Ellington

My late mother always encouraged me to face problems head on. To this day, I've never let issues fester. Problem? You're going to know about it immediately, and I'm going to begin working on solutions and actions. Right now, my beautiful, blossoming city is like that person who uses alcohol or drugs to escape their pains. Great moments, great people, great development can help you forget a problem for a fleeting minute but when morning comes, the problem is still there. And it's going to continue to be there until someone decides to begin chipping away at it.

Donna Ladd's editor's note last week about VIP Jackson's lack of diversity raised a lot of people's ire. Controversial as it may seem, in my opinion it was an appropriate salvo to begin really addressing the demon of race in Jackson. It puzzled me that so many folks were up in arms; it wasn't as if she conjured up some falsehood. She spoke on something a lot of laypeople in the city talk about around water coolers and in barbershops citywide. I get the question almost daily. Perhaps folks were condemning the messenger.

It's difficult for white folks to hear a white person with a different opinion on race. It's sometimes offensive to black folks to hear a white person express disdain at racism. Such is life. But as an African American male in Jackson who operates among the people and in corporate Jackson, perhaps I can add some perspective. The common-sense moderate in me agrees and disagrees with the issue on a couple fronts.

I'm not a big fan of harping on the actions of others. My motto is, "if there's an entity in your city that you think is inefficient, just be better than them, and your works will speak for you."

Next, in free enterprise, businesses are free to operate as they wish. Their practices may be inherently wrong, but ultimately our dollars will dictate whether a business with bad policy succeeds or fails. But they have a right to be what they wish and cater to whom they wish. Char wants to give you a different dining experience than Roosters, but that doesn't necessarily make them racist.

But on the flip side, Jackson, I've found way too many folks, white and black—who are extremely uncomfortable when race is brought up, uncomfortable to the point of anger. Why is Donna talking about race again? Why is Kaz writing about race again? Why is Chokwe Lumumba harping on race again?

Despite what you may believe, the issue has never been resolved. We ignore it and act like it's not there. We vilify those who bring it up because it disturbs the status quo and the peace of the affluent. We act like it's over, but when issues like VIP magazine or downtown development come up, whispers return.

Folks, because you think race issues are resolved doesn't mean all agree. That you don't want to talk about it definitely doesn't mean the issue isn't there. In fact, your defiance is condescending to the intelligent among us who want a dialogue. And guess what, the dialogue is going to make you squirm. It's like talking to your kids about sex. It's going to make you sweat and swallow hard, but it's a conversation you better have, lest it come back to bite you.

This isn't coming from a white newspaper editor; it's coming from a regular black guy who loves his city and all the people in it. A guy who has been called a sell-out because I work side-by-side with white folks, and a troublemaker because I still identify injustices in this town. I'm an equal opportunity pain.

And that's the truth ... sho-nuff.

Previous Comments

ID

161091

Comment

The sad part for me on this Thanksgiving is that we still just dont "Get it"! Ive developed somewhat of thick skin to the "Jackson haters" they are few and far in between. And positive progress will meet with naysayers who love misery however its becoming increasingly difficult to have friends alert me to comments like "any white person who stays in a city goverened by animals that should be in cages is a fool" or "Jackson as a whole is bad" or comments that I cant even print here. I ask myself, people ask ME..how can people STILL say these things? How can they be so blatant? Its disheartning that folks still think there is a safe place for such comments and even sadder that when in the company of their own feel like they have a green light to make such statements. If more hurtful is that most sit idly by and give an uncomfortable smile and say nothing. which leads the person to believe that person too holds those antiquated beliefs. SMH. This will be our city's undoing. Unless we can begin a true dialogue I cant rightfully say how this city will grow. Its like Artist Talib Kweli says. Its hard for some folks to have apathy for those who DIDNT grow up with their same privilege. Black and White..BLACK AND WHITE we quickly disassociate ourselves. There is no desire to truly know the experiences of others. Having a "black friend" doesnt absolve you from guilt. Because chances are the black person youre friends with doesnt understand either. Doesnt make you "racist" it just makes you ignorant to the fact that things are not hunky dory. If you say someone is "harping on race" it immediately tells me you dont understand.

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2010-11-25T13:36:50-06:00

ID

161145

Comment

@ Kaze - and I quote you on this, "That you don’t want to talk about it definitely doesn’t mean the issue isn’t there. In fact, your defiance is condescending to the intelligent among us who want a dialogue. And guess what, the dialogue is going to make you squirm." Now you know I whole heartedly feel you on this, but I think some people don't really want to hear the thruth. Reason being, is that someone may take offense to something someone else may have said. The thing that I have to remember, is that people all do not communicate the same way, what makes sense to one person, may not make sense to the next. With that said, are we really open to hearing someone's gripe, argument or complaint and take it with a fine grain of salt - because at least they are giving their very own opinion about how they feel. Now if someone is cussing and ranting, throwing insults instead of a perspective on what they have against your idealogy, without leading to a point, then its a moot argument. So the question in turn is, are we willing to squirm just to debate the topic. I think some people just leave it alone, because they feel the negative side to their affirmative side, will not wholeheartedly listen to them without giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Author

Duan C.

Date

2010-12-01T15:11:38-06:00