Racism: Still not dead, but it should be

Sometimes I get my stories from the news or from the radio and newspapers. Occasionally, I get them from friends via email or on social websites like Facebook. This column comes from one of those times when a friend posted a picture worth a thousand bad words. And, sadly, most of them are curse words. I’m not mad at my friend for making the post. Actually, I am glad she did, because it gives me a chance to talk about it.

The picture she posted was of a paper shooting target. It depicted a cartoonish silhouette of a running man under the title, “Official Runnin’ N***** Target.” They appeared on a vendor’s table during a gun show in South Dakota, spotted by a film crew for a local TV news station, KSFY. The photographer questioned the vendor. The news station transcribed part of that interview.

KSFY photographer: “Why are those on there?”

Vendor: “Why aren’t they? They’re just targets.”

KSFY photographer: “Aren’t they offensive in nature?”

Vendor: “To who? Are you a negro?” — pause — “You know, there’s some black people and then there’s some negroes.”

(The term “negro” was not the word used on the target’s title.)

The vendor went on to brag that he had sold 500 of these targets. Needless to say, he was reported to the gun show officials who told the camera crew the matter would be taken care of. The targets were pulled from the show and will not be allowed back in the future.

The gun show’s organizer, Bob Campbell, said he was “disgusted” by that vendor’s attempt to sell those targets.

I’m glad he took swift action after being informed of the items.

This is yet another example of the racism that has been in the news for the past several years. An example like the video of those college kids singing a nasty racist song, or the string of killings by white police officers of unarmed African Americans and the violent protests that followed in Ferguson, Missouri. Then more shootings — this time the victims were two New York Police Department officers.

These are all symptoms of an illness that has afflicted this nation for ages.

Racism did not go away after the march in Selma. It did not go away with the death of Martin Luther King. It did not go away with the signing of the Civil Rights Act. And it did not disappear with the election of President Barack Obama in 2008 or 2012.

“Don’t play the race card.” “You’re being a race baiter.” “Racism doesn’t exist anymore, you’re just trying to start something.”

These are just a few of the discussion-stopping tactics being used to ignore the 900-pound elephant in the living room. But we can’t ignore our own racism anymore. We have to take it on as individuals. This is not about black on white or white on black. Racism is about our actions, how we treat each other. Racism, bigotry and hate feed off ignorance. We must listen to each other and learn to value our differences as strengths.

So how do we fight racism?

First, we have to acknowledge our nation’s discriminatory past and present. Until we admit to ourselves that discrimination is about more than slavery and civil rights marches 50 years ago, we cannot move forward together as one nation, arm in arm as countrymen.

Second, we must review police policies on hiring, use of force and other tactics. Some cities like Ferguson have some very serious problems, according to reviews along the abovementioned lines. But those cities are not the only ones. We must take action to correct these problems everywhere.

Third, we must peacefully protest discrimination. Martin Luther King Jr was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, and both men perfected the art of peaceful protest and peaceful civil disobedience. They trained their followers in these tactics and their followers spread the word to others. The results in both cases were major social change/advancements. For India, it was freedom from British rule. For America, it was the advent of the Civil Rights Act and the end of segregation. It wasn’t easy, and both King and Gandhi paid with their lives, victims of assassins’ bullets.

The bottom line is, we must talk about racism. We must talk about bigotry. We must own our sins as a nation and repent from this history of discrimination if we are to make our way forward together.

It’s time to start talking.

Wasilla resident Daniel D. Grota retired from the U.S. Army after more than 21 years of service.