48.

It is a good time to be a young person. In the “post-racial” climate of today opposition to integration, racially charged hate crimes, and stereotyped assumptions about people of color have magically vanished from our ultra-progressive country that is being propelled into prosperity by our African American Commander-in-Chief. Right? I’d say it’s up for debate. Obviously, this term is problematic, and one could venture to say, far from being realized. That is, unless by the term “post-racial” we actually mean the tendency to veil racial sentiment in a shroud of political indifference.
Take the recent health care debate, for instance. In his insightful and emotionally stirring op-ed piece, “The Rage is Not About Health Care,” Frank Rich calls to attention the similarities between resistance tactics today from the far right and those of the 1960’s in order to reveal increasing racial tension in America. Noting that civil rights icon John Lewis as well as other members of the Congressional Black Caucus had to fend off racial slurs as they entered the capital to vote for the bill. Is the connection between this hate-infused protesting of the right and “Obamacare” (as they so affectionately refer to it) clear? Frank supposes, that no, regardless of what legislature Obama and his ethnically diverse political cabinet tackled first, the backlash would be as venomous and hate-filled as is the right’s opposition to health care and those who support it.
I wonder, though, is this racial tension really something that is “increasing” or has our country every really dealt head on with the race question. Should we really be so surprised to hear of a brick smashing through a Congressman’s window? Should Sarah Palin’s “reload” and “kill the bill” rhetoric shock and awe the American public? It takes me back to the 1954 Supreme Court decision of Brown v. Board of Education and the way in which fear of integration spurred a white backlash so terrifying and violent that the world had to (eventually) take notice. Images of Emmett Till, James Meredith, the Little Rock Nine flash through my head as I hear of political leaders reinforcing violent epithets. This is where the term “post-racial” becomes troubled. That description gestures towards some type of finish line, suggests that maybe, after years of struggle we have reached the end of racial indifference and fear, and that Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision of a Beloved Community has been realized. I would challenge these young “post-racial” citizens to take this opportunity to begin having the conversation and to begin finding comfort in tackling uncomfortable issues. We, as a generation, as a society, are far from achieving a “post-racial” status and this will be true until our politics and protests can be carried out in a civilized fashion where racial epithets are not used as the counter-point of a legislative disagreements. Until then, might I suggest a mums the word attitude on the post-raciality of our modern generation?

this was a sample piece of writing for another blog, but i thought i'd post it on my own blog because, after all, i wrote it.

i only have three more Mondays (including today) left as a graduate student. oh man.