Why I'm Blue in Red

When I first moved to Kansas City, I would have to say I was pretty clueless about racism, prejudices, bigots, and the like. Having grown up on the West Coast, I was under the erroneous assumption that most people viewed race as I do.

Basically, I reserve any conclusions about a person until there is a certain amount of evidence to support my conclusion. Still, I realize it's my opinion and that simple fact means it is not a holy dictate from God. But I also believe that if is quacks, has feathers, and a bill...it's probably a duck.
So that brings me to the conversations I have been having with a friend. This friend is a white male, late twenties, grew up in a small town north of Kansas City that had one African American family. His father worked as a security guard and based on arrests made in this job, this man has convinced my friend that black people are dangerous criminals...with the exception of a few.

Now comes the issue, every time this friend moves, he feels the need to share with me his immediate conclusions about apartment hunting. That translates to, he went to see a unit, he saw 'a lot of black people', therefore he won't get the unit. Why on Earth I decided to say something about this point, I don't know but I did.

Basically, I said that is a sign of bigotry...to see blacks or mexicans (he seems to be afraid of them too) and presume they will be racist is racist. He claims he has experienced 'reverse racism'. I pondered that phrase and I think it's silly. Racism is racism no matter who is dishing it out. He said when people speak of racism, they are usually speaking about whites being racist towards blacks. Well, this is when I insulted him. I said his view on racism is as such because he is not from a diverse community. In a diverse community you can never presume racism is white against black. There are just too many races to consider.

However, then I was accused of being closed-minded...well...stubborn I will accept, closed minded, no. What's the difference...well...I accept that he has his views but I disagree with them. I am not on a mission to change him, I explained to him the only way his views will change is if he decides to change them. Right now he is using the excuse of that's how he was raised to justify his prejudiced. Because I can accept that he is prejudiced, I feel that makes me open-minded. I am stubborn because I refuse to agree with him that a mostly black neighborhood is automatically riddled with crime. Most people, poor or rich, just want happy lives and are not criminals.

So, must to his dismay, I did not agree. He is angry but I am not. I realize much clearer now why many of my relatives here do not have white friends. Sooner or later this kind of conversation will arise. My friend thinks I was condescending towards him...maybe I was...but when a person tells you that blacks 'scare him,' or bringing home a black girlfriend is like bringing home a 'new puppy,' I really don't think I was out of line telling him that viewpoint is insulting.