Well, I struggled long and hard with this one. At first I thought I would try to capture a photo of the ghetto (we kinda have one - it's a predominantly black neighborhood; more on that below) or a woman being pinched on the ass by some random man. Either of those would have sufficed. I mean, that's what we're looking for right? Injustice. So, why not pick two of the largest demographics who have dealt with inequality and discrimination? And, I did, but not in the way I assumed I would.
I was in Charleston, SC last weekend with a group from school. We stayed at this really hip little hostel in a somewhat sketchy neighborhood. I loved it. We walked downtown on Saturday morning and I saw this building on the road. I instantly asked, "Wait, these still exist? This organization?" My comrades just smiled at the ignorant little California girl and nodded their heads. Yes, of course it still exists.
Dipstick.
You see, I grew up in a world that seemed relatively colorblind (is that politically correct?). Or, at least, I thought I did. But then I moved out here to North Carolina - a somewhat southern state (south of the Mason-Dixon line! They tell me.) - and I saw more interracial couples here than I have ever seen in my life. Seriously, I was surprised at how much it surprised me. I mean, this was the south, right? They don't accept interracial couples. That's something we enlightened Californians do. We are accepting of all people (except Mexicans, they steal our jobs, duh.). Right?
I'm not so sure. I think maybe I have been under the impression that the south is synonymous with racism and the West with free-spirit thinking, or whatever. But is ignoring reality better than working through it?
The South seems to be very aware of its past and reputation. For instance, here in Wilmington in 1898 a black government was voted into power. Instead of acknowledging defeat by a democratic election the white male leaders revolted against the results. Death tolls vary with estimates ranging to 100. The armed men destroyed the building that housed the only African-American newspaper in the state. It has been termed a race riot, a massacre, and, most recently, a coup d'état. A coup d'état, people. In the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Why had I never heard of this, the only successful coup that has ever occurred in the U.S.?
Because, I'm from California where I had barely even heard about lynching let alone the utter disregard of a legally elected government.
But, I've learned it here. The place where it occurred. From people who live here, grew up here. People who know their history. Does it change everything? No. There are still racial lines drawn in this city. There are sections in this city where the majority of the poorer, black community lives (in what resemble nothing close to the destination/historic/vacation spot that the city so desperately tries to convey just blocks to the west). And the white people live in the suburbs, of course.
All that to say, well I don't know what I'm trying to say. It exists. Racism. It has a strong presence in our history and continues well into our present. But, I am grateful that, even though it isn't fixed, there are people who don't disregard it.
I don't want to disregard it.
