Ferguson: The Iceberg Effect

I am white. And I preface that because I acknowledge my lack of understanding in the deep-hurt about how white privilege has oppressed other racially diverse groups. I am 22-years young, grew up in a Northern State, and was not around to understand the actions that took place during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. But I acknowledge my ancestors were (because they were white too), and participated in oppressing physically, mentally, and spiritually the African American population. And for that I am deeply sorry. I have grieved and even wept over this.

I wanted to write this as a response to the Ferguson case but also as someone who is passionate about racial justice….and human beings. Let me also preface that I am not an expert in the justice system, sociology, or even racism. But I can assure you I try. And that I care.  I also don’t know the ins and outs of the Ferguson case as it relates to autopsies, testimonies, and witnesses. Frankly, in my opinion, that doesn’t have much importance to me. You will not find me discussing the intricate details about the event that happened that night. I will also say that I don’t agree with the rioting and violence taking place because of this case. In no way am I okay with this. But I also have to ask the question, “have we created space for an alternative option?” and does this apply to racially diverse groups?

The way I see this case is as an iceberg illustration. What we see on the surface (one case where a white man shot a black man) is minute in comparison so what’s underneath. Underneath this iceberg you will see hundreds of years of discrimination in virtually every category: education, health, housing, employment, criminal justice, poverty. I don’t believe this is a “stand-alone” case, but rather an expression (or reaction) to oppression. Again, like I stated earlier, I don’t agree with the violence, but we must ask if we have created any other way. And if we have created another way, why aren’t people acting in that way and how can we implement that?

I have a problem with people saying, “this case isn’t about race” and “blacks kill blacks and whites kill whites and no one does anything”. Excuse me for my bluntness in saying this, but that is ignorance. Ignorance I also see as being blind. Blind to the fact that our society is full of discrimination and oppression against groups other than white. I agree, that bottom line someone died in the Ferguson case that may or may not have been a threat to the officer. Regardless, if you fail to acknowledge the racial piece of this case, you are performing an injustice against the African American population.

We are presently in an age of what sociologists call “color-blindness”.  This means we have created a society that refuses to look at race as part of a person’s identity. Legislatively, this is seen in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Affirmative Action policies following. We have outlawed discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, religion, etc. Phrases like, “We see all people the same” and “it doesn’t matter what race you are” are common phrases thrown around surrounding this “colorblind” idea. And please refrain from saying that “whites are being discriminated against now too in the college setting and workforce.” Please. Don’t confuse persecution with privilege. Those policies are in place because of non-white oppression. The reality is that our racial category has significant cultural components that uniquely shape who we are.  Instead of looking past our races, we should be acknowledging this in each other and talking about it as it partakes in our identity formation both within ourselves and in a group.  Our country has mistaken reconciliation with cooperation. We think that because African Americans aren’t in segregated institutions that discrimination and oppression don’t exist, but really we just aren’t talking about it. Our country has learned to cooperate with each other (African Americans and Caucasians), but is far from reconciliation.

I have followed the news enough to know that Officer Wilson has not been indicted by a grand jury. I think we should also be open to the perspective offered by the law enforcement agency. There is hurt on both sides, and the police officer’s life will be forever changed because of this case. Let us not forget to grieve for the officer’s life as well as the death of Michael Brown.

I believed this before the grand jury’s decision and I’ll stick with it now, regardless of his indictment, it is evident that we have work to do in our country with racial justice and need to open our minds and be empathetic towards peoples’ experiences. Just because I have not personally been the victim of racism, I am still able to empathize and try to understand that pain.

As heated as this case has gotten, and as painful as it has become for some, I thankful to have an opportunity to discuss racial issues in this country—something I think we have lacked in recent decades. I hope these conversations will educate minds, expand perspectives, soften hearts, and ultimately lead our country to a more unified nation—one to which we are all worthy of inhabiting.