Until I'd been in the Navy about five years, I was a racist.
I wasn't one of those fire-breathing backwoods wannabe-lynch-mob leaders. No, I'd learned my first lesson in racism's folly back in the fifth grade for calling a black kid the n-word and received a hard punch in the gut that put me down for a few minutes. The principal told me it was my fault, that I deserved it — and it took a few years to understand he was right.
As the years went by I still kept some racist beliefs — I knew every n-joke in the book, it seemed — even though one of my girlfriends in high school was black. It was understood that it had to be kept a big secret, especially from my family. Such would have been scandalous, ruinous to their social standing in rural Sunflower County in the heart of the Mississippi Delta (to this day I haven't told my mother, and I do hope she's not reading this blog). The pressure got to be too much and I broke up with her and broke her heart, and I've always held myself responsible for the pain I caused her. It didn't help that a few years back I found out that she'd subsequently had five kids from five different men. I blame myself for that, too.
But I joined the Navy and as the years went by, every word of encouragement from senior enlisted who happened to be African- or Asian-American, and every laugh shared with my shipmates who were of different races, became another brick removed from the wall that had been built between myself and the real world. I began to feel ashamed of where I came from, of the Southern culture that had raised me to think that we whites were the best, most morally upright, most honorable this world had to offer.
I do visit my family in the Delta every year or two, and with few exceptions, I see the same racism in the white faces and in the voices of friends and neighbors there that I'd seen and heard before in my youth. Just as it is much easier for someone from, say, Mexico to read the faces and hear the nuances in the voices of others from the same province of Mexico, such nuances of Delta white folk can't be hidden from me — I know it too well. Of course I do see some racism even here in western Washington (for where there are humans, there is at least some racism)...but not nearly to the extent I see it down South. The two don't even bear comparison.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Dave Nalle
As they say, there's no one so fanatical as a convert.
I'd suggest, based on this article, that your eagerness to see racism everywhere, especially in the political right, comes from a hypersensitivity caused by your personal background far more than from any real evidence of racism among those you criticize.
You suggest that we look at ourselves. My background is almost the opposite of yours. I grew up overseas and in one of the blackest cities in America and in the northeast in a family which is overwhelmingly liberal. Racism was just not an element of my upbringing at all. For various reasons I ended up moving to Texas, and coming here as an outsider I can see very clearly how much less real racism there is here than I would have expected, and in fact far less racism than I encountered among the working class in the northeast.
The truth is that in many parts of the south the races are far more integrated than they are in the more "liberal" parts of the country and operate on a more equal footing. Where there are fewer powerful unions (which often practice racism as institutional policy) and there is not a long history of urban gettoization, there is far more integration and real equality between the races, and that tends to be characcteristic of the south.
Sure, I've run into people who use racist language and tell the occasional racially questionable joke. But those same people are more likely to treat a minority member as an equal than people I grew up with who were part of the northeastern liberal elite, and ultimately it's actions which matter.
So perhaps my differences with Glenn come from having the exact opposite experiences and perspectives.
Dave
2 - Glenn Contrarian
Dave -
Perhaps. In all honesty, when I was growing up in the Delta, most whites (including myself) thought exactly as you do now - that the South is in many ways more integrated than elsewhere, especially in the north, and that there was certainly more racism in the north than in the South. There was certainly more violence in the big cities...but was that a product of race relations, or the natural result of inner-city poverty?
But when I walk down the streets of Seattle and see black/white couples, I know that such is seen as almost perfectly normal here. In all my visits back down South, I have yet to see a black/white couple in the Delta (despite the fact that the population ratio between the two races there is closer to 50/50 than any other region of the country I can think of).
Given your impression that is the same of many whites in the South (and the same that mine used to be), how do you reconcile that with the dearth of biracial couples in the Delta when the demographic makeup should allow for a much greater level of biracial marriages there?
3 - Cindy
Glenn,
I am deeply moved by your article. When people can talk from the heart that way, I think there's hope for us.
It's an article that risks vulnerability. Your taking that risk inspires me that I may take such risks. I hope I am as brave as you.
xxxooo
4 - Clavos
But when I walk down the streets of Seattle...
Seattle is hardly representative of northern cities; it is more akin to austin, which is southern.
5 - zingzing
"it is more akin to austin, which is southern."
maybe politically. but not demographically. seattle is a rather strange city demographically... going south, it's sorta like portland, but very different from northern california cities; going east, it's very different from the cities around it as well.
i don't think glenn's comment was really about "northern cities." it was more about "not southern." (and austin is a bit of an anachronism in texas and in the south.)
6 - Clavos
My point exactly, zing. Both are anachronistic in the context of their geographic locations.
In fact, they and a handful of others are atypical of the USA, which is by and large much more a nation of bumpkins (like Mississippi and Iowa, for example) than those two places.
