Following the Obama's description of experiences with casual racism (The Obamas: How We Deal with Our Own Racist Experiences), former US President Bill Clinton, frequently described as 'the first black President of the US' has opened up about his own experiences with racism.
"Oh, for sure, I've encountered casual racism", says Clinton. "For instance, back in 1991 when I was beaten mercilessly by the LA police. Hey, you may say they were just doing their job. Heck, they may not even recognise it as racism themselves! But how can we learn to move on as a society if we don't recognise this stuff for what it is?"
Clinton went on to detail similar examples from his lifetime: leading the civil rights movement before being fatally shot by a casual racist bearing a loaded microaggression, for instance, or that one time he sat on that seat of that bus even after being repeatedly asked to move just for his race, or instance.
"Nothing compared to what our forefathers experienced," says Clinton. "But it just goes to show we've got further to go as a society".
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3 comments:
"I tell this story – I mean, even as the first lady – during that wonderfully publicized trip I took to Target, not highly disguised, the only person who came up to me in the store was a woman who asked me to help her take something off a shelf. Because she didn't see me as the first lady, she saw me as someone who could help her. Those kinds of things happen in life. So it isn't anything new."~~Mrs Obama.
This horrific story has made me aware that I too am a victim of racism. As a 6'4" anglo-celtic Australian I have been asked by a number of people in supermarkets to get items from high shelves. I feel so abused.
I'm a short American (and also old, therefore presumed weak, which I exploit as often as possible), and I have asked for help getting things off high shelves. Perhaps I should seek some sort of penance? A walker, or one of those Wal-Mart electric carts? Or I could go the other way, and just start punching out black children I encounter in stores? I can always plead senility.
My excuse would be opposite - I'd plead agility, and sprint very quickly in the opposite direction.
Though I suppose I could just help them.
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