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National Commentary

Virginia’s Racism: A PASSED-Down Trait

By Sean C. Bowers

Virginia’s Commonwealth has had our not-so-secret problem rear its ugly head again, as our dirty laundry has been publicly aired nationally, globally and universally. I sadly say this as a native-born Virginian White man who has written for this nation’s third oldest Black newspaper for the past twenty years, The New Journal & Guide.

Before we go any further, let me go on record by saying that I was never stupid, thoughtless, arrogant and racist enough to ever even consider wearing Black face. A college basketball induced and earned Black eye was as close as I ever came. Right now all White Virginians are wearing Black eyes from the recent Richmond scandals. My soul aches for White people to finally understand, apologize, meaningfully repent, and move the hell on or to move directly to hell- so our planet can save itself from you. White People, only you control, healing the hole, in your soul.

Our nation, children and planet have bigger problems to deal with than continuously having to re-learn skin-based bigotry. Every “cracker” comment, each racial insensitive stereotype perpetuated and perpetrated only amplifies volumes of inbred-hatefulness-gone-wrong-messaging.

It has never been a good code to smile-to-their face while wielding, lending, housing, educational and employment “shivs”to the backs of Blacks.

Choice #1: “Do the right thing” (Spike Lee shout-out) that should have been done in the Declaration of Independence, after the Civil War, post-reconstruction, after Jim Crow, in the Civil Rights Movements, after Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination, after The South Carolina Church MASS-shooting, after electing Obama and his Presidency.

Choice #2: Keep NOT doing the right (Christian) thing. Most White people have zero credibility with Blacks because of their obvious historical track record of doing the wrong thing at every turn. Being racist, sexist and classist are never naturally found in your DNA genes, or in our birth character traits. These are both taught and learned habits. Yet in White America (Virginia and the rest of all y’all), this clearly wrong and right in front of you.

The more historical hate is celebrated by Whites, the more you PASS-down the attitudes and platitudes of racism sexism, classism entwined in the trifecta of a Confederate Lost Cause mindlessness-which was all set in motion by long dead treasonous traitors who were proven WRONG. Crazy is crazy. Stop repeating the broken past people. Evolve. Read a book. Make some real friends who don’t look like you. Stop saying, “I have Black friends.” Stop asking yourself and Blacks you meet if what you’re thinking is racist or is being perceived as racist. You should know by now. It has always been racist since that first damn slave ship arrived at Fort (Dis)-Comfort in Hampton the tragic 400th year anniversary this year- all the way through Trump’s “Birther bowel movement” and subsequent election. Through the Charlottesville tragedy and now this bold Blackfaced fiasco. Simple rule: If you ever have to ask, pause, or think about it, then you know in your heart that you shouldn’t be thinking it, let alone ever allowing it to come out-cha big mouth.

I now regularly check people in my daily White people rounds, when I hear a racist or sexist comment, I directly ask, “How would you feel if that was said about you?” Followed up with, “Are you raising your children and grandchildren with that disgusting hateful mouth and attitude?” I’m a 6’4” 280 lbs White man and it startles the hell out of ‘em because they think I’m on their team.

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“How do we make holy water?” – (my favorite church people appropriate joke). Answer: “You boil the hell out of it.” We have the task as a nation, to go about the difficult business of boiling out the hate before we all boil over –or even worse, as we continue pasting-down a char-over-broiled uninhabitable inhospitable planet.

All because we Whites can’t seem to learn to be civil Whites protecting rights, instead of being Whites un-civilly protecting only our White (wannabe) rights. Clue: if you are watching FOX News- the racism is already in the brand, blend, writing, viewpoint, angle, perspective, editorials, distortions, perversions, commentary, commercials, graphics, andtotal coverage.

The FOX racism is prepackaged, baked-in, not optional or on the side- it is their main course as they eat your mind from the inside out. They are selling “fear”crack to you, White people! FOX profits from the hate and fear they not so subtly stoke. They scar your psyche and scare you mentally and spiritually and you eat it up, PASS-ed the point of any so-called Virginia Gentleman’s decency and honor should allow.

Face facts; Blackface is never acceptable, unless you are Black. Stop all the mis-education and mis-appropriation; it’s killing our nation. The Heritage itself is HATE-FULL.

Start teaching your children well, so you and they don’t end up in hell. Teach them love, inclusion, unity and the Native American concept, of “The hoop of the nation.” Only then, will the circle be unbroken.

Sean C. Bowers is a local progressive youth development coach, author and poet, who has written for the New Journal and Guide the last twenty years. His recent book of over 120 NJ&G articles detailing the issues is available at V1ZUAL1ZE@aol.com and he does do large scale solutions presentations.

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