7 - Dave Nalle
Now I did say my comparison was between the northEAST and the south, not the northWESt. Different kettle of fish. And I have zero experience of life in Mississippi as it is one of the few southern states I have not spent any time in. Things may be radically different there than, for example, in Louisiana where mixed-race couples are commonplace. And different from here in Texas where I have a cousin whose wife is african american and no one makes a big deal about it. But then my family is actually in history textbooks in association with one of the most famous cases of miscegenation in US history, so it's a little late to complain.
Dave
8 - zingzing
well, seattle does look a shitload like vancouver, bc. and austin has more in common with northern cities than it does other larger cities in texas. what they all have in common is the liberal leanings of the communities. which is what glenn was talking about, methinks.
i guess that's the only thing that seattle is representative of in the context. i had a chinese/taiwanese girlfriend when i lived in seattle, and the only place i got any stares was from the chinese... and only that from her mother. (her taiwanese father didn't give a hoot, while the mother's mother hated the idea of her daughter marrying a taiwanese man, so i guess it's a little ingrained. i was also screwing her daughter, so that's really enough, isn't it?)
not that screwing yellow is anything like screwing black in white america. of course, when i lived in england, i had a black girlfriend, and no one gave a shit about that either, because it was england. then again, she was from nigeria and her english was rather messed up, so it didn't last. it's only when i started dating a redhead from indiana that i got into any fights over there. bastards.
9 - Dave Nalle
Bias against Gingers must be stopped!
Dave
10 - Glenn Contrarian
Clavos
In fact, they and a handful of others are atypical of the USA, which is by and large much more a nation of bumpkins (like Mississippi and Iowa, for example) than those two places.
Until a couple decades ago, you'd be absolutely right. However, according to the PBS about 80% of Americans now live in cities or suburbs.
As I've said in other articles, America's demographics are changing...and just as surely as a glacier advances in colder weather, we will shift further to the left as our population becomes more city-bound, better-educated, and better-interconnected with each other...for that's what the statistics show as a significant overall trend.
11 - zingzing
"Bias against Gingers must be stopped!"
she actually dyed her hair blonde when i met her. it took me a few days to figure out that she was actually a redhead. (i found out the fun way.)
we broke up after a few months before getting back together again for a few more months, but during that first break up, someone thought i cockblocked him (ahh, college,) and we got into a fist fight in a rose garden in the courtyard which the porters had to break up (ahh, england). i had a bruised rib and a bloody nose, but the other guy had a punctured cheek and a broken collarbone. i kinda think it was the sympathy i got from her that brought us back together (for a short time, until she went back to indiana...). ahh, young love. well, lust anyway.
12 - Glenn Contrarian
Dave -
I found a very useful link concerning mixed-race marriages (MRM's). It clearly shows that the southwest has the highest percentage of MRM's (but of the southwest states, Texas has the lowest percentage of MRM's).
It also shows that the region with the lowest percentage of MRM's is the South...with Mississippi being the lowest at 2.0%
Now compare that with the fact that Mississippi has the highest percentage of blacks of any state...and that begs the question as to why the state with the highest percentage of blacks would have the lowest level of MRM's?
But perhaps a better understanding would be to see this chart showing American counties by which ethnic group is the most prominent in each county.
All through the South (except for Texas, and except for Florida (which isn't a Southern state)), the percentage of African Americans is high...but the percentage of mixed-race marriages is low. Such is not the case with other states outside of the South, so I think you must agree that it can't be blamed on one race not wanting to marry another race...but it can certainly be blamed on the regional culture.
But what about MI, IN, OH, WV, and PA, you ask? They've all got large black populations, but a low percentage of MRM's.
I don't have a good answer for you...yet. I could argue that these are all traditionally red states with the exception of MI...but I'm not sure that's the right answer.
But the Southern lack of MRM's is an entire region, comprising an entire regional culture...and the worst disparity is in Mississippi, and helps to prove what I've been saying about the Delta being ground zero for racism in America.
13 - Doug Hunter
"we will shift further to the left as our population becomes more city-bound, better-educated, and better-interconnected with each other."
Should read.
We will shift further to the left as our population becomes more dependent on government handouts, America accelerates it's slide from greatness into a bankrupt debtor nation on the scrapheap of history, and our brand of class and race hate propaganda takes hold.
Seriously, the only thing you contribute to this site is veiled,(or not) ad hominem attacks. Every article, every comment is how anyone who disagrees with you is racist, uneducated, etc. I don't buy this little internal reflection gambit. This article was just about getting digs in and throwing the R-word around against the Delta, the south, the country, conservatives and anything else you dislike.
The fact that you fooled some into thinking otherwise is testament to your cleverness in namecalling, but I'm not buying.
Believe it or not, there are ways to make your points without resorting to personal insults. I know you're a smart guy, you should try it sometime.
14 - roger nowosielski
Very moving article, Glenn. A couple of observation, and do take it with a grain of salt because I wasn't born and raised here; or perhaps as an insight.
