I'm Not Going to Apologize

Obama wanted an honest discussion, so here goes:

I'm tired of being persecuted for the color of my skin.

I live in a southern town where I am the minority, but I am considered the majority simply because I am white. I am constantly reminded that I am a racist, that it is my fault people were enslaved, that it is my fault people of color are living in poverty, that I don't deserve the life that apparently I was simply given, and that I don't deserve help of any kind because I have had it good my whole life. Interesting.

My parents divorced at the age of seven, at which time my mother took on three jobs. She regularly worked as a nurse on the day shift in the operating room of a local hospital and was on call every day in order to keep the money coming in. She couldn't afford day care, so my brother and I stayed home by ourselves a lot. We didn't have great Christmases or extravagant birthdays. We dealt with hand-me-downs from other families. I didn't even own a pair of jeans until I was almost twelve. Why? So me and my older brother could go to a good school and live in a decent neighborhood. Don't whine to me that you have it bad when you have two parents and neither works.

We may have "had it good," but it never came easily. We never asked for a handout.

My father wasn't around all the time, but that wasn't an excuse for me or my brother to become a total miscreant. My mother did the best she could with raising us, and we knew what we were supposed to be doing. We took it upon ourselves to keep out of trouble. People can't hold your hand all the time and say "no, don't do that." Take some responsibility.

I couldn't get scholarships for college, because I wasn't a minority. I couldn't get federal aid for school, because I wasn't a minority. When I applied to undergrad, the school I attended had a very high tuition. I received some scholarship money for my great grades and SAT score, but I needed more. I called the financial aid office, and they said, "I'm sorry. We can't give you anymore scholarship. Call back in a year though. Many of the kids we have given money to will fail out during that time, and we will have more to disburse to second year students." She hinted that because I was not a minority, I was not eligible for more, but I didn't complain. Now I have plenty of debt to pay off for the next decade or so, but I do it gladly because I know it will provide me and my family with a better future in the end.

I'm sorry you feel you are "held down" by me, but personally I'm just trying to get by. I don't have time to "hold you down" to be honest. I'm simply trying to live my life, continue my education, work hard for a living, and pay my rent.

And I'm sorry slavery happened, it shouldn't have, but my family didn't own slaves, and I am tired of being held responsible because of the color of my skin. My family was dirt poor. My mother's side was Cajun, my father's Native American. Don't complain to me about your family starting out with nothing. I'm not saying you should forget what happened, but blaming all your problems on the past doesn't leave you with much of a future.

This isn't a "pick yourself up by the bootstraps" speech. This is a everyone take responsibility for your current actions and move on speech. Stop stereotyping yourself and fueling the fire - this goes for people of all colors - dog fighting, blaring nasty and sexist music, condoning teenage pregnancy, talking like an idiot, doing drugs, being nonchalant about killing people, beating women, exploiting children, spending thousands on your car while living on government money and making your children sleep on the floor, complaining about bad education when your kids regularly skip school or drop out, refusing to take responsibility for your stupid actions, wasting money for food on your addictions, taking disability money when you're able-bodied, going to job interviews inappropriately dressed, skipping out on child-support, not disciplining your children, excusing away your own actions as problems of society - you get the point.

I'm not delusional enough to believe that racism doesn't occur. I'm well aware it does. But just like you don't want me to stereotype you because of your culture, I ask you to do the same for me.

I'm not going to apologize for being white.

Read some other honest opinions in the blogosphere:
Old Man Rant - I don't agree with his use of the N-word, but he makes a good point. Basically, trash comes in all colors.
Rachel Lucas - She comments on the use of the phrase "typical white person."
What's Going On - Talks about the differences between what white people think and what black people think white people think.
Barking Moonbat - If you have time to read it, the writer talks about racism (among other things) as if speaking to a foreigner.
Pat Buchanan - He says, "Barack says we need to have a conversation about race in America. Fair enough. But this time, it has to be a two-way conversation. White America needs to be heard from, not just lectured to."

*All of the above articles could be considered a bit controversial. Although I don't always agree with everything they say, they makes some great points that should be discussed. The point is that there, in fact, needs to be open and honest discussion about this problem - from both sides.*

Note to Self: Be prepared for nasty and ignorant comments.