Today’s post is brought to you by the word hegemony.
“The endorsement of these ideologies has inhibited us from having necessary, honest and inconvenient conversations about our experiences and collective identity. The unfortunate reality is that these democratic ideologies belong irreducibly to a time where freedom still has the power to choose its proprietors.”
– Lelo Macheke, South African journalism student
NPR reported today that the number of Americans who identify themselves as Christian has decreased, while the number of those who identify themselves as agnostic or atheist has increased over the past few years. If the percentage of American Christians has truly decreased from 78% to 70%, is that a victory for Civil Rights?
Where does this growing minority stand on the repeal of the 1964 Voting Rights Act, police reform, or college admission procedures? Lelo Macheke’s article from South Africa explores the mindset of a growing number of US citizens who enjoy the benefits of white hegemony, while coming to terms with the need for change.
Personally, I never felt at home at college, and the few college friends I’ve stayed in touch with over the years is a testament to the racism I experienced. However, optimism with regard to my teenage daughter’s generation, and the generation of young people protesting across our great apartheid-ridden nation, gives me hope for our future.
R
Race Against Race! 