Cynthia Ruccia
Columbus, OH
I am white but Jewish, and I grew up in a time when the Jews were barred from many many things because of our religion. My brother and I were the only Jews in our school and I was constantly chased around being called “dirty Jew” and “Christ killer” and told that my religion meant I was going straight to hell. Children wouldn’t sit next to me because they were afraid they’d end up in hell with me, that somehow my religious taint would rub off on them.
All this to say that I understand mindless discrimination and meanness in a special way. I therefore have approached my black friends, and I have striven to have many, with a depth of understanding many whites lack. I was simply crushed to be called a racist by African Americans who didn’t know me when I chose not to support President Obama. Crushed. Why treat your allies like that? I am not racist, never have been. But I am amazed at how short sighted and stupid we humans can be regardless of color.
I am happy to see that having an African American president has put things right for so many African Americans and I would never disparage that effect. But I’m not a racist.
Comments are closed.