OPINION: The race for the president is over, but the race against racism is not
This graphic displays the number of hate groups, by state, on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s 2013 list, normalized to U.S. Census estimates for 2013. Graphic source: Derntno, via Wikimedia Commons
MORGANTOWN, Pa. —
Editor’s Note: This writer originally requested to remain anonymous due to safety concerns and subsequently requested that the byline and dateline be adjusted to reflect his name and hometown.
The election was one to remember. This election will be in the history books, and I’m proud to be living through it all. The majority of the country cheered as Joe Biden jumped past 270 votes; but I was home, peering through my window making sure everything was still normal.
I live in a suburban neighborhood where the majority of people who make up the population are Amish and white people.
My dad and mom have expressed how much they need to know where I am. I never thought of it as strict or controlling; it’s necessary and reassuring that my parents care about my safety.
The scariest part about where I reside is that there is an active Ku Klux Klan and white supremacist group nearby. Pennsylvania is home to a lot of hate groups, 36 to be exact(as reported in a 2018 study from the Southern Poverty Law Center), and that can be quite eye-opening to hear about when regarding a state that seems so nice on the outside.
When Biden won the election as president-elect, I was texted by my dad to stay indoors. He told me this because there was a message that described how these white supremacists would be hunting the streets for vulnerable and lonesome black kids if President Donald Trump did not win. I was scared but stayed calm especially for my little brother since we were home alone.
This is not a normal thing that everyone has to go through. This shouldn’t be something that anyone has to go through. As one of the only black families in my big neighborhood, we were one of the only Biden supporters. My neighborhood is still littered with Trump and MAGA flags and signs.
I am not bashing President Trump, but I am attesting how in my neighborhood my neighbors have shown faces and body language that makes me feel less than. It’s not a good feeling to have when you are only trying to live your life like a normal teen.
Being black in rural and suburban Pennsylvania puts a target on your back, no matter if you are half white.
I was scared for my safety that day and always have to keep my head on a swivel when traveling in my town late at night. It is a constant reminder that our country needs more change.
This presidential election was one for the ages, and I truly feel that there will be change. As Joe Biden said at his speech after the victory, “I’ve lost a couple of times myself, but now let’s give each other a chance. It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again. And to make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as our enemies.”
I completely agree with Biden, we need to give respect to one another in order to receive it. Although the election race is over, I feel that the race for equality and justice is not.
Pastor James A Sutton • Nov 17, 2020 at 9:48 pm
I just turned 51 last week and often times those in my age bracket don’t understand the youth of today, and usually it’s because they aren’t listening. This article gives people of all ages and colors the ability to walk in their shoes; even for a brief moment, of what teenagers have to face. This particular teenager, who happens to have parents that are both black and white, is the new face of the country. There are more biracial kids in America than ever before, and all though that’s is new, the struggle they face because the hue of their skin is not. Should anyone, let alone school age young adults have to fear for there safety simply because someone else has been elected to the office of President. I mean really how sad is that. I applaud the writer for pulling back the curtain to see the mess some adults have left. I don’t know about you, but I think we can do better. One day the writer may lead us to a brighter future by bridging the divide. From the scholarly report I believe they have the insight needed to lead our country to live up to its creed of liberty and justice for all. Well done, well done indeed.