I Don't Care How Many Friends You Have That Are Black, You're a Racist

I've detailed before how I grew up in a town that became integrated, primarily while I was in high school.  I was friends with people regardless of skin color.  That alone does not mean you can't be a racist.  I saw that demonstrated dramatically this past week.

I'm Facebook friends with several of my former high school teachers.  They are educated people and one in particular is very outspoken on the topic of our current President.  He's lived in New York as have I through the many years of seeing Trump for what he is.  I don't think that's the only reason he's so outspoken about the current President, but that is what I know.

With Oprah's speech on Sunday at the Golden Globes, there started to be a wave of "she should run for President" throughout the social media.  My personal opinion is no.  I want someone experienced in government in there.  We are seeing what a disaster someone who doesn't understand politics and the law is for our country now, we don't need another one.  I am not saying she would be the same as Trump.  I think her compassion and her willingness to listen to people is a good thing, and I think she'd be a fine ambassador or the like.  I don't think she wants that, though.  Still, if it were between her or Trump, I'd pull the lever for her in a heartbeat over him.

The teacher posted enthusiasm for Oprah.  Then I watched former classmates put their racism on full display.

One in particular posted an Obama/Oprah meme that was totally racist.  That garnered an immediate block from me.  I don't need to see people like that in my life.  There is nothing they could ever contribute to my life that I would want to see this type of vile sentiment.  We weren't really friends in high school anyway, more like people who were forced to be in the same vicinity for six years.

Another started on a long missive about how great Trump is and how inexperienced Oprah is:

Sorry, xxxxxx, but while Oprah is popular and wealthy, she earned her billions through television and popularity among her fans. Trump earned his billions in business, by making deals that benefited his organizations, like he is doing (or trying his hardest to do) for our country. While Oprah could do a helluva job interviewing Trump, she couldn't otherwise hold a candle to him, and while she is clearly a better choice than criminal Hillary, you guys are gonna have to come up with a bit more than Oprah. I'm not saying that Trump is a good guy or even a good president, but the folks on your side of the aisle have to start thinking clearly already. Enough is enough. Maybe you should run! You'd have my vote. (SERIOUSLY) After all, you gave me an A, even after I had a huge fist fight in your class.

Okay, let's look at that statement.  "Oprah earned her millions through popularity among her fans."  I would say that since Oprah started from nothing and has grown to be one of the richest women in the country she is heads and tails a better businesswoman than Trump.  Trump was given money by his rich Daddy and proceeded to make bad business decision after bad business decision that forced his companies into bankruptcy and screwed many small businesses in New York, putting them out of business as well.  Oprah has never filed for bankruptcy.

Trump is making "good deals" for this country?  If I thought it would be constructive I'd ask him to say what that is, but I have more respect for my teacher and I know the path that these Trumpanzees who drink the kool-aid descend to every damn time.  I don't need to see it again.

And of course, Hillary is a criminal.

I am sure both he and the first poster would say they are in no way racist.  Why, they played lacrosse and football with black guys in high school, they can't be!  They have black people they call friends.  They aren't racist.

Yes, yes you are.  And likely misogynistic too, based on the Hillary comment and the fact that you tout Trump as being a good businessman when his fortune was handed to him from his father while Oprah worked hard to get to where she is.  When a (black) woman becomes rich she obviously doesn't deserve it.  When a white man squanders his family's wealth and puts on a good show doing so, he obviously deserves it.

Both of these people were on the sports teams in high school.  If this doesn't play into the stereotype of the dumb jock, I don't know what does.  Fortunately, I know several people who were on the high-profile sports teams who are otherwise intelligent, so I know it's not all of them.

Still....

I clearly remember an incident where one of the other players was sitting near me in a study hall with one of the African-American players on the team.  I was a nerd and typically one of the targets of their harassment.  As a joke, he asked me "Would you go out with my friend Bill here if he asked you?" indicating the African-American student.

"Why yes, yes I would," I responded.  The other student was incredulous.  He asked me several times and I kept responding "why not?"  Bill could see it.  He could see what this student was saying without saying it and finally told him to stop, which he did.

Right there is the difference.  You might think you aren't racist because you have "black friends," but when you still see skin color as a difference in a human being and not the content of their character; when you PRE-JUDGE someone based on aesthetics, you are racist.

And I wonder how they would act if their son or daughter came home and introduced them to a fiance who was African-American.  A couple of times I've actually pushed the envelope asking that question, the answer I got was "that would never happen."

That tells me all I need to know about you.