From Republican to Race conversation

Now I have stated before that I am new to politics so there is much that I do now know or understand. I work with all republicans. They also happen to all be christian and white. I constantly mess with them about losing the past election and about being republican. They try and pull me over to Republican thought a.k.a. the darkside. I don't care for either party more than the other. Anyways, I was asked why I'm not republican or what I think about them. I have stereotypes about them. The joke I say is old crusty whites are republicans. I began to tell him that fiscally I tend to agree more with republicans, but socially not. He wanted me to elaborate. I told him that I perceive that most republicans are just like they are. They see the world as all rosy right now and that if as an individual you work hard you will be fine in life simple as that. You get what you work for. An idea that I agree with and want as everyone's attitude and belief. The problem I said is that everyone is not playing on a level field. So because of that I think more money or efforts need to be put into certain rural and urban areas, and not just for blacks. Also hiring practices and things need to be monitored. This is where the conversation got going.

They say that you get hired off of your efforts and resume. I said I disagree somewhat. There is some nepotism that exist out there. I then said that people hire and want to work with people they are comfortable with and relate to. I believe that if there are equally qualified candidates and one is white, one black and one mexican that the white would get the job. I should have extended it to an equal pool of people of all the races and said that more whites than the other two pools would get hired. Of course, they did not agree. And I don't think they are racist and maybe they are right it would be no factor. So I brought up college football. 119 top level schools and only 5 black coaches. I said in a sport with a lot of black players and coaches only that many are head coaches. So I asked, if it is not racist then what is it? My coworker responded that he didn't think when Alabama hired coach Saban that they cared what color he was but that they thought he could win the most games. Okay I said, then what about Auburn? They hire a guy who in the two years he was coach at a school the team got worse. Turner Gill, a black coach, turns around a program in a few years and wins his conference and has a winning record gets interviewed and doesn't get the job. How he didn't get the job over that guy is beyond me if it had nothing to do with race. Again he is basically saying that is who they thought was best but they are just stupid. I brought up Notre Dame and how they extend a white coach to a ten year deal, but did nothing and fired there black coach. At the time of the extension the coaches had the same record. One got an extension and one didn't. I said I don't know if it was racist, but it is interesting. He also said they were stupid and are now paying for it. Then it gets to him saying that there aren't enough qualified candidates maybe or that all the good black coaches go to the NFL for money. I said no that there are plenty of black assistant coaches, coordinators and position coaches in college football. I said the Auburn guy goes out and hires like 5 to his staff. I said so they are good enough to coach the team in many areas but never improve enough to be head coaches while the white coaches do improve to be head coaches? He threw in a well there you have it they have black coaches on the staff. Now I almost lost it here but it is my job so I remained calm. I simply told him being on the staff is not the same as being in charge. But he kept going back to what I think of as the republican attitude, that if they were the best coach and candidate to give the school a chance to win they would get hired. And I kept saying it is odd to me that in all those jobs with so many blacks out there coaching only that many make it to be head coaches. I also included other races. So then I started saying that by default, you are saying that the black coaches are not good enough (qualified) to be in charge. He says no, but I repeat what he said and that is that the best get hired and therefore the black coaches must not be good enough. After a while he just says so how many would be enough. I don't know, if I have to give a number it should at least have two digits in it. My other coworker ask what percent of America is black. Somehow we just through 30 out there and I pointed out that percent was no where near 5/119.

I tried to take this same attitude and apply it to corporate America. They all still felt the same way. I told them my point in bringing up college was that the people in charge and a lot of the boosters are of one race and they happen to be white. And whites get the coaching jobs. Is it racist? I don't know, but there has to be something there. I said the same goes for corporate America. Because of slavery, we started off on the bottom floor and all those in power were white. So I just ask, why would the same sort of thing not take place in other areas of life be it that they are racist or not? Is it that there just are enough qualified blacks and we aren't as good as the whites? I told them by their thinking that has to be what it is, because if you are deserving and qualified you get the job. I don't think they got what I was saying. Maybe if you are reading you don't either. To them racism really isn't a problem anymore. Of course, look at who is president came up at some point. Not that I didn't know when he was running that from this point forward no one will care what reasons you may try and have because the president is mixed. One person getting through doesn't fix anything or many the problem is solved.

In a last ditch effort, before we left for the day I asked them all if there church was predominantly white. They said yes. And I said mine was predominantly black. Then I said that I don't think any of you are racist and neither am I nor are your churches. But, in a place that is supposed to represent the most important aspect of our life, we remain segregated. So if it is not racism then what is it? They kind of had blank looks on their faces for a second as they thought. Then they asked me if I thought it was because of racism. I said no, and I don't really know why. I know there is a history to it, but if everything is so rosey as they say then surely this area of our lives would not be so heavily separate. I told them that I thought it was a comfort thing. And to me, if in this area we remain separate for whatever reason, why would it not be fair to think that this phenomena would not spread over into other parts of society like corporate America? Between us no one had a good reason why church was like that and they just pointed out they had invited me to church before and that all people are welcome they just seem not to come back. Then my coworker as we were walking out talked about their pastor search. He said he was sure there were no blacks applying and wondered if they would even truly consider a black pastor at his church. He knows that it wouldn't happen. Then we discussed ways churches could change this by coming together across racial lines with things like the youth doing things together. What I should have said but didn't because I had thrown a lot out there that day, was that at your predominantly white church they would have trouble following someone of another race. They may not be racist, but something does still remain here in America.

I know this was long, but I just wanted to hit most of the highlights. It was just so interesting to me talking to them about this stuff. Me being the lone black, and them all white. I'm always throwing stuff out there. I threw in stuff about me and cops (which one said he gets pulled over, and I responded like dude I've had a gun in my face twice for nothing and been in cuffs several times for nothing.) and racist experiences. Not sure if they can understand how these things can shape my view of the world but its nice to have a forum and people I can discuss this stuff with.