I mentioned this in another book discussion this summer... I have been on a non-fiction craze lately reading about poverty, housing, and criminal justice issues. It is easy for me, as a white person, to look around and say, "yes, we have definitely changed." After reading so much on the topic (and taking a below surface level look), I don't think much has changed at all.
There is a widening income gap, widening home ownership gap, black men are incarcerated at much higher rates than whites for less serious crimes (let's even compare how we dealt with the crack epidemic vs. the opioid epidemic), black jurors are still being disqualified from serving so many black defendants do not have a jury of their peers, there are more black men on death row... When black people tried to assert themselves after the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, for example, many people called for Black Lives Matter to be named a terrorist organization. Many even objected to it just being "black lives". More black men are killed in confrontations with the police than white men--I remember reading in the news comments that people wondered how the El Paso shooter was still alive when Stephon Clark was shot for holding a cellphone... Voting rights??? How many were disenfranchised in Georgia in 2018??? Sorry for going on. This makes me so angry, and I feel so powerless.
When we hear nightly, as many have said, insults coming from the highest office in the country against African Americans, Hispanics, Palestinians, Muslims, women, the poor, and people left behind in inner cities, it is like blanket permission for everyone to talk that way, believe that way, and act on how they are feeling. I feel like we have moved backward as a country. It scares me--it DISGUSTS me-- it embarrasses me- -that senators and representatives elected to represent us would rather protect their own self interests. I don't understand how some of these representatives can look at people of color in their districts and feel proud of their service.
I just hope those of us who recognize that there is still a long way to go are remembering to extend a smile, a touch, whatever we are best able to give, so those still being affected by the policies, acts, and speech of the past and present don't feel so alone.