Racism

This is going to be a hard "blog" for me because quite honestly, I'm scared of this subject. I don't want to be called a racist or prejudiced. So here are my thoughts as PC as I can get them.

I was watching a local tv station and the discussion for that meeting was racism. I only caught a few audience members' questions/comments and a couple of the panel members' responses. It was nice to hear one lady mention that she doesn't want the world to become "color blind" because her being a black woman was part of who she is. And that was true! I never looked at it from that point of view!! So if I could tell her thanks, I would. It helped me a little. But one man stood up and spoke his mind about another subject, kids going to a predominantly black school and the rejection "his kids" could face for being white. He was definitely brought up throughout the rest of the meeting as different people made statements against his, but I think I understood what the guy was trying to say. NONE of us PARENTS..whether we're whatever race or religion..want our kids to be put in the spotlight for being "different" than their peers. Doesn't mean the black school children WOULD treat his children differently, but the threat of it was there. I understood his point, and it was complete speculation because the man did NOT have children.

The other part that I would LOVED to have said...I'm afraid of speaking about racism because I am NOT PC!!!

I do not strive to be "un-pc", but I'm a "farm girl" that was not raised with a lot of people from other races. In high school I remember ONE black kid in my school. He showed up when I was a freshman or so and I don't remember him being there more than 2 yrs. I'm not sure WHY my school was a "white school".

I do not know what terminology is acceptable either. I know of SOME words that are known to be offensive, but I don't even know what term is acceptable to the black community to describe that they are "black". Is that a wrong term? I do not want to be offensive to anyone so I'm being serious here!!! Some say African American, others say black. Which is correct?

I also have the media stories/horror stories, or the talk shows, or hearsay that tells me the black community is still upset over slavery and the mistreatment of their race. So as I stand there trying to be social with someone, my fear is that they think I am guilty of the slavery or the mistreatment...so I shy away even more.

I think all of the mistreatment is/was 100% wrong and the slavery was...I can't even give it the cursing it deserves. It was more than wrong. It was against all God intended for HIS people. It's shameful. Disgusting. I hope you (the reader) understand just how AGAINST slavery I am...for ANY race or religion to be exact. I can't change history, I can only work on ME and the part of the future I will touch. I do not promote hate for any race. I ask people that I hear using the "N" word why they use it...or I'll say black person instead of that word and the people laugh at me because I'm not following their stupidity.

So to wrap this up and maybe make a little sense, I want to say "Help me". Show me what is the correct way to speak about race. Or how can I overcome the "fears" that I have where race is concerned. I do not want to raise my part of the next generation with the same fears. My kids will love ALL people simply because they are GOD'S people. Not because they are of a certain race or believe in their God.