I'm from the American South. You know, the land of confederate flags, ignorant politicians, and religious fundamentalism. Being in the south is a bit like wandering aimlessly around a department store in that respect. At least four salespeople will approach you and ask you if you need assistance with finding a religion while you're there. We southerners are particularly in the spotlight right now because of the recent massacre of nine African Americans in a church by a white supremacist. I can't talk about that right now; I just don't have the words.
I spend a lot of time defending my home state. North Carolina is many things, including beautiful and rich in culture and history. We have bluegrass, barbecue, and massive outdoor concerts. There is tolerance there as well as ignorance, and there are certainly all kinds of people.
And we have racism. Okay, everyone has racism, but we have a brand of unapologetic racism that is particularly embarrassing. The N word is still openly used in some places. People wear confederate flags on Martin Luther King, Jr. day. Yes, really. You hear things like, "slaves were considered part of the family" and "the Civil War really about state's rights." I think a part of it stems from an inability to accept the brutal ugliness of our history. Slavery was a horrifying, ghastly thing, and it's only 150 years in our past. Much like there are holocaust deniers, there are people who just can't accept that their ancestors supported owning other human beings. Slavery, of course, is only the beginning. Unlike the Germans after World War II, we white southerners doubled down on our past sins and created Jim Crow laws. We had public lynchings and klan rallies. Being a white southerner comes with a modicum of guilt, and many people just can't accept that.
I like to think that there's hope for us. Millennials come from a global society. They can't help but know people of all stripes, and our ability to recognize the humanity in others is a key weapon against intolerance. After yesterday's
massive civil rights victory, I'm hopeful for our future. I, too, believe that the moral arc of the universe bends towards justice, thank you very much Dr. King. But I'm done defending the my home state for awhile. I'm just too disappointed in it right now.
