Internal squabbles

Shout out to one of my older brothers, Fletch, for reminding to diversify my posts. Everyone should check out his blog at: fletchsports.blogspot.com. While you are at it, everyone should also check out a blog that all of my older siblings [hopefully] and I will be doing together at keepinitlive.blogspot.com.

I took lots of good courses during my tenure at Amherst (and I few miserable ones), but one psychology class made such an impact on me that I almost want to call it a great class. Semantics prevent me from using the label "great" in describing the entire class, but I can say that at least its premise was great. In this class, the psychology of race, we discussed (to simplify) the nature of racism. A challenge that we continually faced as a class was classifying racism. It was usually easy to figure out whether a particular issue or occurrence "felt" racist but it proved much more difficult hammering out why exactly that was. 

After individual workout this morning, I had one of these internal conflicts while eating lunch with Nick, and Thomas (the best German player on our team). Before I describe the scenario and how it made me feel, I'd like to stress that I am not writing to pass judgement or to imply how others should feel. I'm simply saying what I think. I welcome and encourage anyone to respond. 

Anyway, during lunch Thomas mentioned American politics. The conversation started with his views on President Bush but eventually morphed into a discussion of the upcoming election. He said that he supported Sen. Obama because he seems to have a clue about foreign policy. Nick agreed with Thomas' support by saying, "Yeah. Black man for president." Thomas asked if Nick was for Sen. Obama just because he's Black. Nick confirmed that this was true. Even though Thomas expressed a little bit of resentment for Nick's views, he was polite and the conversation transitioned to a Dave Chapelle skit on race. The particulars of the skit escape me at the moment, but what stuck out with me was that Nick used the N-Word incessantly. What stuck out with me even more was that Thomas began using it just as much. What stuck out with me the most was that neither seemed bothered by the other's use of the word or in the least way hesitant to use it themselves. 

So, with my head cocked to the side the way it does when I am trying figure something out, I tried to resolve some issues:

On one hand, the word is extremely loaded with negativity and it's very mentioning calls to mind the terrible struggles and hardships many people sweat, bled, and died fighting to overcome. I also admit that being a Black American makes this issue much more salient to me and consequently sensitive to it. On the other hand , neither used the word maliciously or towards me. Nick being Black and using it sort of minimizes it's impact as well.

Ultimately, I think it's a step in the right direction when people of different backgrounds can speak openly about things that were once extremely volatile and taboo. However, I also realized through my discomfort that certain things command a certain level of respect. Prejudice of any form, whether it be based upon ethnicity, creed, or personal preferences is serious. It has been at the root of many of the World's greatest human disasters and should not be minimized. 

All in all, I think lunch was a defining moment for me. I realized that education and tolerance are as important to me as my faith, personal integrity, and family. That's quite the cocktail, haha. 

..'tis all I got.