disappointing

  I keep hearing those talking about black and brown people. Now I realize I'm a white guy so that automatically makes me a racist and I'm good with that. I have to accept that as other peoples' reality. It doesn't mean I agree with that and feel any need to change. I'm not concerned with pandering to anyone, anything, or any narrative. I am wondering however what the difference between black and brown people could be. Well the obvious thing is other races, those not of African descent, would be the brown people. Hispanics, Asians and various Islanders perhaps. Are Africans the only black people? But the question for me is, why differentiate between the two? I wonder if that is to imply, in some fashion, that the brown people are being discriminated against as well. We all know that all black people are discriminated against in America. I'm told it is systemic! For many years I just figured it was because we went with the majority rules and the majority was always the European people, otherwise called white people. 

  In 2020 according to the census the United states is composed of 59.3% white, 18.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% black and 5.9% Asians. There are another 3.3% just not accounted for. They are others. Curiously there is no mention of brown people. If you added the Black, Hispanics, Latinos and Asians together it still only amounts to 37.4% of the population, so still not a majority. Yes, the United States is mostly white people. The census also says that you can be white (non-Hispanic). That implies I can be white and Hispanic if I chose to identify myself in that fashion. Well it is a growing trend this self identification stuff. I suppose in that way no one is being racist by labeling others according to their skin tone or place of birth or ethnicity. Only white people can be called white people by those that aren't white people. White people need to ask how everyone else wishes to be addressed. If they don't it is because they are racists. 

  I like cowboy movies and the whole romantic notion of the old west. It's a great fantasy. Clint Eastwood played a great cowboy. In his movie The Outlaw Josie Wales he meets up with an old Indian chief. They form a great friendship. Now this Indian chief talks to Josie about edges. There are all kinds of edges. If you are not familiar with the movie, those "edges" are in context to having an advantage over your opponent. The sun in their eyes, a surprise attack or having some secret that gives you that advantage. I understand all that. That is what I perceive all this black and brown stuff is all about, gaining an advantage. Well, because white people have always had that advantage. Black and brown people are in the minority in America, although those groups are growing quickly, especially Latinos. It is estimated white people will be in the minority in about twenty years. Then we lose our edge.

  There is an advantage to being a black or brown person in America. Oh, I know many will be up in arms that I would suggest such a thing. That advantage is what us white folks call the race card. The perception being that it will be played anytime a black or brown person feels like it. Whenever anything doesn't go the way they would like it to go, play the race card. And the thing is, white people are not allowed to question that, ever. No, it is the trump card. Now it's true it doesn't always work and it certainly doesn't increase anyone's wealth, status in the community, or position in life. Still it does provide a bit of an edge in a lot of situations. A white person has no such card to play. We all have the privilege card. Truth is, it is just about as valuable as the race card. Both are losing their edge. Makes everyone nervous when they lose their edge. 

  So I'm guessing all this talk of black and brown people is a thinly veiled call to unite. It's the black and brown people against the white people. By joining together the hope is to gain an edge. The concept of America, and the republic was to unite all men. All men are created equal, remember that. There was never any mention of slavery in the constitution. The founding fathers, those that composed that document were embarrassed by that and believed it was an institution that would die out on its own. They all agreed it was morally wrong. But morality and business often are not good bedfellows. And make no mistake about it, slavery was about business, solely about business. You know it made no difference to those holding slaves what color they were, what nation they came from, what religion they practiced, or anything else. That was true in every place in the world where slavery was practiced and in fact still is!

  Your life is your business. Everyone wants to gain an edge in life. We call that providing for our families. Whether it was just a small clan or a nation, the idea is to unite to gain an edge. Together we can defeat the enemy. Doesn't matter if that enemy is a wooly mammoth or another nation, unity is the answer. What are you willing to do to gain an edge in your life, to preserve that life? Who are you willing to work with? Equality is what we are talking about. I've written and said this time and time again but it is worth mentioning once again, " everyone wants to be treated equally, until they are" Then we begin to look for that edge. Yes you are equal to me, but I am just a little bit better than you. And that's because I allow you to be equal. That's how it works in the real world. I know it's disappointing isn't it.