"Race"

I know I promised to do emotions next but something more pressing came to light whilst on my travels in Bowling Green. With the resolution of the Ferguson case still in more than recent memory I've seen far to many post on Facebook that have to do with race coming up that it is enough to be annoying. Why though is it annoying? It is very simple actually the more we focus on things like black skinned, or white skinned the more power that we are giving to this preconceived notion of race. What I mean is race is a made up concept to give one type of people power over another. The more we talk about white and black the more it reinforces race in our culture. Let me give some examples that might help clarify what I mean. I saw this particular post on Facebook earlier this week.
"I hear many people say that America doesn't have a race problem, or at least "I'm not racist!"

But, then I start thinking- Am I an ally? What percentage of my FB friends are non-white? The numbers in my phone? When is the last time I had a person of color over for dinner? When was the last time I was invited to a person of color's house for dinner? Would I consider adopting a child of color? A teen? How would I respond to my child dating or marrying someone of color? Do I encourage friendships of color in my children? (I don't discourage it- but do I encourage it?)

I think I can count on one hand the people of color I have had over for dinner this year.

Plenty for me to work on. Plenty."

At first glance this post seems totally legit, What could Cory have an issue with? Before I give you my issue let me first ask, "Why the hell does it matter how many 'colored' friends you have on facebook, or how many you've had over for dinner?" Oh wait it doesn't the fact that this particular person is raising a question on what the color of a persons skin is pointless, it shouldn't matter. Like who cares if you have 'colored' friends on Facebook, just because you don't have a lot doesn't make you racist, but the fact you bring it up is only giving power to the idea of race. IT DOESN'T MATTER!!!!!! Stop trying to treat people of 'color' equally and start treating "ALL PEOPLE EQUALLY" STOP FOCUSING ON SKIN COLOR AND START FOCUSING ON THE FACT THAT THEY ARE PEOPLE. Like I get trying to treat people equally is a totally good thing, but don't treat them equally cause they are black, treat them equally cause they are FUCKING PEOPLE!

Now this whole Ferguson deal the bullshit that really reinforced the way I've been thinking was something a friend posted. Totally with good intentions but still it really annoyed me because they were focusing on the wrong thing.

Who the fuck cares if the guy he shot is 'black' the mother fucker shot a person. he became a millionaire for killing a young man!!! like it is a travesty, but not because he is black but because he is human. I'm all for equality but focusing on a made up concept about what makes us "different" is the wrong way. Let's instead focus on what is the same, like I don't but the fact that WE'RE ALL FUCKING HUMANS sounds like a good place to start.

I hope that this makes sense. I'm not trying to be a dick, but I hope what I'm saying makes sense. Stop using "race" as a rally cry, and start using the fact that we're humans being treated unjustly as a rally cry,