Playing Your Cards Right

I'm a debater by nature. I love to engage in intelligent discussion with people who share my views, but I think I get a bit more excited when I'm engaging with someone who doesn't share my views. Not because I'm trying to pull them over to my side of thinking, though. Okay, maybe a little. It's because I love learning about other people's perspectives.

But, nothing irritates me more in a discussion than a comment that abruptly halts a discussion. A great example of that particular irritant? Five words:

"Not everything is about race."

I swear, it's like the go-to phrase for the average racially squeamish cat. It is fast becoming such an epidemic in our so-called progressive society that it has the potential to not only replace the race card, but far surpass it. And though President Obama's win has created joy, hope, and many opportunities for Blacks to use "My President is Black" as a comeback to The Man, it has also revived this monster. "Post-racial America", anyone?

Much too often I am engaged with a person (whether face-to-face or on the internet) in a conversation such as this one:

Cheekie: You know, I truly believe that even though Barack Obama won, the fact that he had to overcome the amount of obstacles he did in the first place lends validity to the claim that we aren't as "post-racial" as everyone would like to believe.

Racially Squeamish Cat (RSC): Well, I think that since he was elected, that means his race didn't matter.

Cheekie: But, you have to ask yourself, what did it take? People losing their jobs, people losing their lives in a prolonged war, people losing their homes, etc? I wonder if those circumstances were the primary factor in choosing him even if it meant setting aside their prejudices for a bit. Prejudices that are so ingrained, they can't just disappear with one election.

RSC: You know, not everything is about race.

Cheekie: *DEAD*

Yeah, way to completely cut off what could have been a very enriching conversation with one of the safest cop-outs known to man today. That convo might as well have went like this:

Cheekie: You hear about those Klansmen that burned a cross in front of that Black family's yard? Racist pricks.

RSC: I don't know, not everything is about race.

Trust, I recognize those of us who completely abuse that race card. Case in point:

But, ya know, most of us ain't her. First off, we don't sport mullets. Second, a lot of us do have enough brain cells to write off certain situations and give people the benefit of the doubt, but please believe we can also identify valid racism and call them on it. Just because some abuse the race card doesn't mean it shouldn't be used at all. That's like saying that there are people who abuse alcohol, so alcohol should be completely banned even from those who "drink responsibly".

Anyhow. Point is, yes, not everything is about race. But, some things are. Hell, a lot of things are. There is no way we will be able to progress against racism without clearly identifying it as as a valid problem. Discussions on race are uncomfortable, no lie. But, there is nothing to be accomplished from ignoring it. You can't fix a cracked glass and only bring the glue. You have to bring the glass. Holla.

Love ya like Al Sharpton loves his perm,

Cheekie