Black.White 2 (Warning! This post might be offensive to some people. Pride discretion advised!!)

This is a vent about things I'm noticing in the working world. It might be offensive to people and I'm sorry if it is but this is just what I'm noticing and if you wish to talk with me about it I welcome conversation. Ok here goes!!

For a good portion of my life I have believed the following:
All people are created equally; there aren't huge issues of race discrimination; I have just as much ability to succeed in life as people of other races (specifically white people); white/black issues are a thing of the past, etc; and most of all, while there may be some issues in the world, the church is devoid of all of that and it's a very loving and equal environment.

I have strongly believed this, even inspite of hearing my parents, grandparents, and other people dear to me talk and complain about these issues. For years I would hear my step-father complain openly about how "white people take care of their own." Or that "there is politics in the church concerning this issue." And a host of other things. I've heard my grandfather make comments about whites and how he doesn't trust them and how they are crooks. I'd hear him talk about how they have the power and they don't want to share it with blacks or anyone. They just want to keep it to themselves. I've heard all of this stuff for years and I just thought it was a load of shit (for lack of another term that could describe what I'm feeling right now). Everytime they talked about these issues I would roll my eyes and turn them off, thinking in my head "They don't know what they're talking about, they're just looking for racism."

But. And this is a big but. As I get older, and as I've become part of the workforce, and I see what's happening around me, I'm realizing that there is truth to what they have said. There is still racism. There is still discrimination. It is harder for me to succeed as a black male than it is for white people. There is still racism in the church. There is politics in the church. There is racist politics in the church. White people have the power and they aren't sharing it very readily or freely but in fact are hording it and doing whatever they can to make sure that it stays in the family.

Disclaimer Time: please realize that this is a generalization and that it doesn't necessarily reflect all white people. It is meant to reflect white society. I don't hate white people and I'm not going to join the BPPM (Black Panther Party of Milwaukee). I'm just saying, I'm getting clues that are starting support the verdict and it's utterly disturbing.

Here is where I'm coming from:
I work at a homeless shelter. The majority of the people that we serve are ethnic minorites (non-white people). The top dogs in our organization are the ethnic majority. The hire people that are of the ethnic majority. For example: we had lunch today to celebrate the teachers and how much they've done with the kids at the school. The director and his wife were there, our teachers were there, a few board members were there, one of our administrators were there. Of all the people that were there who make decisions about operations of our organization there were only 2 black people there and neither of us had very much influence. Now someone please explain to me how an organization that serves primarily ethnic minorities could possibly know in a true sense how to minister to ethnic minorities without having ethnic minorities atleast being part of the decision-making process? In other words if you work in a cotton factory but are primarily an auto parts specialist, doesn't it make sense to go hire some cotton pickers to help you decide what's the best way to do the job?
Granted, it can be done but that doesn't mean that it should be done. Like Chris Rock says,"You can drive with your feet but that doesn't mean it should be done."

At my organization we have a school that consists of primarily black kids. In our summer program we have mostly black kids (I say primarily just to be nice but in reality it's all black kids). Our tutoring program that we have during the school year consists of mostly black kids. How many black staff do you think we have? Yea...um....3. I'm sure by now you're thinking I've gone postal loco. You might be asking the question "well Will, why don't more black people get more involved?" Well, I'm glad you asked that question because I would like to know myself. Where are all the black people that have gone on to be successfull in sports,medicine,journalism? Where are the rich black people? Where are all of the black people that have gone through this program and have become successful because of what others did for them? Well I've asked myself those same kinds of questions!!! Where are all the black people who've been helped? Why don't they come back an invest so that others can get the same chances they have. And unfortunately, I don't know. I could say that black men have been given a bad rep but I think we've earned it. People say to me all that time, "You're such a godly man. Those kids look up to you." They would say it with a sense of awe!!!! I hear so often I started to get sick of it. I remember making the comment "You act like you've never seen a black man invest in the lives of kids before." But then it dawned on me. I really haven't either. That is sad. It's unacceptable!!!! Where are you strong black man? Where are you strong black women? Why aren't you making an impact on society that is positive? Why are you being fruitful and filling the earth but not subduing it? You know why people have such stereotypes of us? You wanna know why people hold their purses closer to them when I walk by? You wanna know why you're accepted in society but not included?
I've said a lot and I'm still now saying all that I've wanted to say. But this is just a start.