For those concerned about institutional racism and wonder how it still looks, I offer you exhibit A and Presidential election cycle.  The first two states to vote, Iowa and New Hampshire are vastly white States. This means that presidential aspirants have to spend considerable time addressing the needs and issues of white voters.  Let that sink in, for sometimes over a year, presidential candidates have to be steeped in white concerns.  The National media who cover these candidates then show us, the Nation, a year of coverage of white people talking to these candidates about their concerns.  NOT the concerns of any other groups.  This seriously normalizes the belief in white superiority.  This needs to stop.

© words by Dan DeMarle 2/12/2020

Rochester has a history of remarkable African Americans. While much of the focus of Black History Month is rightfully on Martin Luther, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, this focus comes at the cost of not remembering our own. This remarkable history should be remembered and celebrated, so let’s start with Father Thomas James.

As the NY Times reported on 7/25/1884 “The man was Rev. Father Thomas James of Rochester, one of the pioneers of the race against slavery in this country, and who now nearly 80 years old, is lecturing, that he may raise money to pay for an operation upon his eyes, by which he expects to make himself good for 15 years more of work. Father James was born a salve in Canajoharie, New-York, and when 18 years old escaped to Canada. He began preaching in 1829, organizing a colored church. Soon after he commenced to lecture against slavery, and was mobbed 16 times, as he said last night. He was first to stand up for his rights on railroad trains, and in 1841, which in Massachusetts, he refused to go into the “Jim Crow” car.  After a struggle, he was ejected from a first class coach, and on his taking the matter into court won his case, which led to the doing away of prescription in that State.  During the war (the Civil War) Father James did much service in relieving slaves, and was a member of the military police under Gen. Palmer in Kentucky.”

For more information, and there is much more read his wikipedia page.

© words and pictures Dan DeMarle 2020

Race, racism, privilege.  Why is there so much disinformation, lack of information, lack of even a common vocabulary that can be used to discuss it, let alone talk about what to do about it. So part of the reason why is that there are all sorts of levels of understanding of color, let alone of racism. Then there are huge questions of what to do about it. Most of us are not even aware of race until we are around Kindergarten age. Afterall to a two-year-old, people are just people. After all, isn’t the family dog a person when your two. Then we become socialized. But we are socialized differently. Just as men and women are socialized into specific roles. Meanwhile, you are socialized in a society that totally favors and empowers one group of whites over blacks, etc… men over women. If you are white or a man you probably don’t even realize it. So then maybe you pierce the vale and realize it. This can happen for all kinds of reasons, but for some white people, it never happens. Then there are huge questions what do you do? If my wealth comes from a corrupt system, do I give it away? If I find that my house was stolen from another family, do I give it back? If I have my job because other people, people of color, women, etc… were never even considered for it, do I quit? When I went to college and my college did not offer opportunities to people of color or women, do I stop working in my field?

© words by Dan DeMarle 2/2020

The snow falls outside the window.

The baby who has cried for the last two hours,

now sleeps in my arms.

His sister in the kitchen,

with grandma,

making pies.

Their mother is on her way back,

after some needed time away.

The dog sleeps next to us on her bed,

wondering about this infusion of life on a Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the snow,

oblivious to these little dramas – continues to fall,

blanketing the world outside.

as you are in my arms.

© words by Dan DeMarle 2/2/2020