Race Issues In America: A Ranger’s Perspective

I’ve been asked to give my thoughts on the highly publicized recent “events” in the media because of the pigmentation of my skin. Yes, I am “African American,” but I’d like to simply be referred to as an American. My ethnic background also includes white, black, and Native American. Now that that’s out of the way, here is where I stand:

– 15 million children die each year from starvation. (A third of these children live in Africa)
– A few months ago, we were all going to get Ebola. (My allergies did get a little crazy around that time.)
– 22-23 veterans end their lives each day. I’ve known and served with four.
– ISIS was supposed to be at my door by now, still waiting… I need to test a few new cartridges on something other than ballistic gelatin.

– Over 113 officers have been killed to date this year alone.
– Approximately 40,000 women are expected to die this year from breast cancer.
– Oh, and some chick who is married to a guy named Kanye West posed nude and “broke the internet.”

I’m not sure if my way of thinking comes from my upbringing, or if it derives from my military background as a Ranger in the 75^th, but I like to try to put things into perspective. What I believe we are seeing in the media is this big push that only separates our nation by using the pigmentation of one’s skin. Skin color does not determine how one should act, dress, feel, etc.

I’ve been told that I’m “not black enough” by individuals of my own pigmentation simply because I talk a certain way and dress different. So be it. That really doesn’t concern me. What does concern me is the fact that an extraordinary amount of time, effort, and attention is being focused on a couple of highly publicized events, when there are very real problems with us as human beings at hand.

Perspective.

Is there a such thing as racism? Of course. I’ve experienced it multiple times. Is there a such thing as a crooked cop? Of course. I’ve experienced it. With the two experiences stated, after the individuals got to know me as a human, I was viewed as such. A human.

I also believe in the power of trend and television. We see what’s trending in the media and we join in. I don’t see the same fervent protests at the White House to get better PTSD treatment for our men and women returning from war, nor do I see the same angered demonstrations over millions of children dying from not getting a meal as I see with the outcry in Ferguson, New York, etc. It’s simply because one topic is being publicized and others are not.

Trending.

The “change” I look forward to is when a Kardashian is no longer a household name, publicized 24/7 on the “news” and social media, and has the same relevance as a spent cigarette filter. “Change” will not occur if the change does not start from within the individual.

Television Programming = programming the individual by “telling your vision.”