I’m Not Racist, But Brown People... - Sebastian Gomez

I personally don’t believe there is a race problem in Sparta. From my experiences being a Hispanic in a town densely populated by Caucasian people, having a darker pigmentation has not benefited nor barred me in any way shape, or form. I have a multitude of friends of differing racial and economic backgrounds who I hold dearly in my heart, who don’t regard me as inferior or superior based on the color of my skin. Something I personally believe the vast majority of children in Sparta could agree upon. However, these are just my experiences as a professional Hispanic high school student under the stress of everyday life, sunshine and rainbows compared to what my family had to go through to get me here. Not one person’s experiences should be regarded as the end all be all when it comes to a discussion such as racial disparity, and I am open to change and discussion.

As a Hispanic man, I have been stopped by police while walking to a job, been called the N-word while running, been flipped off while walking, all by people of white pigmentation. Were these all racially motivated? Possibly. Does this mean Sparta is a town full of racists? In my opinion, no. Contrary to popular belief, these occurrences don't happen too often, at least for me. And on the rare occasion that it does, I don't pay much mind to it. From a young age, I have been taught that any action or words can only hurt me if I let it, which is why I solemnly believe people can say to me as they please. Voltaire, a founder of what democracy would be in the U.S, has stated that although I may not agree with what you are saying, I will "fight to the death" for you to say it. People do not have a right to be offended because, frankly, what offends one person may not offend another. If something does offend you, a viable solution would be to expel yourself from the situation instead of attempting to put a halt to what people say. A viable solution would be to surround yourself with people you trust, who will abide by what you feel comfortable with. Allowing restriction of speech of any kind, in my mind, would not end well. Given what was stated earlier, such restrictions are bound to fluctuate and change with every coming generation, lengthening words deemed unfit for speech.

    I in no way am advocating for the usage of slurs or vulgar language and understand we are restricted in places of education and work. However, in my opinion, many actions deemed "racist" are taken out of proportion much of the time. Take microaggressions for example. Microaggressions are defined as instances of subtle or unintentional discrimination towards any marginalized group, such as if a person unconsciously grabs their purse if a person of color strolls by. These incidents happen spontaneously and are minuscule in comparison to actual racism or harassment. Although based upon somebody's race or ethnicity, such small acts shouldn't be regarded as major examples of racism given how insignificant they are. If we were to regard abuse based on someone's race and microaggressions as equal, it would perpetuate the notion that people can be racist without intent, creating this paranoia and pressure to be politically correct. This, much of the time, is intimidating and the main reason why dialogue, discourse, and conversation about race are sensitive.

    Racism, in my perception of it, must have intent. If someone were to denounce the N-word using the N-word, that person would most likely be hated even though the context of the statement was not racist. A man named Donald McNeil Jr, a 45 year veteran for the New York Times, a Pulitzer Prize-Winning Nominee for his work on Covid-19, is under fire and has since resigned from his post due to saying the N-word on a school-sponsored trip to Peru. Executive Editor Dean Baquet concluded his remarks did not appear to be "hateful or malicious" only to write days later that such language will not be tolerated "regardless of intent." However, Nicole Hannah Jones, a Pulitzer Prize winner herself, has tweeted the N-word with no repercussions despite this. Why? Well, in my opinion, she is pardoned from such regulations because she is a black woman, while McNeil is a white man. McNeil, being white, is absolved from any due process given him saying the N-word is automatically racist. Jones, being black, reclaims the word given its atrocious history which I for one sympathize with. But to force McNeil to resign based on him being racist, despite the lack of racist intent, is wrong. And given the professional setting, all regulations should apply to everyone.

    Being white shouldn't automatically mean racist, a notion that perhaps we unconsciously defy sometimes. To be ashamed of your pigmentation is ludicrous which, to me, especially pertains to white people. It is likely someone from the outside looking in at a town like Sparta and its immense white population would assume these minority groups are subjugated by race. Such a notion ignores the diversity of thought within this community which is more important than the diversity of pigmentation. Every point of view should be accounted for every issue no matter how sensitive. When it comes to race, I have noticed white experiences are all but ignored. Either they are speaking on behalf of other minorities or express their sympathy from the sidelines. So I ask, how is life in Sparta being white?

Work Cited

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/02/09/what-happened-with-new-york-times-reporter-don-mcneil/