American employees June 19th off with pay.
It’s amazing what a video of a man being killed by someone under the color of title can do for the national psyche. White Americans watched what Black folks have been telling them have been going on all along, and were shocked. They took to the streets to join their Black brothers and sisters in protest, and the country has not been the same since.
I have to wonder, though, is this just another passing fad? How serious are we as Americans about making real change when it comes to racism. Racism, after all, cannot be legislated away. It lies in the heart, and in order to really do away with racism, you have to change the heart of the racist. I personally do not believe that will happen, so rather than trying to do that, we have to change how many of these institutions deal with matters of race, and dismantle institutional racism where we find it.
It’s nice to see the new found consciousness from Americans, but Americans tend to like to jump on the latest fad. So, like tight jeans and reality television shows, this all too might pass.
We will see.
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