Disappointed there wasn’t a bigger outcry over local racism

Disappointed there wasn’t a bigger outcry over local racism

I have waited several weeks, hoping that the responses regarding the racism toward Ferrari Brown would flood into your paper. As I waited, I failed to see the flood that I had hoped for.

It is of great importance for all to see that racism in this United States of America has not ended. It continues to hide in the inner minds of many Americans, waiting to escape at the appropriate time.

For Brown, it has reared its ugly head at a time when she will attempt to enter the world as an adult and begin to become a viable person in society.

I only assume that her parents, as mine did, prepared her for the role in the world, telling her that the only thing that would stand in her way would be her lack of effort.

Both of her parents, I am certain, have worked extremely hard in their struggles to gain both professional and financial success. Now with their daughter about to experience one of the greatest moments in her life, they must struggle to make their daughter understand the facts of the real world.

I can remember the first time that I was referred as a "nigger," and to this day I have been unable to understand why this happened.

As Brown did, I completed my education, finishing college, and conducted my life as was expected by the ones that refer to us as "niggers." Yet, even with my degree and excellent career, and a wonderful life, I am still considered a second-class citizen.

I applaud Brown for her involvement in an African-American club at her school. It seems that our history as African Americans has not been explained to the ones who believe that they have done us a great favor in bringing us here to this America. Yet it should be these people as well as others that should be made aware of the involvement of the African American in the creation of this place we call American.

It has always been the case that, when we as minorities are called upon when the flag of freedom is being waved, we respond in great numbers. Yet, when the rights are again established, the fruits of our labor, sweat and blood never seem to bear the results that we expect, and we are returned to the shelf to again wait to be called an American.

I think the hardest thing to understand is the fact that during the Second World War, entertainers who visited the troops discovered that captured prisoners were seated in front of African Americans during performances. Were we even Americans then?

Consider this, Ms. Brown: This was your rite of passage and today you, as many other African American youth, discover you will be a second-class citizen here in this country even though you achieve greatness, wealth and total love in your life.

The male student who has been suspended from school has been made aware that he should be careful in thinking out loud.

Perhaps he should be given a semester’s transfer to an inner-city school where he is the minority, where he can really understand how words and indifference and a lack of understanding affects one’s ability to compete in the world.

Hey, I thought we had already started a Diversity Club.

I thought it was called the United States of America.

Patrick Green

Westlake Village