by Zipporah

Created on: May 16, 2008

Segregation is no more. Races in America have come together and are one. Who believes those lies? Blacks in America don't believe those lies. When discussing the issue with whites some blacks may emphasize the belief that segregation has ended. Later when among themselves, they often share racial incidents they had earlier experienced. Why are there different conversations? As a young girl in Louisiana, I was taught to respond to whites in America in a certain manner. I was taught to tell them what they desired or wanted to hear. In other words, I was taught to lie to them. Some blacks in America continue to lie to whites and tell them what they believe they desire to hear. Those who dare to tell whites how they actually feel or the truth are often punished by the white establishment. Some are denigrated. While overt segregation may be no more "white supremacy" and its effects lingers. Segregation may be no more but whites in America continue to receive privileges that are not available to blacks in America.

Public schools were integrated during my senior year in high school. I graduated from a segregated school. We cheered when the schools in Louisiana were integrated. We actually believed blacks had arrived. That was a lie. The system of white supremacy merely went underground. The system of white supremacy in institutionalized in America. Recent events in Jena Louisiana are revealing. Although these teenagers attended a high school which was once segregated but was now integrated, these youth continued to experience racism in its many forms. Their experiences confirmed the continued existence of racism at their school.

Segregation is no more and racism is no longer a problem in America. Some whites want to believe that racial discrimination has been eliminated in America. They prefer to believe a lie than believe the truth. The truth is often painful and demands actions. For some it is easier to pretend a problem does not exist than acknowledge it. My son refuses to shop at a certain store because when shopping at the store he became aware of being monitored and closely watched. Recently my niece experienced an incident which revealed to her the differences in treatment of blacks as opposed to whites. Earlier in the week when shopping with a group of teenage friends, my niece purchased a blouse. A few days later she returned to the store because she liked their layout. She wore the blouse she had previously purchased. She was accused of shoplifting. A store clerk accused my niece of stealing the blouse which she wore. The blouse was the one she had previously purchased. She attempted to explain her earlier purchase of the blouse to the clerk. The clerk continued to accuse her of stealing the blouse. The clerk called the security guard to arrest my niece. Another clerk who entered the area remembered my niece. She told the clerk she sold the blouse to my niece. The clerk who had previously accused my niece of shop lifting attempted to apologize to my niece but the damage had been done. The question lingers "Would she have been treated in the manner that she was if she had been white.

Segregation may be no more but the roots of "white supremacy" linger.

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