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Be Disgusted, Not Surprised At Racism
Oftentimes we are taken aback by the degree and the amount of stories, regarding racist interactions, airing on the news and dominating social media. We are horrified and many of us yell, “It’s [insert year]! This should not still be happening!” But that horror we feel is part of the problem. The way people talk about the time before Trump — implying a racism free Utopia — is part of the problem. Racism against all minority groups has been on the rise and it didn’t occur overnight.
Eric Garner — choked to death by a cop was in 2014.
Trayvon Martin — stalked and murdered by George Zimmerman occurred in 2012.
These were both during Obama’s presidency. The blame doesn’t belong to Obama. Nor does it fully belong to Trump. Racism has always been bigger than one person. Racism is many things — it’s enormous, it’s a monster, but overall, it is a thought that grows into an idea, which transforms into a belief that then mutates into racism. Trump is a physical representation of this mutation that lives in at least half the population of the U.S.
Disgust — Yes
