Todays post is kind of just a rambling, fussing, going nowhere post.
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I was raised in a very small town. Population 600 - seriously. We had no grocery store, no red lights, one school K-12, 1 gas station and when I was in 6th or 7th grade we got Tiger Mart! Tiger Mart was a convenience store. My family was racist. They were prejudiced against anyone who was not hetero-sexual and white and Baptist. It was not uncommon for me to hear the N word in my home. To hear off color jokes about homosexual's, hispanics, African Americans and any other race or different person you want to throw in there. As a child, it didn't really HIT me that this was wrong. My small town, population of 600 was 99% white and probably 85% Baptist. I had a friend in school who had an Asian mother. I never thought that I was better than her or even really thought anything about her skin color. However, she was definitely the minority in my small K-12 school. In middle school I was a cheerleader and we played football teams that had other races on them. That was the only interaction I had with someone who was 'different' than I was. I will tell you, I had a major crush on Michael Jackson and Theo from the Cosby Show. :-)
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My aunt married a wonderful black man and was disowned by her father, who was my grandfather. My grandmother was not allowed to talk to my aunt, she wasn't allowed to come around. I was still quite young and I did not realize the impact of what was happening. My grandparents eventually divorced and said aunt and her husband were welcomed (mostly) into the family.
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When I graduated school and went to Roane State I had my first real interaction with someone who was African American. I had a guy ask me out on a date. I said no, not because of his skin color but because I had a boyfriend. Time goes on...I get married, divorced and start dating again. I am very attracted to black men. I feel a little odd about this. I wonder how my family is going to feel or what they will say but I don't really care either. By this point, I know that those racist and prejudiced values that I were taught were wrong.
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Years later...I am married to a wonderful black man. We will be celebrating our 11 year anniversary next month. I have a wonderful mother in law, father in law, sister in law and brother in law and many more extended family members. My two very best friends are not white. No doubt, what I was taught as a child was completely wrong. It goes against everything that we were told God was and what He thought. However, we were taught on the verse that says "be not unequally yoked". However, that verse was not expounded upon. They never said the last part which says "with unbelievers".
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I live in Tennessee still. I know beyond any doubt that racism still exists and is rampant everywhere. I am confronted with it daily. Even by people who swear that they are not racist! I hear comments like "those Mexicans" "those people" "they were acting black" "they were trying to act white" and the list goes on. Not all Hispanic people are from Mexico! One group of people whether white, black, hispanic, homosexual do not act one way. We are all individuals and we have our own individual personalities, our own quirks, etc.
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I am so tired of racism and prejudices. So tired of people thinking that it is okay to hate another person for any reason but especially because of skin color, sexual preferences, religious denomination, etc. Hatred is never okay. We should never judge a person based upon outward appearances.
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The same person who said "mexicans" to me says that they aren't racist. They have NO problem with anyone based upon skin color. The same person who said to me "I can't go out of my hotel room because they are all black" says to me that he is not racist. The same person who said to me "they were acting black" says that she is not racist. The same person who said to me "they were trying to act white" says that she is not racist. The same person who said to me "I can't allow my kids to be around you and your husband because the inter-racial relationship would confuse them" says to me that she is not racist. I am tired of people saying I am not racist but not really knowing the definition of that word. I am tired of people saying I love everyone but calling homosexuals by an insulting name. Just yesterday I had someone say something to be about a certain type thing called N something!!! Are you serious??? What would make someone think that it is okay to even say that word to me?!?! What would make someone think that it is okay to say that word period?!?! The thing is, that person knew it was WRONG because when they said it they whispered it! Seriously people! I am sick and tired of being sick and tired of racism and prejudices. Seriously!
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I was told by an uncle when I talked to him and my aunt about my boyfriend who was black that "God does not see our outward appearance, God looks at our heart".
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Isn't it about time that everyone do the same??
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