Tag Page Racism

America's Deep Roots of Racism

Ongoing, systemic racism is actively undermining America’s future by functioning as a massive economic and social anchor. The vast racial wealth and income gaps—which persist due to structural barriers in housing, employment, and justice systems—are projected to cost the U.S. economy trillions of dollars in lost consumption and investment over the next decade, severely hampering national GDP growth. Furthermore, the resulting social inequities fuel deep political polarization and public cynicism, threatening democratic stability by marginalizing vast segments of the increasingly diverse population from full economic and political power. If left unaddressed, this systemic exclusion of talent and opportunity ensures that the U.S. will be less competitive, more deeply divided, and less prosperous in the 21st century than it otherwise could be. We need to eliminate systemic racism for everyone's best interest! #Racism #SystemicIssuesUSA #ExposingRacialHypocrisy #Antiracism

Ignorance and immaturity all in one Around 1:30 in the morning I was working my way back home. I’d stopped at Monomrose, saw some friends, had a few drinks at one of the local bars, then circled back. I pulled into the gas station where a friend of mine works. We sat outside, talking about this and that. Three young men walked up, joking and laughing. Two went inside, one stayed out. My friend—the guy that works there—was going to go inside. As he went to put out his cigarette, the young man said, “Can I have that?” He wasn’t polite about it. My friend shook his head—cigarettes are expensive. I don’t smoke, so I had nothing to give. That should have been the end of it. Instead, the young man turned hostile. As I walked away, I could hear him yelling. I could hear him saying all kinds of things. Mostly I heard him say, “I wish old white people would die.” I started thinking, well, I resemble that remark… Besides the racism that’s obvious and blatant, I’ve had too many encounters with people under 30 who just cannot handle the word no. They’ll ask you something, and if you don’t give them the answer they want, they throw a fit. Stack that immaturity on top of the racism, and you’ve got a toxic mix. Either way—what a jerk. #RudeMan #RudeAdultBehavior #ignorance #racism

The Day My Best Friend Died and My Mom Said I Couldn't Go to the Funeral

I was a kid in the 1960s, and my best friend in first grade was a girl named Robin. She and her brother were the only Black kids in our all-white community, but none of that mattered to us. We were inseparable at school, and I'd come home and talk about her all the time. One day Robin and her brother just didn't show up. That night, my mom was reading the newspaper and mentioned an article about a house fire where a family was lost. It felt like too much of a coincidence, and my worst fears were confirmed when she read Robin's name. I told her I had to go to the funeral, but she told me no. She said I was too young and that Robin was not white. I still remember the shock of her words and the reason I wasn't allowed to go. I just cried and cried. That was 60 years ago, and even now, I still cry sometimes for Robin's death. It’s a moment I've never let go of. #ChildhoodMemories #Nostalgia #LifeLessons #Racism #InnocenceLost #UnforgettableMoments

My Sweet, Swear-Free Mom Just Told a Racist to Go F* Himself on the Boston Subway

So my mom is this amazing 50-year-old Asian lady who looks way younger than she is. She’s the kind of person who spends her days watching soap operas, cleaning, and chatting with her church friends. She’s gentle—never once swore in her life, not in English or our language. She doesn’t even like Gordon Ramsey because he curses too much. That’s why what happened last week left me speechless. We were on a packed subway here in Boston when this drunk guy started going off about immigrants and politics. He was loud and aggressive. Then he turned to my mom—who was just sitting quietly—and called her a spy, said she didn’t belong here, didn’t bother learning English… just pure hate. My mom stayed calm the whole time, even held my arm when I tried to say something. But when we got to our stop, she stood up, looked him right in the eye, and said in her cute accent: “Go back to f*** your daddy.” I’ve never seen someone’s jaw actually drop. Turns out she picked it up from “some kids at work.” She said curses aren’t that different in any language, then immediately started talking about bok choy like nothing happened. #MomWins #BostonLife #ImmigrantStory #UnexpectedResults #FamilyStories #Motherhood #Racism