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IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO TACKLE THE BIG ISSUE OF RACISM, THERE ARE OTHER SMALL ISSUES RACIAL DISCRIMINATION THAT KILL PEOPLE OF COLOR SLOWLY DAILY

Over the years, I have written about racial inequality I have experienced as a person of color in North America (not just US, but also in Canada, though most of my bad experiences have been in the US), and many of my African friends abroad that responded wondered what I was talking about. This speaks volume - until a critical mass (until we saw a caucasian policeman literally snuffed life out of a helpless black man) was reached even people who look like me could not empathize. I know African immigrants in the US who blame African Americans for their woes and I tell them, you came here from a free country as an educated person, you do not carry the stigma that these people have carried from birth, and have not witnessed racial injustice of seeing your father, auntie, brother, uncle shut off from the society because they rebelled, because they could not access the wealth of the land they live, they rebelled and some live a life of crime.

We did not have to reach a critical mass to have this uprising if people could empathize and just look at an issue from other people's eye. There are so many minor issues of racial discrimination that people of color face on a daily basis in the West (not just America) that kill them gradually - the treatment of "you are not good enough", "you do not belong here", "my eyes are on you", "I think you are a thief", "I did not know you are capable of that", "so you can write so well", "are you not the cleaner", "why are you are angry", "why can't you pull yourself up from off your poverty state - with their legs on their necks - how can they", etc. that leads to mental torture, frustration and anger. I speak from experience. I can write an epistle on my experiences at my current place of work and churches I have worshiped in the US. Here is one story:

Few years ago, I joined a group at church, there is this guy that is friendly with everyone. He holds a leadership position within the group. He was curious about me and quite friendly too. He invited me to lunch once and was asking me all kind of questions. Then every now and then, he would see me and hold two fingers to his eyes and point them at me (which typically means, "my eyes are on you"). I was the only one he was doing this to in a group where only two of us are of African descent. He did it for a year, I did not say anything. When this continued, one day when he did it again, I have had enough and I said to him "that is not nice". I did not say more than this, from that moment on, this guy's attitude changed towards me - he would avoid me, he would not want to say hello when he sees me, he saw me in a store thereafter with my son and he acted like a stranger. So, a month after this incident, I called him aside and asked him why he would do that to me. Do you know his response, "I am not that kind of person". What kind of a person I thought, I did not accuse him of anything other than telling him his behavior is unbecoming. Apparently, he could interpret his racist act when he was passively confronted and did what a typical caucasian person would do or say, "I am not a racist". This is a predominantly caucasian church, many do not understand what you as a person of color is doing among them other looking for handout. This guy knew I am a professor, he still could not hold himself back from telling me he is watching me. African Americans are followed around when they go to store as if they will steal (Obama was, Oprah has had her share). Some caucasian churchgoers move away from you or keep a closer eye on their bag if you sit near them in church (I have experienced this in almost every church I went to in the US).

It is not enough to address racial injustice in America's law enforcement and judiciary system, it must be dealt with at every level and in every facet of life at the micro-scale. You would think the church is a place you are safe from racial treatment, unfortunately, it is not, it is a microcosm of the society we live.

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