The cost of being brown

   No matter what small strides people of color make, there are white supremacists and a whole oppressive culture just itching to beat them down. As soon as the Black Lives Matter movement began, some folks felt a need to insist All Lives Matter. They just don't get it: if they did, they would realize that raising persons of color up, does not put light-skinned persons, down. I suppose I should thank these poor dimwits: if they weren't so dense (bless their hearts), I wouldn't have to explain the obvious. Then what would I write about?
   "Affirmative Action" programs, which attempt to redress old grievances, are often met with vehement outrage; at very least, bafflement. Negative reactions result from willful or cultural ignorance and/or a sense of privilege. That's why I so wish the circumstances portrayed in Trading Places, in which a wealthy person and a less-privileged individual spend time living each other's lives, were a real and frequent thing. It has been shown that having darker skin, a non-native accent, an "ethnic-sounding" name resulted in: discrimination, maybe even physical violence; where one was allowed to live; a vast difference in education or employment opportunities. Perhaps a couple years, during which light-skinned people were subjected to the same atrocities that regularly befall persons of color would open the hearts and minds of oppressors. Seven U.S. presidents, from 1890-1952 asked Congress to pass an anti-lynching federal law and not one bill was approved by the Senate, because there was such great opposition by the Southern Democratic voting bloc. Yes, the Democratic party has unsavory baggage; which they are still unpacking.
   Astonishing as it is, there are apparently still people who actually believe that persons of color are somehow inferior to whites. They *know* white privilege is a real thing, believe it is their due, and are scared to death of losing it; they quake in horror at the notion of white people in United States being outnumbered. That is only about a generation away; it is predicted whites will be in the minority, by 2045. Reminds me of a meme with the late Gene Wilder, asking why anyone would be fearful of white people becoming a minority; it's not as if minorities were treated badly (is it?). But I digress.
   Persons of color are more likely than their white counterparts to be punished severely, or even prosecuted, for minor infractions of rules and laws. Studies have shown that Black girls are consistently judged to be older than their years, and therefor get held to a stricter standard than their white age peers. I have cringed and cried at reports of minority children, some with learning disabilities, being handcuffed and treated like hardened criminals for defying and sassing persons in authority - or for even lesser infractions.The list of people whose lives have been brutally extinguished for "living while Black" just keeps getting longer and longer. On 25 May, 2020, the name grew to include George Floyd who was murdered by police office Derek Chauvin, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The wanton disregard for life was recorded and though Chauvin was the one kneeling on Mr. Floyd's neck - for nearly ten minutes(!), none of the three officers with him, made a move to remove him. All four were fired and Chauvin, at least, was finally charged with third degree murder. [This update made 1 June, 2020 jbd] Perhaps the spotlight will burn a little brighter, as these events unfold during a pandemic and an election year [in United States].
   I know previous administrations don't have exemplary track records on the issue of immigration. Children are now living under deplorable conditions in concentration camps; actually, they are struggling to survive - sometimes they don't make it. There are armies of people, marching under "Right to Life" banners [figuratively and literally], wanting to protect fetal tissue. Where are their outcries in response to the deaths and endangerment of living, breathing, children?
   I'll tell ya something: if I had my way, there would be no new military spending [to purchase armaments] until all children detained in these concentration camps were processed and provided for. The bracketed clause was inserted for nitpickers who would hasten to point out that border security/defense functions come under the umbrella of military spending. But dammit to hell, we don't need more ways to blow people up; we most certainly do need to provide a safe place to house these children - and accompanying adults, and provide adequate food, hygiene, medical supplies, etc.
Anytime we forget another's humanity, we diminish our own.

The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native born...Love him as you love yourself, for you were once aliens in Egypt ~Leviticus 19:34
(In place of "Egypt," I suppose one could insert the border state of choice...