Date: 2021 April 27
APOK News:
Unless I hear different, I’ll be taking to the skies in July. The Public Safety Writers Association Conference is going ahead dated July 22nd to July 25th, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the event you’re interested in getting out here is the link, https://policewriter.com/conference.
BASEBALL RULES FOR LIFE
April 15th, 1947, Jackie Robinson made history being the first black male to start in the Major Leagues. The biopic movie “42” provides a quick overview of his life and the obstacles he faced day in and day out. It displayed the fortitude it took to trailblaze a path that opened up the eyes, hearts and minds of people around the world and torn down barriers.
Morgan Freeman in a 2005 interview when asked how are we going to get rid of racism, responded, “Stop talking about it…” I believe his assessment and have seen it in real practice. There are many more celebrities and persons asserting this same thought process, yet, there are those who are promoting a heavy resurgence to divide.
While I desperately want to abide by Morgan Freeman’s advice, I found an article that caused me alarm. The Canadian Government released its new budget and new training (see the National Post’s story, “Only white people can be racist: Inside Global Affairs’ anti-racism course materials” – 2021 April 22). If the title isn’t disturbing enough, the contents are. Without getting into a prolonged debate about the article and the Federal Government’s training materials, I would like to discuss this racial thought process from another angle.
Currently, “Racist”, is a word being used to demonize anyone opposing such progressive ideas, seeming to lose the meaning for which it was intended. I gladly defy the new definition, I know who I am and I don’t require their sadistic approval; however if in fact our world is slipping back into racial divide, my question is this…. What allows someone to fit into one of these non-persecuted categories?
Skimming the surface of Frances Cress Welsing’s “Melanin Theory”, she identifies that all humans were originally descendants of Africans before they spilled out into the world. If this part of her theory is correct, we are all part of the same family. If that is true, then there is no racial divide, leaving discrimination based on physical appearances.
At the same time, there are growing numbers within society who claim that we can identify as what we “feel” is right. If that is true and there are benefits from identifying within a certain category (lower insurance rates, job promotions etc), what’s to stop people from assuming the category awarding the most benefits?
If it is based on family lineage, at what point is the cut off? Indefinitely? If so, relate back to my comment about the Frances Cress Welsing’s theory. If there is a cut off, or it is based merely on physical appearance, or will there be genetic testing involved. Either way two children born to the same family potentially could fit into different categories. How is that fair?
I make this argument because there is no end to this type of discrimination thinking. While most agree that discrimination is wrong, why is it being reinstated in formal teachings and government institutions? That is the proper definition of systemic racism. Will thinking and acting in this fashion make everyone feel welcome? What steps are going to be implemented to prevent persons from manipulating the system, forced genetic testing? I think it is fair to say that these ideas do nothing to create a welcoming and inclusive society. I have many friends and relatives who came to Canada for a better life, away from oppression.
There is only one tried, tested and true place away from this messy subject; play and sports. As a child there weren’t discussions about differences, and if there were, we did we didn’t understand what they were. Ethnicities and backgrounds wasn’t the focus of our attention. Our focus was playing and having fun. If sport and play does one thing, it teaches us, colorblindness. It doesn’t matter who you are, there is one set of rules for all.
When I played baseball, and it was my turn up at bat, I stood alone, made decisions alone and was judged by the way I played the game. First base is 90 feet away from the plate. I knew after hitting the ball my goal was to get to bag before the opposing team got the baseball there. If I failed, I had no one else to blame.
Isn’t that what Jackie Robinson wanted and achieved? Isn’t that true equality?
Till next time,
Mike