The Color of our Eyes

I just have to get out my thoughts today. I'm deeply sadden by the recent case of Trayvon Martin. It brings up feelings of  despair, confusion and defeat. I have managed to surround myself by people who are kind, open-minded, tolerant and fair and can almost ignore racism; I can brush it off as something only ignorant people embrace. But, alas, this case has me shaken because, unfortunately, the fight isn't over.

While I was brought up to be "color-blind" in a sense, I would actually say I taught myself to see all colors, appreciate all colors, and these days those colors are as significant as eye or hair color. Traveling, living in other places and education made that happen. But, after living Tampa for a few years, I was in shock when I moved back to my typical southern town of Florida. I had never noticed just how prejudice and racist my town could be. I went to a high school that was prominently white and I never heard even as much as a whispered ethnic slur leave my parents lips, so race was just never an issue. Sure it was there, but it never seemed negative, just obvious when someone who wasn't white came to our school. I actually had a huge crush on one of our black football players in high school, but never pursued him because I was always in a relationship. But, I digress...

What did I do? I continued to live my life as I had before moving back. Just because an area has a certain culture doesn't mean you have to adopt it. I continued to spend time with my variety of friends, dated a variety of races and only made judgments based on how they treated me and others around us. I let the shock wear off and reminded myself that the majority of people are not racist or prejudice and are good people. I ended up in a wonderful relationship with a black man who couldn't make me happier.

We have our discussions about race, equality, prejudice, etc. but in general we agree that we all have our battles based on gender and race and the key is knowing how and when to fight them. We also agree that things are getting better, things are changing and that people are truly beginning to embrace race as just another part of personality or character.

However, this case just bursts my little idealistic bubble. It reminds me that there are still a lot of issues that need to be solved and worked through when it comes to race. Prejudging somebody based on the color of their skin has to disappear, but until it does, we will all have to continue to fight it, which brings me back to the sadness I feel from this case because while I am surrounded by like-minded individuals, there are so many out there who are not of that mindset.

But what makes me smile is that it is now so publicized. Back in the day, this issue would not have made the papers. White American would have ignored it because of the races of both parties. Now, however, things are different. People care. People want justice. People want fairness. People want equality. That,  my friends, is a good sign. It feeds my idealistic bubble, that maybe one day, as Bob Marley said, racism will disappear when "the color of a man's skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes." Today, this makes me sad but I can't help but think this is only going to strengthen our society in the long run. One can hope...