IBARW

 I've been putting this off, trying to decide what to say.

 While I think racism is wrong, I have a hard time arguing about it effectively.  I argue about sexism much more effectively, but that's because I'v directly experienced it.  When it comes to the race question, I have privilege on my side - I'm a white woman.

 However, I'm also in the Army, which has been described as one of the few places in our society where black people routinely tell white people what to do.  Specifically, I am in a signal unit, which is heavily not-white.  I am, myself, a military intelligence soldier, which is a fairly white field.  So the contrast hits me hard at times.  I think in our unit that racism isn't a problem, but it could be that I just don't see it.

 There is no doubt in my mind that we still have race issues in our country, and anyone who thinks we've gotten over it is deluding themselves. 

It's pretty evident to me when I sit around a table where all the officers are white and all the non-commissioned officers (except for me) are black or Latino. 

Or when I turn on the TV during football season and see a sport that is largely played by black men, largely led by white men, not just the quarterbacks, but the coaches, the owners, and the people who make the big decisions. 

 The playing field is not level, but racism is not the only issue.  The other issue is poverty, which is largely linked to race.  Those children lucky enough to be born to people with educations, good jobs, and good circumstances are likely to do better, for a number of reasons.  It's easier to worry about developing your baby's mind when you don't have to worry about feeding your baby. 

 This is getting rambly and wandering, but the bottom line has to be: It exists.  Our society still needs to work on it.  Pretending everything is better will not fix the problem.  Trying our best every day is the most we can do. 

 Let's work to make this an issue that really does go away for our children's generation.

 DV

IBARW #2

 Something else that bothers me, in conjunction with racism: the complaint that white women aren't "breeding" enough.

 First of all, we aren't breeding stock.  We're people.  We have other purposes to our lives.  I have one child.  I plan to have another.  Possibly, possibly, a third.  That's it.

 Second, I can't get all worked up about POC becoming a larger number of the population.  I just can't. 

 I also can't ignore that often the same people saying white women should have more babies (with white men, naturally) often complain that POC have too many babies, have too large families. 

 Makes you wonder.

 DV

IBARW Rec

http://surrealphantast.livejournal.com/341000.html

Excellent post about what happens when a person speaks out against racism - and when they don't.

DV