Non-Racist America

Just Thought I’d Mention

C G Herndon

Just because you never get rid of the Chickenpox virus doesn’t mean you don’t heal from the disease.

The recent George Zimmerman verdict has many people, both Black and White, proclaiming America is a racist nation.  While I agree that racism exists in America, I don’t believe America is racist. 

Paradoxically, without hearing all the evidence, many Americans feel they know the whole story.  And if they know the absolute truth there must be a reason the jury didn’t agree.  Quick, easy answer…racism.   After all, it happened in the past so it must be the case now.  I don’t agree.

In the last Presidential election over half of President Obama’s votes were cast by White voters.  No, that’s not that surprising considering the white population out numbers the Black population by about five-fold, but what might be surprising is how unusual the White vote was not.

Nearly the same ratio of White voters voted Republican versus Democrat in 2012 (59% vs. 39%) as did in 1980 (56% vs. 36%).  The difference in results (Dem vs. Rep) among those two elections was based almost entirely on the Black vote which is traditionally heavily Democratic in leaning but not so heavily attended in 1980 as it was in 2012.  This can’t help but speak volumes about racism, or the lack of, at least in electing our country’s most important political position.

I also believe the American Justice System is fundamentally devoid of racial bias.  Numbers attributed to such a bias need to be reexamined considering socioeconomic and educational factors.  Yes, there are flaws, a person can be sued for asinine reasons, justice and exoneration can be slow in coming and innocent people are convicted and the guilty set free, but both occurrences are rare.  Nowhere else in the world, nor throughout history, has an individual had as significant an opportunity for a fair trial.  It’s not the government, a special interest, nor an enemy that decides the fate of an individual.  The defendant’s jury is of peers, a group of citizens from all walks of life, normal people chosen by random selection and vetted by representatives from both sides of the case.  It’s those normal citizens that hear the evidence and make a judgment. 

While it is always possible discrimination exists in a decision, it is unlikely.  It would only take one dissenting vote among many to hang a verdict.  Assuming we have a racist judicial system ranks right up there with the faked Moon landing and sightings of Elvis at the mall.

I understand President Obama’s statement, “The African-American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that doesn’t go away.”  But, because those things have happened, doesn’t mean they continue to happen.  People change and society changes and those refusing to recognize that change are as responsible for fostering racism as those who still practice it. 

That said, racism on an individual basis still exists.  It existed in the 60s, it existed in early America and it existed before the United States was even a glimmer on the horizon.  It has and does exist in all races and in all countries.  But, as a nation the United States has made great strides toward eliminating it on a societal, governmental and judicial level.  Just because you never get rid of the Chickenpox virus doesn’t mean you don’t heal from the disease.