Know where you live.....

I am looking at all of the discussion about the guy ... I don't even know what the actor's name is, all I know is that he played Kramer on the Seinfeld show. I am reading this and responding to the reports and then it occurs to me... some of us have forgotten where we live.

I live in the South, hailing from ATL in GA. I was born here. Racism never left the South. Uncle Tom's did not die. I was born here, in one of the racist states in America. I cannot and will not forget that racist and opportunist (which comes in all colors, even my own!) do exist. You learn to live with it. You learn when to raise heck and when to go beserk. You learn when to let that slide, let it go. You also learn how to keep your eyes open, know where they live, who they are and how to handle it when it arrives at your door step. I prefer my racism in the open, thank you. That way I know what, who and how to look out for it. I expect it, and am pleasantly surprised when it does not raise its ugly head. I have convos with folks of different races, cultures and religious beliefs and clear up misconceptions and get some of mine cleared up to. Admittedly, I have some preconceived ideas about certain folks, but the willingness to learn, get knowledge and to be open to their truth, history etc. puts a lot of stuff to rest for me. But I have lived with racist attitudes and ideologies since I hit the planet. As a dark skinned young child in the first grade, I dealt with it from a teacher, Mrs. Wyatt a light skinned woman, who consistently attempted to break my spirit and to have me classified as slow. My Kindergarten teacher took her to the principal's office, along with my folks and showed that I was reading on a 2nd grade level in the kindergarten and had the comprehension on that level as well. I was introduced to the self hate black folks have towards each other EARLY.

Due to these experiences, I love my country, my state, my city and my people YET I know where I live. Racism did not die, it transformed itself into something more dangerous and insidious. It tries to hide in the corners but those of us who have lived with it and acknowledge its presence all of our lives know where to look and what it looks like despite its attempts to hide in the shadows.

Rant alert-

I know that capitalism, though good in many ways, hurt us in others and spread racism. I know that the reason a lot of poor white folks have issues with us is due to capitalism. Why do the plantation and business owners need you when slaves can do this job, once completely paid for, for free? No wages, no increases, no benefits. I know, and I look and I pity them in a way, cause they got played as we got used. But they STILL do not realize that they got played. Sad. It happened when the Irish came, the Latinos are currently going through it. If they are getting low pay, not enough to live on, having to work two and a half jobs, what does that say about my country? What does it say about our countries values, what we honor and really uphold? It is always from the bottom to the top ya'll, and since black were in this country at the bottom for so long, no I cannot ignore the bottom nor the racism that lies there.

I know, racism in all its forms exist. So does classism. I do not need to see it so blatantly placed out there. However, perhaps some do. I know where I live ya'll. I do not come to southern cities expecting it to leave cause thy are HOT right now. I know what and where racism is. I know where I LIVE. I Live in America. Perhaps you know this place too.....