Ahem, so...

I was going to make up for last week. I really was. I was meant to announce that September is supposed to be a month of serious conversations and topics. I was going to share my worst experience of racism and share someone else's and share a conversation we had.

We started talking about things like institutional racism Vs individual racism and a debate ensued of whether black people can be racist.

I think black people Can be racist because racism can be individual. My friend thinks I'm ignorant and I need to read more on the topic.

I know this is a very veeery hot topic for people. And now that I'm meant to be adulting, I should form an educated thought on the issue. I probably already have, subconsciously.

Before I wrote about it (I told myself) I needed to know all I can. So I read books, and watched videos. The thing is, there was a lot of content on African Americans struggling through it, and South Africans going through it and healing from it. I saw and read about Asians, People from the Middle East. Then I came to Kenyan content, and I read about people going through various forms of it.

And I realized I know nothing. I can only try and keep these conversations going in places where they are and start them where they aren't.

My plan when I started out was to download everything I learned about racism here. But I can't, because I know only a tip of a great and disappointing iceberg.

When I first read about the Holocaust I was maybe 9 or 10, reading a history book and I couldn't believe that someone like Hitler existed. I remember asking around why they couldn't just fire him from being president or whatever.

Then as I grew and read about more forms of institutional racism, watching Sarafina, Roots and the book of Negroes, getting angrier and angrier, I realized one thing.

My anger will take me nowhere. Now, if my anger won't help, and that's all I have, what can I do? How can I help this seemingly endless list of prejudice and injustice.

My answer would be love, even when the other person is seemingly holding your heart on a grater. I don't know what your answer is. Again, it's easy to say love when I'm on holiday, in fluffy blue socks, sleeping in my sister's house and eating her food (it's really nice here by the way)

I can't imagine being confronted like the people I've read about. Facing prejudice, discrimination, hate, because of something I can't help being. Because I look different from the other guy.

More than that, I can't imagine being the person hating, discriminating or treating someone badly because of skin colour. Problem is, we all have the capacity of being Hitler. You, at the back, yes, you too.

What's our standard of treating someone else. Is it how they treat us? Is it how they look? Is it what they tell you? Is it their beliefs and how close they are to yours? Because all those things change. So now where will we place our standard, and make sure it doesn't waver? Do we even want to? Is there a reason why we should?

Hey, I know we're the generation of apathy. We tell ourselves that nobody likes someone who has strong opinions, standards, morals. If we care too much, we become weirdos nobody understands. But hey, I'm a weirdo, it can't be that bad. Join me, we'll start a club.
What we don't realise is, not making a decision Is Still making a decision.

Let me say, I almost didn't say all these things, because I read something on Facebook that made me want to change this topic. It broke my heart and made me angry. It'll be our next topic. If this rant hasn't scared you off.

I'll end with this quote (I'm not a big fan of quotes but why not) then I'll put the link of what I read below(is that legal? I hope the owner Isn't mad, I didn't ask. Who is bailing  me out if it's not legal?)

(guys?... Guys?)

Race is the child of racism and not the father. Ta-Nahesi Coates 'Between the world and me'

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1937422026293425&id=100000769393482









Photo by Mugoya Mokua.
(Isn't he the coolest?)