Post-Racial? So, Am I Still White?

What does that mean, anyway—post-racial?  Well, one definition is that a post-racial society is one where race is no longer significant or important.  Some were convinced that President Obama had ushered in this new age.  Here are two reasons why.

The first dealt with Obama winning his party’s presidential nomination.  The big story was how many, supposedly, forward-thinking, white academics and hipsters supported his primary bid.  At a glance, this would seem post-racial—white people voting for a black candidate over a more established white candidate.  Sure.  But a closer look reveals that much of his support from whites wasn’t despite his racial make-up but, at least in part, because of his racial make-up.  This was considered the very essence of his candidacy.  He not only espoused change; he was the very embodiment of change—a black man in the white house.  And many of his white supporters celebrated the notion and backed him because of it.  The irony of it all is that they voted for a candidate based, in part, on race when their goal was to create a post-racial society.  In other words, in an effort to create a society where race is not deemed a significant factor…they made race a significant factor.

The second reason it’s been suggested we live in the color blindness of post racialism is, again, not because race is no longer a factor but precisely because of race—namely, the mixed racial heritage of the president.  I’m sure you’ve heard this notion before:  President Obama is both white and black and, therefore, perfectly suited to heal the country’s racial woes.  This is, of course, ridiculous.  It reminds me of something out of medieval Europe in which two noble families produce the one male heir that will unify the kingdoms at odds.  Not only does one’s racial background have nothing to do with their ability to mend fences, but this also smacks of something decidedly un-American—monarchism.   It lends more to the power of one’s blood than to their ability.

Personally, I don’t think the expectations of a post-racial society are realistic or even possible.  I would put the chances up there with having a post-oxygen breathing society or a post-water drinking society.  The longing for a post-racial society is just another progressive, utopian fantasy that does nothing but drive everybody nuts because it’s utterly unattainable.  The promoters of such farces are the same social planners that survey race on countless government forms and have made race an issue in everything from employment, to housing, to education, to immigration.  Once again, which is it?  Do we want to paint rainbows or do we want to be colorblind?  Do we want to promote post-racialism or continue to make race a significant factor?

As I see it, race is just a huge political hammer that gets carelessly swung around.  Most of the time it doesn’t have any meaning at all—it’s just a tool to discredit people and institutions we don’t agree with.

I think the race issue would be greatly improved by simply ignoring it—kind of like we do with the $13 trillion debt our government has amassed.  As a matter of fact, after the past couple weeks of obsessive racial finger pointing wouldn’t it be nice if we were that obsessed with retiring our crippling national debt?  There’s only so much credit to go around and if the government takes it all they’ll be none left for you and me, regardless of race, to buy houses and cars and the things we need to get along in life.  And at the end of the day, I’m much more concerned about those issues then I am about the racial feelings of Andrew Breitbart or Barrack Obama or Howard Dean or Bill O’Reilly.

Beach Etiquette for the Thoughtfully Challenged

Another summer season is upon us and I’m reminded, as I visit the California coast, how little many beachgoers know when it comes to common courtesy at the beach. Having grown up a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean and then, eventually, moving across the county to an area in close proximity to the beach, I feel I may offer a, somewhat, knowledgeable perspective. I’m making the following suggestions because over the years I’ve, on too many occasions, seen beachgoers act with disregard for the people around them. The beach experience is much more intimate than most other public situations and since it’s a seasonal endeavor and often during vacation, many tend to be less considerate. Here’s what I would advise while at the beach:

1. Use care when walking past others. People don’t want sand in their face, or on their towels, or in their lunch. Flip-flops can greatly increase the amount of sand that gets flung around, too. So, walk softly and carry your flip-flops.

2. Don’t walk on other people’s stuff. It’ll get sandy or possibly break. I know this seems obvious but you would be surprised. And unless you want to risk hurting some kid’s feelings I would try to avoid stepping on any sand castles.

3. Wear a swimsuit that’s appropriate for your body type. Perhaps a bikini just isn’t the right call. Maybe a wrap is the way to go. Plenty of people wear T-shirts, too. And just because ‘you got it’ doesn’t mean you should flaunt it. You may have a lovely shape but that doesn’t mean you need to go out in public looking like a Brazilian street walker. Don’t be afraid to be tasteful. Grooming is never a bad idea either--especially, for those of you from overseas.

4. If you erect an umbrella realize that it can turn into a flying spear of death with virtually no warning. Even on light winded days a sudden strong gust can uproot your shade and mortally wound a fellow beachgoer. So, make sure your umbrella is securely planted.

5. Don’t distract the lifeguards. Yes, they’re good looking and athletic but they have much more important things to do than give directions or chitchat. Not having they’re full attention on the water could mean someone’s life; or, more importantly, a costly lawsuit.

6. Use care when shaking out your towels and blankets. Be conscious of wind direction and others in your area. Perhaps walking to the shoreline or to the back of the beach where there may be fewer people is a better place to shake off the sand. Again, sand in the face is generally frowned upon.

7. Don’t feed the sea gulls. For one, if you feed them they won’t leave you alone. Two, once you put food in them…eventually, the food’s coming out and much more quickly than you’d imagine. In other words, if you feed the sea gulls you are increasing the chances of getting crapped on.

8. Clean-up after yourself. Throw your trash away. If you dug a hole fill it back up. No one wants to get cut by a soda can or break an ankle in a hole that was left open.

9. If you see a kid that looks lost then they probably are lost. Help them find their family or at least get them to a lifeguard. Their siblings may not care but I’m sure their parents would appreciate it.

10. Don’t be an imposition. Just realize that most people don’t want to hear other people’s conversations or listen to a neighbor’s music when they’re at the beach. They don’t want to get hit by someone’s kite or noise making, mini-football thingy. They don’t want to hear about exploits from the previous night or wait for a mob of children to stop playing in the showers so they can rinse off and leave. They don’t want to listen to how well you fight or how much you can drink. They just want to relax and get some sun—maybe take a swim or read a book. And they don’t want to be imposed upon.