We could, if we really wanted to, eliminate racism.*
I know it’s regarded as a hobby by some and as a political sport by others, but we could get rid of it.
We could pretend things aren’t racist.**
I remember, long ago, thinking that the Mammy character from a few Tom and Jerry cartoons was funny. Not in any minstrel-sy or racist way – I was naïve enough I didn’t know what a minstrel show was, nor did I know anything about racism other than the uncomfortable look my mother got on her face whenever anyone told a Mexican joke. She was funny. She thumped on her cat and dressed like I’d seen my (very white) Aunt Betty dress.
Later, as a much older naïve person, I remember watching “Gone With the Wind” in a college film class, and emerging in agreement with a few other fellows who were saying “Mammy ran that household. She’s awesome.” About Hattie McDaniel’s character in the film.
I also remember watching Disney’s “Song of the South” and then poring over the tales of Br’er Rabbit and his friends (well, enemies if I’m honest) and thinking, “Wow. That’s one clever bunny.”
And let’s not even bring up my Dutch heritage and the presence of Zwarte Peit, even though Dad carried on such Dutch Christmas traditions such as chocolate letters but only mentioned Zwarte Peit in passing.***
These things, however, are not to be enjoyed. They are to be read cautiously in the company of parentheticals and asterisks **** if they have to be mentioned at all.
And yet we still pretend.
We pretend that all males are misogynistic.
We pretend that all fathers are buffoons.
We pretend that all Christians are wild-eyed fanatics.
None of those have asterisks.
And here’s the thing: The only thing I object to in what we have to pretend is the word “all.”
But back to racism.
I’m not saying let’s pretend things aren’t racist because things aren’t racist. Things are racist because they’ve been used by racists to do racist things for a very long time.
But if we pretended things aren’t racists, maybe the youngsters won’t learn they’re racist. Maybe they won’t repeat them in racist ways.
Oh, they certainly could repeat them. But out of ignorance. And that’s the core of my stupidest of stupid ideas, because I’m encouraging ignorance. This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever written. And I’ve written a lot of dumb things.
But maybe if enough people were ignorant about things that are racist, they could forget to be racist.
Which is also dumb. Because then they’d come up with their own brand-new racist symbols and ideas, and we’d be back in the same place we were before.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
And here’s another thing: I know many have suffered, and continue to suffer, because of racism. Racism is a very real thing. Would pretending not every depiction of race is racist make it go away?***** Now, before you say it –
THIS GUY WANTS TO BRING BACK MINSTREL SHOWS
Allow me to say I do NOT advocate bringing back minstrel shows --
BUT YOU JUST SAID
This isn’t getting anywhere . . .
What’s getting nowhere?
This whole poem. Why don’t you start over?
Or just call the whole thing off. Because what we’re doing in the collective discussion on racism in America is working JUST FINE.******
*Never trust ANYONE who says things like this.
**I’m a complete and UTTER moron, am I not?
***I remember the name Zwarte Peit mentioned in stories Dad made up at bedtime to entertain us, but I do not recall that race ever came into it. But that is NO EXCUSE and Zwarte Peit is ebil. Nevermind that Dad was thrilled to find an English translation of Max Havelaar by Multatuli to share with us.
**** Just like this.
*****No. See the first two asterisks. Particularly No. 2.
******Not really.