Reading your article, it occurs to me that the kind of racism you're talking about, and even now accusing yourself of as somehow always lurking behind, every ready to rear its head, is essentially cultural in basis. I wouldn't know much about that, because I've been uprooted from my home country and have seen many peoples and lands and customs before finally landing in America, but it definitely strikes me as having essentially cultural, local community roots.
I've been living in KY for the past year, quite a change of pace from the sunny and multicultural California. And I've recently had an opportunity to get acquainted with some locals, young kids as a matter of fact, as part of the CDL/truck driver class we're all taking. And no question about it, the kind of "racism" you're talking about is part and parcel of every conversation - almost like the good ole boys talk. But you know what? It's more part of culture than anything else - just talking shit, especially with the young.
I've never had any problem with Southerners. Perhaps because of my accent, they never take me for a Yankee, there's an element of curiosity that's always there, so in this respect, perhaps I'm not qualified to judge. But I tell you what, there may be something about what Dave had said that a new generation is about. Especially when it comes to the young.
They're not mean at all. Actually, they're more friendly and helpful than most Northerners or Westerners. And so I figure, most of it is just talk - because the talk is acceptable and what makes part of being in the company of men. The only thing these guys are missing is exposure.
I bet you. Have them in California for six months or so and their apparent prejudices and biases will melt. They just haven't had the opportunity to see the world, to connect with people who are different from them. But everything I see about them, convinces me there's nothing they'd love to do better.
15 - Glenn Contrarian
Roger -
Thanks for the constructive criticism - and as usual, you're right. Your observation "Have them in California for six months or so and their apparent prejudices and biases will melt. They just haven't had the opportunity to see the world, to connect with people who are different from them." is mostly true...but I've seen many a good ol' boy that remained quite racist even after having been out of the South for several years.
But for the majority, you are spot-on that what they're missing is exposure...for that's certainly what cured me.
16 - zingzing
jesus, doug.
17 - Christine
Glenn and in response to Roger's observation "Have them in California for six months or so and their apparent prejudices and biases will melt..."
Does this mean that there is less racism in California?
18 - Glenn Contrarian
Doug -
Do we really need to go down this road again? Generally speaking, the more urbanized a state's population is, the more likely it is to be a blue state. The more rural a state's population is, the more likely it is to be a red state.
Got that?
So AGAIN, to remind you of the statistical differences between blue states and red states:
* the percentage of the population with health insurance was higher in blue states
* life expectancy is generally higher in blue states. The very blue District of Columbia was in 51st place...but nos. 37 through 50 were ALL red states.
* Blue states have healthier overall living conditions, according to the United Health Foundation, who figured the rankings according to a combination of factors including the rate of high school graduation, the violent crime rate, the percentage of children in poverty, the per capita public health funding, ready access to primary care, the disparity of mortality rates within the state, the premature death rate, the obesity rate, the preventable hospitalization rate, and rate of infectious disease. Once more, the top of the list is almost completely blue, and the bottom of the list is almost completely red.
* Blue states generally have a higher level of education
* And blue states generally median household income
* crime (in fact, I post a link showing a strong correlation between higher median household income and lower crime...which of course gives the nod to the blue states)
* the top five states topping the list of homicide rates were all southern anti-gun-control red states
* if you look at the national rate of violent crime and the national murder rate, the ONLY region that was above the median national rate was the South.
* the divorce rate is generally higher in red states
YES, the big cities have the highest crime rate...but the suburban areas around them have a much lower crime rate. So low, in fact, that when the states' crime rates are compiled, those states with the greatest percentage of rural population had higher homicide rates than states with greater percentages of urban populations.
THESE ARE ALL PROVABLE FACT, Doug. If you want to discuss matters by using provable fact, then I'm happy to do so. But if all you're going to do is to accuse me of duplicity no matter how reliable my statistics may be, then discussions with you serve no purpose.
19 - roger nowosielski
I haven't said that, zing. All I'm saying that the Southerners don't have the monopoly. Each person is unique, but what the Southerners lack is exposure.
20 - Glenn Contrarian
Christine -
In a word, yes.
Check the charts available in reply #13 - they're enlightening.
21 - Christine
Glenn:
Will do...
Since that is the case, you can see why I am one of those who thinks there is less racism. I have only observed racism from the prism of California, since I have lived here since I was three. Not to mention I don't get out much! LOL I mean out of the state.
"To the BC political conservatives, I would admonish each of you to closely examine yourselves. All of you claim to not be racist.."
Racism has no boundaries and can be found in both parties. And in all races.
Lastly, I realize we should all examine ourselves in this area, but how do you prove a negative? It seems to me that no matter what (even if you have a resume to prove it) the racism bashing continues. Not good.
22 - zingzing
roger: "I haven't said that, zing."
said what?
23 - roger nowosielski
About no racism in California. But I know you were addressing Glenn.
24 - zingzing
don't think i said anything about california or racism.
25 - Christine
Robger, I was using your comment.
"Have them in California for six months or so and their apparent prejudices and biases will melt..."
Was trying to figure out what that meant...
But I did not use the word "no" racism...LESS, as compared to most other states.