History absolutely informs all of our beliefs and experience. I wish there could be a nation-wide conversation about the concept of Generational Trauma Many people think, “Oh, that was a long time ago. That didn’t happen to You”. Actually, it did.
I was struck by the multitude of ways and the multitude of people to whom racism has been expressed throughout our country’s history:
- Native Americans - genocide;
- African Americans - slavery, Jim Crow laws, attack on civil rights leaders
- Chinese - Exclusion Act
- Japanese - Internment Camps
- Jewish, Syrian and Central American refugee - denial for entry
- Gasoline Baths earlier, current exploitation of farm workers, separation of families
- Islamic phobia and misinformation
It seems we are “no respecter of persons” — other than white Europeans.