Keeping in mind, nearly every civilization over the course of human evolution has had slavery, oppression, misrepresentation, and class systems. We can only fight what currently exists, be mindful of the past and learn from it, and prep for the future. Going blunt, un-“PC”, honest, summed up, and without hours of needed conversation to discuss it, it’s very hard to quickly discuss race and class and how that’s linked to socio-economic ties. However, my thoughts are at the moment, as a whole, whites are seen to be privileged in this country. While I feel like I’m not particularly “privileged” in many respects, I’ve also not been oppressed (in a serious way) due to the color of my skin. I have experienced much racism in my lifetime but it’s never kept me down or held me back. Blacks, and other minorities in this country experience racism that does keep them down. They are most definitely not privileged, they are most definitely held back by old laws, pre-defined distrcits/neighborhoods/school zones, and profiled by the police and lawmakers of this country.

Yet, those people must continue striving to overcome and with an ever-growing, enlightening population, this is a totally possible and attainable thing. My family comes from Belfast, Ireland and has been subject to persecution, tyranny, oppression, and CONSTANT war for… ever? The fighting between Catholics and Protestants rages on to this day. Huge walls all over the city and region divide neighborhoods and sects of people because they couldn’t get over their useless hate, their labels that they identified so strongly with. Many family members were lost and it was one main reason my grandfather came to this country. Opportunity. He came after a time where the original Irish immigrants were a lower class in America so he didn’t experience extreme bigotry here in that respect thankfully.

What I mean to say is this: there have always been a group of privileged people who just happened to be at the top due to luck, inheritance or greed, who decide to enslave/oppress/use/murder certain groups they deemed “below them”. It is only when the oppressed (and even oppressors for that matter) become educated, work harder, strive to be the best they can be in their current situation, challenge their belief structure, develop a better future for their children, and draw in the help & support of groups around them who are also educated or sympathetic to the cause, can this current cycle be stopped. 

We must work extremely hard, worldwide, in a movement of ending “wrong” throughout the planet. It’s going to take tolerance, bravery, patience, compassion, empathy, education, effort, trust, faith, and possibly force. The good news? It has begun =) 

The same reason a select minority of the world rails against “Big Jew Bankers” is the same some rail against “violent blacks” or “lazy mexicans” or “lucky to be whites”. We villainize that which we don’t understand or is outside of our comfort zone or is different from ourselves. This must stop and can only be stopped through education, EFFECTIVE communications, and critical thinking. I have hope.