On Race in America

I certainly did not think at the start of this Pandemic I would be writing a blog post on Race. But as I talked with a friend tonight, I shared a few thoughts and she encouraged me to write. So here goes.

Most of us are descendants of outsiders. Immigrant ancestors who came seeking a better life. Some of us have branches on our tree that aren't quite that simple. To be clear, I want to acknowledge off the bat that I am extremely aware of the difference between slavery and immigration. My point is not to diminish slavery but to give people a reference to start from on why we need to be better, especially if slavery is not something in our family tree.

My namesake ancestor came to America at the break of the American Revolution from Scotland. He didn't just hop a boat and settle in to make roots here. He sold himself or was sold as an indentured servant, typically for a term of 7 or 14 years, to someone already on these shores, to work off his passage. Indentured servants were temporary slaves. In my ancestor's case, war broke out and he asked to fight, was allowed to, then was forgiven his indenture at war's end, after serving his new Country. This was not a guarantee and did not happen to all who were indentured in this period. He was a Scot, not an Englishman. He was potentially seen as a lower class citizen, both for that fact and the fact that he had been indentured. In a time where the nation was divided by Loyalist and Patriot as well as by national origin, what is amazing is he married a German woman and they moved and started a family and were founders of a new town in the wilds of "the west" of that time. Many German troops served as mercenaries for the British, although there were several German and Dutch settlers in America during the period who also fought for the American cause. It seems clear from the records that after he resettled, he became a pillar of the community which I hope meant that he left racism behind. But I can't be sure. It is through him I am a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

My Italian ancestors are newer to these shores. Italians were often the subjects of racial slurs and seen as second class citizens for many years in this country, as were many southern European immigrants. I can only imagine how their life was and what it was like to be poor and Italian in those early days. Much like a variety of minority immigrants today, racism existed and they likely felt its sting. They pushed their children to Americanize, so much so, that as a child growing up, I had no idea that my grandfather and great-grandparents spoke Italian. We were American. I am sad that racism and the push for assimilation caused much of their personal history and a lot of the connection to Italy to be lost. It is why I tried so hard to reclaim their citizenship when I realized I could.

I share these stores as a link to understanding. Racism has existed for hundreds of years in our Country. America is not the only country suffering this strain, either. But with the knowledge that my family has suffered racism in its past, it creates an understanding or a semblance of it for those who are feeling it now. I am not black or a minority. But that doesn't mean I can't be cognizant of what racism looks like, sounds like and acts like and do my best to quell it. I want to do right by all the people I meet, no matter their race, color or creed. Knowing the past of my family makes me more aware of how to treat those around me.

We need some drastic changes in our country. We need to be better to each other. We need to be less selfish. We need to listen before we pass judgement. We need to gather facts before we share information. We need to retrain some of our first responders to protect and serve before using lethal force. We need a justice system that is working for all people without bias or party influence but by the letter of law. We need leaders who lead by example. We need to be honest, with ourselves and each other. We are better than this. America is better than this. I pray and hope we head in a better direction on each of these actions. We are the example. We don't know who is watching.

The more of us that do these things, the more we will see positive change. Let's move towards a brighter tomorrow. Are you on board?