Rodolfo, Gigi and I went to the park around noon. I didn't realize that we have a splash park just down the street from us until a couple of months ago. It really is a great park, Gigi had a blast! Unfortunately, this park is also a fine example of the racial divide in Oklahoma City. The park is smack dab in the middle of an area that has a great mix of ethnicities-- Asian, Hispanic, African American AND Caucasian. But, for the most part, the only people that frequent this park are African Americans. A long time ago when I worked for Senator Nickles, a co-worker of mine, who happens to be African American, explained to me that in Oklahoma she feels very segregated from the white population. She said that when she travels to DC or to other parts of the country she doesn't feel the tension and the attitude of prejudice that she feels here. I never really paid attention to these things until she mentioned this to me. And I have to say, when Rodolfo and I moved to Houston I COULD see a huge difference. The African American population was much more a part of the mainstream activities of the community. Although tensions still exist in Houston (as I learned from teaching high school in Houston ISD) the dividing line is much more blurred than it is in OK. Moving back to Oklahoma from Houston made the picture even clearer-- restaurants, the mall, the parks, movie theaters-- there are the places white people go and there are the places black people go. It is unfortunate that in 2009 Oklahoma is still so segregated. I don't know what the solution is, but by crossing the lines today I felt like a rebel and I was a bit scared, even though Rodolfo was with me. The people there, especially the men, looked at me like I was an alien. I don't think I will return to that park, which is unfortunate since it has such a great splash park. But I did not feel safe there. I felt like I was treading on someone else's territory and that I was an unwanted presence. Having prejudice reversed is enlightening, but also disheartening since most prejudice stems from ignorance. When will we all just decide to be friends, embrace our differences and move on to become equal citizens of a beautiful country? Isn't that how it is supposed to work? Isn't that what the school books teach? And while I am on the subject, I wish we didn't have to differentiate between African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, Native American, and Caucasian. Why can't we be like they are in Canada? The citizens of that country are from all over the globe, but they simply call themselves Canadian. When are we just going to start calling ourselves simply "American"? And I ask this question not to ignore the diversity of races here but wondering when will we make peace with the past, embrace each other as brothers and sisters and look forward to moving on to greater good as a united citizenship of people. Oh no, now I am having flashes of the French revolution when people called each other "citoyens" and no trace of social or political hierarchy was allowed. I certainly don't mean that type of equality to the masses Sovient Union-Fidel Castro mentality. I am a firm believer in capitalism. But damn these lines. They sure do make teaching your child about love and equality of all people difficult.
Rodolfo, Gigi and I went to the park around noon. I didn't realize that we have a splash park just down the street from us until a couple of months ago. It really is a great park, Gigi had a blast! Unfortunately, this park is also a fine example of the racial divide in Oklahoma City. The park is smack dab in the middle of an area that has a great mix of ethnicities-- Asian, Hispanic, African American AND Caucasian. But, for the most part, the only people that frequent this park are African Americans. A long time ago when I worked for Senator Nickles, a co-worker of mine, who happens to be African American, explained to me that in Oklahoma she feels very segregated from the white population. She said that when she travels to DC or to other parts of the country she doesn't feel the tension and the attitude of prejudice that she feels here. I never really paid attention to these things until she mentioned this to me. And I have to say, when Rodolfo and I moved to Houston I COULD see a huge difference. The African American population was much more a part of the mainstream activities of the community. Although tensions still exist in Houston (as I learned from teaching high school in Houston ISD) the dividing line is much more blurred than it is in OK. Moving back to Oklahoma from Houston made the picture even clearer-- restaurants, the mall, the parks, movie theaters-- there are the places white people go and there are the places black people go. It is unfortunate that in 2009 Oklahoma is still so segregated. I don't know what the solution is, but by crossing the lines today I felt like a rebel and I was a bit scared, even though Rodolfo was with me. The people there, especially the men, looked at me like I was an alien. I don't think I will return to that park, which is unfortunate since it has such a great splash park. But I did not feel safe there. I felt like I was treading on someone else's territory and that I was an unwanted presence. Having prejudice reversed is enlightening, but also disheartening since most prejudice stems from ignorance. When will we all just decide to be friends, embrace our differences and move on to become equal citizens of a beautiful country? Isn't that how it is supposed to work? Isn't that what the school books teach? And while I am on the subject, I wish we didn't have to differentiate between African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, Native American, and Caucasian. Why can't we be like they are in Canada? The citizens of that country are from all over the globe, but they simply call themselves Canadian. When are we just going to start calling ourselves simply "American"? And I ask this question not to ignore the diversity of races here but wondering when will we make peace with the past, embrace each other as brothers and sisters and look forward to moving on to greater good as a united citizenship of people. Oh no, now I am having flashes of the French revolution when people called each other "citoyens" and no trace of social or political hierarchy was allowed. I certainly don't mean that type of equality to the masses Sovient Union-Fidel Castro mentality. I am a firm believer in capitalism. But damn these lines. They sure do make teaching your child about love and equality of all people difficult.
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