Racism: The north and south of it
By John M Anderson
When I was a young teenager in the midst of the turbulent 60s, I remember saying to my father one day how glad I was that since we were northerners (Pennsylvania) we didn’t practice racism.
My dad just looked at me and said unfortunately racism is everywhere in the US.
He then explained to me the difference between the southern and northern versions.
In the south, the whites didn’t care how close black people got. They could cook their food, drive their cars and help raise their children. But — and it was a big but — they must never seek to improve their station in life. Proximity fine; power not so good.
While in the north, the whites weren’t fussed about how far the blacks could advance. No profession was barred and no position thought unachievable. However, when it came to proximity that was another question. You can do well; just don’t come into our neighbourhoods.
There in a two minute conversation was enough to impress upon me the notion that racism didn’t stop at state borders, it merely changed form.
It’s been 22 years since I last lived in the US, but from all appearances it doesn’t seem much has changed.
