Racism Is Just Inevitable Fact of Life

* I am a 36-year-old black American woman living in Southern California, and I must admit that I spend very little time thinking about racism. In some ways this is good, and in some ways this is not so good.

Someone once told me that I was lucky because I never seem to let the racism in our country affect how I view the world or how I live my life. But on the other hand, my ability to dismiss this form of ignorance has sometimes kept me from empathizing with those who have experienced the sting of its ugly bite firsthand.

Even the few times when racism did affect me directly, I actually found it fascinating rather than sad, and my feeling was one of astonishment rather than hurt or anger.

I do understand fear of the unknown and of what one is unfamiliar with, but I don’t understand the ability of some to purposely hurt because of one’s own fear and ignorance. But it is also my understanding that the human race, as intelligent and developed as we may appear, is actually quite inept when it comes to relating to one another, particularly when there are differences.

And so I accept racism in our lives, as part of our lives. I believe it is to be expected, and I deal with it only as it presents itself. I do not look for it, but I do not run from it. I merely accept it, deal with it and thank God it is not in me.

TRINA M. FLEMING

Costa Mesa