Following the French Vogue Black Face layout and the Australian Black Face performance on the “Hey Hey Its Saturday” reunion and many disgraceful comments concerning President Obama by other world leaders its time to ask our selves whats really going on. Is it fashionable to play with the things that demeaned a people? does it stop being Racist because you think its funny?

I find myself having the “race” dialogue a lot. I have it with friends and with complete strangers and the conclusion varied depending on experience. Growing up in Georgia was an interesting experience. I didn’t notice the problem until I was in high school and I didn’t experience BLATANT racism until I was 19 years old. So to say that I was sheltered is an understatement. Because my parents are Haitian, I cant say I can 100% relate to the trials and tribulations of Black people in America. I tend to have the “pull your self up by the boot straps” mentality when it comes to some of the complaints often made. But as I’ve looked at World wide culture I’ve realized that this isn’t strictly an American problem. It Happens in Australia and Brazil and France and the UK and Russia and Canada.

Because other countries didn’t have civil rights movements, and  most other countries weren’t dealing with Jim Crow and Apartheid it seems that governments believe that their people are living in harmony. Racial tension is pretty underground in their minds but its main stream for the poorer darker masses. People don’t talk about it, but they should. I’ve heard many people say that In their countries they don’t have a race problem. Fidel Castro claimed this openly while tons of Afro-Cubans suffered and still are suffering. Racial identity is so skewed in many parts of the world so that they don’t have to identify themselves with Africa. You don’t have to take my word for it… books were written on it. A good book to look at is Race and Ideology by Arthur Spears. It is a collection of articles that touch on things we see on a daily basis that not only demean any person who isn’t a Straight white male, but reinforce stereotypes people have been battling for centuries.

The race discussion needs to be something that is world wide. Tego Calderon called for a Latin American Civil Rights movement. Latinos & Black Pride This is a link to that article. Other studies on Latin America have surfaced… The Miami Herald did one in 2005 or 2006. This isn’t a new issue. Race an ethnic conflicts are still going on in Africa. People in Japan are putting on black face and gallivanting around and engaging in buffoonery. and don’t even get me started on Australia and many European nations including France and the UK and their immigration policies. We are humans. Whether we be black or white or whatever in between. The discussion must be had. Be the Martin Luther King Jr and the Ida Wells Barnett of your Generation. Be a strong voice the moves for change where you live. regardless of the cost. Because someone has to be the voice that effects change and who else is better than you??  The truth always finds its way to the light.

Related Articles

• Civil Rights Movement Timeline of Important Events (brighthub.com)
• President Obama In Black And White [Race] (gawker.com)