WE WERE JUST WONDERING

Am I a Racist?
by Alex Hutchins

A metaphorical (dream like) preface,

Hear Ye!  Hear Ye!

All those having business before this council, step forward and be known . . .

An alarming realization just recently pushed its way into my consciousness that had been lingering far too long in the belly of my mind’s imagination that reality was more than just putting a statement of belief on paper. How annoying it is when one finds out that reality must be experienced not just written on paper as a testimony to behavior and actions. 

I am a liberal and have always been a liberal in all my thoughts and actions while in my youth my actions could have been construed as ultra liberal; however, as the aging process turns us all another shade of gray, I have come to discover that I have become more of a conservative liberal when it comes to fiscal responsibility.  Still, my liberal flag is still raised to the top of the flagpole most of the time, especially when it comes to racial equality.

I went to high school overseas and did not experience racism until moving back to America after graduation and even though I dated many “women of color” in high school and even though I dated many African Americans after graduating from College, I was still utterly amazed when this country had to impose quotas in order to ensure minority employment. 

In fact, my last place of career employment had offered me an opportunity to work for an African American that I took as an honor after he hired me and would have stayed with him for several years had I not needed to retire due to health concerns.

Almost 2 years later, I am kicked in the mind by the realization that my liberal beliefs are not as strong as I thought they were.  Let me explain.

Recently, when I was mowing the grass, a neighbor approached me from the street with a piece of paper on which was typed, a brief statement that the City was planning on selling some land (50-100 yard below our home), to Habitat for Humanity and were going to give them permission to build 15 homes on this parcel of land.  Any concerned citizen and resident of the City could attend the council meeting and be heard.

My first thought was safety for my wife and I because those home typically went to uneducated, low income families that were also the ones who typically perpetrated crimes on the elderly.  My second thought was that this will lower property values and my third thought was that my first two thoughts were racist.

Simply put, I do not know what to think about myself anymore; but, I can tell you this, I did not attend the City Council meeting.