Is Racism over?
This is the refrain repeated over and over again on news channels, spending endless ours interview black people and white people, old and young, in an "attempt" to divine whether the election of Barack Obama means that the U.S. has finally overcome it's bred-in Racism. It's also a question that infuriates me beyond comprehension.
Short answer: No.
Long Answer: Why the fuck are you wasting my time with this asinine questioning, you waste of air time and human flesh? Of course Racism isn't over! Did all the homos jump on the Republican bandwagon when Bush was elected? Nope. Did dudes stop smacking chicks on the ass in the office and at the bar when Condoleezza Rice became Secretary of State? Not at all. Did people stop mindlessly murdering queers for no fucking reason because Ellen became America's favorite talk show host? Sure as hell not.
So how in the world can you reason that because more than 50% of the country voted for Barack that Racism is over? Let's go back down South and ask that question. Check out You Tube for some videos of dumb-ass rednecks talking about him, then see if you can even consider asking that question.
It's not that Barack has been elected that indicates the end of Racism. When we no longer need Affirmative Action. When we no longer need to talk about how historic this election was. When we can move past racial politics. When the banks stop devalueing homes in traditionally black neighborhoods. When that happens... then we can start asking the question. But what I can guarantee you is that if we have to ask the question Is Racism Over, that should be a pretty solid indication that we aren't anywhere near the end yet.
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