Original image by Lucas Gouvêa on Unsplash
An Open Letter From An American Minority
I bear some responsibility for my friends’ ignorance of the issues I face as a member of the Minority. When it counts, I usually contend with the matters of racial disparity or inequality without involving them.
I think I do so out of some innate desire to preserve our friendship; not because I assume our friendship cannot handle it but, because I do not want “Race” to become the focal point of our friendship.
When I am among my friends, I do not feel like “the token Black friend”. I am very familiar with the term and its disposition. I do not want to warp the dynamics of our friendship by introducing racial rhetoric to our light-hearted and humorous relationship. But I should.
My identity matters and being a part of the Minority in my own country means I live a very different life than the citizens who are in the Majority. Different, but not better.
They should know that our values for our country are not identical and that their traditions are not the only traditions worth celebrating - that it is perfectly fine if we do not celebrate the same traditions, because there is plenty of “America” to go around. This country is so vast, beautiful, and filled with life. How could they not accept a difference in opinions and belief of a fellow citizen, especially a friend. If they are truly my friends, they would accept as I accept them. The premise seems logical enough.
The Way Things Are
I am not an extremist but my presence is scrutinized. I pay my taxes, but my rights are marginalized. I served our country, but my allegiance is neutralized. These are and have been the realities of my American life. There exist many more realities like mine and even more completely different from mine. Different, but not better.
The task is not to learn all the different ways one can live an American life but accept the concept that any one path is not the only path. Our country’s laws were written by persons my friends can identify with. Figures who enjoyed liberties held exclusive to them and kept from those whom I identify with.
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