Can we be honest?

  The title of this post is a serious question. Can we be honest? In todays pc world I would unfortunately have to say, no. The truth isn't allowed when it comes to certain subjects. The truth has become an obstruction to some, and should, no must, be avoided. No where is this more apparent than when it comes to race relations in America. The white folks are wrong on every turn, in every statement, thought or idea. If you are a white American you were born a racist and there is absolutely nothing you can do to change that. To even attempt an explanation of your feelings is racist. Being honest? Not allowed. You will repeat whatever it is that you are told. You will make apologies, concessions and conciliatory statements at every turn. Failure to do so will get your forever labeled as a racist! Remember, you were born that way and it is your fault. There is no excuse, no explaining that. It's what you are, period. I get it, I understand that, and I can't ignore it. I'm not angry, I'm frustrated. If we could all just be honest with one another progress will follow. 

 The fact is the truth has been known for many years, it is just we ain't allowed to talk about that. The truth is simple really, it's a culture clash. And furthermore it doesn't matter what the color of your skin is, it is a matter of cultural differences that creates the friction. That's what annoys people, all people. We just don't like things that are different than what we expect them to be. Whenever one culture attempts to impose their culture upon others conflict results. In a society, any society, there is a dominant culture. Traditionally in America, it has been European culture that dominates. English and French being the biggest influences. As for myself, I was raised with that stoic new England attitude. Although I didn't act as stoic and composed as many would have liked, that is the root of my raising. It's a cultural thing, not a racial thing. That is the context behind my thinking in most situations. Other Europeans certainly had different ways of thinking contrary to the Pilgrims. 

 Now it's true that America has been a nation of immigrants. European immigrants were always in the majority. My own ancestors came from Germany and Sweden and England. Still I've had ancestors that were born in America, when it was first recognized as America, by the rest of the world. Prior to that the land was claimed, in part, by Europeans. Today we call the Indians, native Americans. Are they native to the land? Well all depends doesn't it. If you believe science they are not, they are immigrants or migrants whichever title you prefer. It's safe to say they inhabited the land before the Europeans arrived. A culture clash ensued. The Europeans won out in the end and became the dominant culture. Today we are seeing a shift once again. What is this new culture emerging? It's not European, that much is plain to see. 

 The elephant in the room is what? Black culture. The Blacks in America feeling like the Indians must have felt in their time. Yes the circumstances were different, they were brought to this land, against their will. Sold into slavery by other Black people, by people of their own cultural background. Many were forced to adopt the religion of Islam, something you seldom hear about, others forced into Christianity. Their culture was stamped out, banned, and they were expected to adopt the ways of the Europeans, those whose skin was a different color. What did they know of the white mans' culture? Little if anything is the answer. All they knew was white people held them as slaves, as property. What did Europeans know of Black people, people with a skin darker than themselves. They knew about the Arab nations, those darker skinned people of the deserts and their religion and strange customs. Remember the Crusades? That was one way the Europeans thought of people with a different skin tone. And they knew about the Asian communities and all their strange ways. Those cultures were different and certainly nothing the Europeans wanted to adopt. It was alright to do business with those people, but not to blend into their culture. 

 The problem as I see it, is in the defining of culture. People, as a whole, tend to deal in generalities. We call that stereotyping when we feel it to be a negative thing. In other situations it is just spoken of as, in general. An example of that would be, generally speaking a gathering of Black folks is louder than a gathering of white folks. And you just read that as a racist remark. But it's not, it's an observation I have made over the years. It's a cultural thing. The type of music, the manner of dress, social interactions, are all cultural things. It's not a racist thing, it's a cultural thing. Generally speaking America has endorsed a European approach in culture. The one exception to that is the American cowboy image. That image is uniquely American. And contrary to what Hollywood portrays, cowboys were the most culturally diverse group in America. There were cowboys from every race and background that got along with each other just fine. Hollywood was well aware that wouldn't sell and so glossed over that. 

 What is it about Black culture that bothers the white folks? The question really is, what is it about black culture that bothers European culture? That's where we need to be honest and exactly were we aren't allowed to be honest. Each culture insisting the other culture adopt their ways, their traditional mindset, because, well it's the right way. It's the way it has always been. We hear talk about the cancel culture of today. Who's saying that? The European/American mostly, that's who. I know, I'm in that demographic. There are those that would cancel certain aspects of European/American culture and some of them are European/Americans! We call them liberals, the conservatives wishing to hold onto their cultural past.   Beyond the obvious injustices of the past what is it about European culture that bothers the Black population? I can't really address that as I just don't know. I've never had anyone tell me the truth of that. All I hear is a lot of accusations about the past. That's not to say they aren't justified in that indignation, that outrage, but that isn't culture. What is their cultural heritage? My thinking, and I'm probably going to get into trouble here, is that, generally speaking, many Blacks don't know what their culture was. Their connection to that culture was severed when they were sold into slavery. Their ancestors brought to this land were not allowed to continue their traditions, their way of life. They were forced to co-exist in a world that was foreign to them in ways we can't begin to understand. And today they are struggling to define a culture. They don't want it to be white culture, it has to be black culture. What everyone isn't allowed to talk about is just that topic, culture. 

 Generally speaking whites view the black population as dependent. Generally speaking the black population feels a sense on entitlement. Both statements contain a bit of truth, a bit of fiction, and a bit of prejudice. What I hear is, in spite of, as a preface to every accomplishment made by black Americans. The Blacks doing that as readily as the whites. It is almost as though they feel it necessary to point out that, even in a different cultural setting, we can excel. We succeeded "in spite of." I also hear "because of" as the reason for failures. That's just a general statement. And again you will read that as racist. That's because we are not allowed to have an honest discussion about any of that. And the only answer I would receive were I allowed to ask would be, because it is true! Yup, I believe what I'm saying is true also, generally speaking,  it's at this point we attempt to define ourselves as different. Everybody else is like that, not me. 

 Culture (/ˈkʌltʃər/) is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.  

Can we be honest?  What we have isn't a racial issue, we have a cultural issue. The biggest mistake made today is judging culture based on physical appearance. The original thinking was E Pluribus Unum, out of many one. It's a wonderful thought, it's also a dream. The American dream. What is the culture of America? Let's begin with beliefs? Generally speaking do Americans believe in abortion? Generally speaking do Americans believe that Government should dictate their beliefs? Can many become one? Isn't that what the New World Order would dictate. The imitative being to codify cultural norms. That's why it is important to remove religious practices not just from governments, but from the culture of the people themselves. In that way people can adopt practices unrestricted by such things as morality. Remove the moral authority and what is left? Cultural differences. 

 You know I hesitate to publish this piece and that is part of the problem. We aren't supposed to be honest. I'm aware I will be labeled by many as a racist. I also realize it does no good to deny that accusation. If you are called such by someone else that is what you are always going to be in their mind. You can't really change that at all. Even saying that you are aware of racism makes you a racist. Unless of course it has been determined that you are not. The only way that can happen is when you agree with everything the other person says. You must surrender your culture in favor of another culture. Even then there are names for those people! Jim Crowe was commonly used in the not too distant past. Based largely in the whole separate but equal mindset, today it is sometimes used to describe a black person that acts like a white person. How do they do that? They adopt the culture of European/Americans. They don't change race, they change culture. And no, you can't be separate and equal at the same time. E Pluribus Unum doesn't support that. 

 I think the first step in any reconciliation, any compromise, any negotiation, has to begin with one thing; getting past the blame. Once we can get past blaming one another for real and imagined transgressions, healing can begin. We were almost there at one point, almost. We can get there again. We just need to start being honest with one another.