Features

So the lord sent down the rainbow sign, no more water the fire next time.  

—Langston Hughes 

People of color have been talking for years of the inequalities and injustice in the United States, but mainstream America constantly counters with “You’re just paranoid.” They say slavery was in the past and racism hardly exists anymore. Their forefathers were poor, came from Europe and made a good life for themselves and families through hard work! They never take in to account that our U.S government legalized and supported discrimination against people of color, and separate but equal was the law of the land.  

But I’m paranoid! 

We’ve been telling people for years that there can be no peace without justice. The struggle is not just about race, class, sex and color, but mainly the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. Remember Enron, World Com and especially those preachers like Jimmy Swaggert and Jim Baker spouting the scriptures, ripping off poor folks and pocketing the money.  

A black man was sodomized with a two-foot broomstick by members of the New York Police Department for no apparent reason, and another shot 42 times. What crime did they commit? Have you ever heard of a person of color accidentally shooting a police officer and getting off?! But there have been hundreds of people accidentally shot by the police with no consequence. I wonder how many of them were wealthy. Listen up people! 

But I guess I’m just paranoid! 

The levees break, the houses shake, the whole damn thing is a big mistake! 

Mistake? The Army Corp of Engineers predicted years ago it could happen, but there was no money. Would it have made a difference if it was Hollywood or Crawford, Texas below sea level? Recently, during images of the water this time, the news media portrayed black folks looting while white folks salvaged food. How about showing the looting when thousands of homeowners and businesses turn in inflated insurance claims? 

But I’m paranoid! 

A radio talk show host said, “Why should millions of our tax dollars be wasted repairing homes destroyed by an act of nature? Maybe they shouldn’t be living there!” How about the billions of taxpayer dollars we spend blowing up houses in other countries? Meanwhile, rich people’s homes outside of Los Angeles are threatened by the fire this time. I wonder how many of them will have to stay in a homeless shelter! 

Finally, William Bennett, who supposedly represents the American mainstream, the “moral majority,” says, “You could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down.” He says his words were misconstrued. He was merely musing about a hypothetical argument. Who even thinks like that?! 

Paranoid? I’m mad as hell! 

We’ve been talking forever about the injustice around us. What will it finally take for America to take heed? Maybe they are listening, but their favorite TV show is on, their iPod is blasting and they really won’t care until the fire next time!  

Winston Burton is a Berkeley resident.  

.