Today, there seems to be a lot of racial tension across the nation, especially between Whites and Blacks. One could blame this tension on slavery, or even White supremacy. It has been approximately 400 years since the beginning of slavery, and some people would say our nation has come a long way. Blacks are no longer enslaved, Blacks and Whites are no longer separated, Black people can vote, and a host of other things. However, racism seems to be more alive now than ever.
Today, hate still permeates through the souls of many. One example of this is the Buffalo shooting that occurred on May 14, 2022. A White man, 18 years old, killed ten Black people who were shopping at a Supermarket. The act of violence was intentional as he drove more than 200 miles to reach the predominantly Black community to kill as many Black people as he could.
For so long, blacks have suffered not only from racism, but from inequality such as not being able to vote. The Civil Rights Movement was a major turning point in history for blacks. Blacks have a lot to be grateful for because of certain civil rights leaders who demanded change for the black race. One of those leaders was the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. whose legacy still carries on today. With everything going on in the world today, one could say that history is repeating itself. The killings of Blacks, the looting, the protests, racial slurs, and white supremacy, just to name a few. The question that Blacks have yet to receive an answer for, and many others, is why?
One reason to this question is cultural. Blacks and Whites simply do not understand one another. Because of the long tension between Blacks and Whites, the two cultures do not communicate with one another, do not take the time to learn about each other’s cultures and differences. In addition, many Whites, not all, think they are superior to blacks, and if one race feels superior, there will always be conflict.
The injustice that is happening to blacks does not only impact blacks, but people in general no matter what ethnicity someone may identify with. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr., “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
