Never before in our Nation’s history have minorities had a better shot at the American Dream than we have today. But one would hardly believe that fact if we assessed the veracity of that statement by watching the news or reading the newspaper. Sadly, the distance between boardrooms and newsrooms has shrunken to the point where “newsworthiness” and profitability are inextricably linked. Media executives, reporters and talking heads have figured out that racial politics sells. Wake up my fellow American minorities, it is not our skin color that has brought us to this divide, but rather, there is an industry that has developed around convincing us that white America is devoted to keeping us down. Fight the urge to buy into that nonsense. Because if we’re not wise to the game that is being played on us it will be our racial identity that prevents us from reaching our fullest potential.
Having grown up in Miami as the son of Cuban immigrants in the 1970s and 80s, I had a front row view of the racial strife that existed in post segregation America. I was a witness to the very real challenges faced by Blacks and Hispanics, but even in the wake of all of the racial and economic turmoil we were always taught that obstacles were meant to be overcome. I vividly remember my teachers, parents and grandparents telling me that I might face some Americans that would dislike me because of my race, but that as a whole Americans would present me with the best opportunity to accomplish my dreams. Now I have a teenaged Hispanic son that watches the news or reads social media and asks me “Pops, why do you think race is still one of the first things people mention when things don’t go right?” My message to him is simple:
Son, our race is not a condition or a disability. If anyone stands in your way because of your race simply work around that person. While far from perfect, America is your one best shot at being who you want to be. And there are a lot more honorable and kind people than there are racists. So don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t succeed because of your race. Success may not come as easy, but it’ll make it that much better. And lastly, be proud of our heritage, but drop the labels. You are not a Cuban American, you are an American of Cuban descent. It is America that is the greatest country on earth, not the country our ancestors left. You are not dishonoring your heritage by acknowledging that fact.
In this day and age it is sad that I have to have such a conversation with my son. We have witnessed the election of our first Black president, appointed minority Secretaries of State, CEOs, our first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice and Attorney General and our kids are wondering if their race will make the American Dream unavailable to them; shame on all of us. The reality is that racial/identity politics has become a cottage industry that has been heavily promoted by the media. For more than a generation we have been fed a constant dose self loathing by those that buy ink by the gallon, and their accomplices on television. Our kids have witnessed messaging that tells them if things don’t go your way there must be someone at fault, other than yourself. And although we have more access to information than at any point in history, we appear to be less intellectually curious or concerned with empirical facts than ever before. We live in an era where a vitriolic blurb gets a person a lot of hits on social media or a bombastic sound bite gets someone frequent appearances on a cable “news” channel. And many of those with the microphone have effectively made the white race the culprit for many of our Nation’s woes.
As unpopular as the following words will be to many readers that have bought into the idea of racial privilege, I find it critically important to speak directly to the average white American.
You should be just as proud of your race as anyone. It was you that helped elect our Nation’s first Black President. Like all of humanity, your history as a race comes with its fair share of embarrassing legacies, but it also comes with incredible accomplishments that have improved the lives of millions of people around the world. I have a lot of admiration and gratitude for the role your ancestors played in the creation of the greatest Nation on earth. In many ways it is true that life as a white person can be, although it not always is, easier than the life we live as minorities. But as a Hispanic I don’t hold that against any one of you. It is what it is and it is my responsibility to make of my life what this country makes possible. Celebrate your heritage and feel free to speak about race. I know it can be a difficult subject because of the double standard that establishes that only us minorities can say whatever we want and get away with it. If you feel attacked say it, regardless of what will inevitably be an onslaught of hate directed your way. Just remember, race baiters in the media have figured out that the easiest way to marginalize someone is to call them a racist or a bigot, regardless of whether the accusation is true or not. Freedom of speech and thought includes you too. And while there are plenty of despicable racists and white supremacists still around, we will not allow them to keep us from building wonderful friendships with you.
I wrote this piece with the full anticipation and understanding that my message will be misconstrued, attacked, dismissed and/or worse. But for those of you that sincerely want to make this Nation the best it can be please take a step back and reflect on the role you play in making things better. Don’t play into the race baiting or fear mongering. Make it a point to spend time with people that are different. Understand that if someone disagrees with you it doesn’t necessarily make them a racist, bigot, homophobe, xenophobe, etc. Don’t judge any group by the least among them, but rather, celebrate the inherent beauty in our diversity of thoughts and ideas. And lastly, do your best to avoid consuming media that is dedicated to emphasizing our differences. Maybe when their bottom line starts hurting they will begin promoting programming that informs and educates instead of programming that appeals to our darkest prejudices.