My mind started reeling at the recollection of a conversation that happened about 33 years ago. The conversation started with a young black male labeling me to be a racist. In that moment, I had to tort back with, “You’re calling me a racist? Really? I am a black woman married to a white man and you are calling me a racist.” It is not the first time I have been mislabeled, and while I have moved on beyond previous character labeling botches, this one sticks with me. Why? I don’t know. I think it is because it kind of hurts my feelings that someone would think I, Marlene Bertrand, judges people by the color of their skin. To continue with the story let me say, this black man said yes he was calling me a racist because I did not marry a black man, and so by default, I am racist against black people. Well now, doesn’t that just beat all? Isn’t that stretching the concept of racism just a little too far? I mean, really? Today I am thinking out loud about racism and what it really means. Racism What does the dictionary say about racism? I went to Dictionary.com for the answer. Here is what it says: "A belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others." Given the definition of racism, I am pretty sure I am not a racist person and I thought sharing with my accuser that I was married to a white man would secure my standing. It did not. This man was determined to take his accusations to the grave, maintaining that I was a racist to my own race. How am I to walk away from this racism argument a winner? I admit, I had to look at him sideways to see if he was pranking me. Was this a joke? No, he was serious. Sadly, there are people like him everywhere. Accusation Artists People throw accusations around like they are a piece of penny candy. Penny candy is cheap and anyone can afford it. I call people who go around accusing people of this and that, Accusation Artists. What is my definition of an Accusation Artist? To me, an Accusation Artist is someone who, without legitimate evidence, and relying on nothing more than their own gut feelings, without rhyme or reason, randomly accuses people of things. I think it’s unfair to lump everyone into a group accusation based upon the color of their skin so that suddenly, everyone with that skin color represents all the people of the nation who have that color of skin. Don’t people know that skin color is determined by a person having a different level of melanin in the skin? It is not a basis for classification. It is simply a DNA thing. But, let me move along with my thoughts. I have to tell you that I am highly offended by the kind of classification and labeling that suggests that because I have more melanin in my skin that I am destined to be some predetermined person. The truth is, I am a self-contained individual. I do not represent a class of people. I represent me. I do not identify myself or others by their color of skin. I identify people by who they are – individually. And, my experience in life suggests that, for the most part, other people also identify people individually, as well. ![]() Encounter With Racism Have I encountered racism? Yes. There have been several times I have run into people who did not know anything about me, but chose to disrespect me specifically because of the color of my skin. Here are two incidents that stand out most prevalently in my mind.
We Are All People of Color We are all Gods people. Do you think God chooses by color, which He is going to love? I don’t think so, friends. To God, who made us, we are all pleasant in His sight. He made us in multiple of colors and, like any Father, He expects us all to get along nicely. Let's read Acts 10:34-35 I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. Unless we are God, we have no business judging and labeling people. We are just a bunch of people from all across the nation, of all colors, living in the same world. Like a bowl of fruity cereal, color does not matter. Each bite is a mouthful of delicious fruit flavor. Friends, we come in many colors, shapes, and sizes, but when we come together for one another, we make up a fabulous nation. Forget about the past. Burn all of the nastiness, just like my husband and I did with the note some sad individual tried to use to shake up our world. Let us put all the nastiness behind us and start a new, lovelier chapter in our life… a life where color does not matter… a life where color is just another shade of beauty.
9 Comments
Sindi Claypool
10/16/2020 03:25:35 pm
I'm so sorry these terrible things happened to you. I have had racism happen to me too, because I truly love God's rainbow of people, but I never let it shake my love for people of color. Not from whites, blacks or browns, nor any color in between. I try to judge people by their actions, never their looks, and even then I say, God please give my mouth temperance and my heart patience, cuz racist crap makes me so 🤬😡
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10/16/2020 03:36:08 pm
Hello Sindi! Racism, for the reasons you mentioned, makes me cringe, especially because there is no reason for it... no reason at all. I envision angry little people sitting in their room wondering what they could be angry about at any given moment and when they cannot not find anything they think, "Oh, I know! I could be angry about the color of someone's skin!" It's such a meaningless endeavor.
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Bill
10/16/2020 04:30:08 pm
Horrible but not surprising at all. I've been saying for years that racism is alive and well, living comfortably in the shadows, waiting for the chance to break free. Sadly there is no way to win an argument about racism. Bottom line, I think you are the cat's meow.
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10/17/2020 09:39:32 am
Hello Bill,
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Bill
10/17/2020 10:58:15 am
Good deal, because I was really doubting my tech skills. :)
Betsey
10/17/2020 11:07:58 am
I am so sorry for what you have experienced. Jesus taught about love. God loves every one of His children, no matter the amount of melanin in their skin.
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JoAnn
10/23/2020 06:32:04 pm
Marlene Bertrand,
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10/23/2020 07:50:11 pm
JoAnn, thank you for such kind and uplifting words.
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AuthorI am generally a quiet person, but at times, my thoughts run deep and wild. Most of the time, I keep my thoughts to myself, but sometimes, I feel the need to shout it out! These are just my thoughts and opinions, which may or may not be the same as yours. Archives
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