Going out on a limb here. Saw this meme about systemic racism and how some white folks should be enslaved and marginalized so they could gain an understanding of what that really is, I was struck with this thought: is it racism or culture that is systemic? What I’m thinking about is, is it the color of your skin or your culture that causes all the friction, the problems in societal affairs.

There is no denying that I have no idea what it was like to be a slave. I don’t believe anyone that wasn’t a slave themselves could really understand that. My ancestors were Germans and I have no clue about being German. I do know how it feels to be excluded, in the margin or however you wish to describe that. That’s a societal thing mostly having to do with perception. Being a part of the “in crowd” is what I’m thinking about. We have all experienced that on some level at some point in our lives. It’s a cultural thing.

In America today there is a lot of cultural unrest. That is obvious to anyone that just takes the blinders off. We are constantly barraged with cultural interests and cultural “excuses” for behaviors that are not traditionally an American thing. Consider the Muslims in our country today and the clothing they may wear or their call to prayer being broadcast in some cities, cultural things or religious things? They are both! It’s a part of their culture, not a part of the American culture.

After the civil war black leaders were questioned about what it is that the black community wants. The answer was surprising. Land was the primary desire, a piece of land where they could raise their families, earn a living and control their own people. Yes, they wanted to be segregated! It was the birds of a feather thing, a cultural thing, that those formerly enslaved individuals truly wanted. They didn’t want to be sent back to Africa, to be Africans, they just wanted to live in peace.

That was the request because they were keenly aware that discrimination was going to be prevalent for a long time to come. It wasn’t race that was the issue, it was that discrimination. They understood how much of a bitter pill to swallow it was to those former slaveholders to lose that labor pool, how much of a financial impact it was. They also understood over time, a long time, they could participate in the American dream. They did want to be separate but equal. We are seeing all that today on a cultural level. All cultures wanting to be separate, but equal.

The question here is, is that possible? I don’t believe that it is possible. Look water is wet and will always be wet. You can’t change that. You can’t change cultural belief either! We speak of culture. What is culture? The beliefs of people. The best we can do is make laws to restrain people from imposing their cultural beliefs on others. But what about when imposing those beliefs is a part of their culture? See the issue with that?

Is it systemic racism or systemic culture? It has to be the latter in my view. There are certainly many people of every race that are very successful people here in the United States. It doesn’t appear to me that the color of their skin has prevented them from becoming that success. In fact, about 14% of the congress today are black people. That’s an equal representation of the 14% of blacks comprising the population of the country.

I make friends with, associate myself with, and treat others according to my cultural beliefs. Yes I use visual clues as a means to judge, or more correctly prejudge, (prejudicial) what I think their culture may be. The birds of a feather thing once again. That doesn’t make me a racist, just a normal human being. If I determine their culture closely resembles mine, their beliefs are the same, I have no issue being with them, supporting them, or whatever. The color of their skin has nothing to do with that. It’s all just a cultural thing. And today, in this culture I’m out on a limb by even suggesting any of this, I’m a racist.

Thought to add this map for context. Consider each country as a culture, they are separate cultures correct? Then combine them into America. Systemic cultural interests. That’s what I’m talking about. The colored areas are European nations Are all Europeans of one race? What about all North Americans or South Americans? Or, are there different cultures?