Reflections on My Multiracial Trip to the Post Office
Multiracial Event: What Happened?
I had important papers to mail, so I wanted to be there right as the post office opened. Therefore, I went early.
A lone clerk opened up the displays, unlocked the windows, and got ready to conduct business for the day. A line of customers accumulated. There were fourteen customers, to be exact.
An African American woman in front of me in line she asked to borrow my pen. As she addressed her priority envelope, like I had just done with mine, we chatted.
An oriental woman came up behind me, greeted me, and we exchanged a moment of morning chat and smiled. People in line smiled and chatted with one another as we all waited.
An older, oriental gentleman entered the post office struggling with a large, clearly heavy box. A large African American man jumped out of line to help the small oriental guy with his box. They put the box up front, right next to the clerk’s window, then went to their respective places in line.
Everyone continued chatting, smiling. It was a jovial wait.
Someone down the line mentioned race in their conversation. I have no idea what they were talking about, but suddenly I became aware of race. I looked around. It truly was a multiracial line. Yet, I was the only white person! The ONLY one.
Multiracial Line: My Community
Did I care that I was the only white person? No. Did it matter? No. I felt just as comfortable waiting in this line as I felt in lines here 20 years ago. Twenty years ago the lines were mostly white people.
But the demographics of our county have changed over the past 20-25 years. And you know what? The people are still friendly, smiling, lovely people in my community.
I looked around and saw oriental, African American, Hispanic people, and myself. ALL of us were interacting without any issue regarding our different races.
Then I thought:
I wish people wouldn’t LET the media convince them that we are horribly divided in our multiracial country. I think the MAJORITY of us are in NO WAY bigoted racists.
Sure, we have some bigots who hate based on race, but I honestly think they are FAR fewer and further between than the media portrays.
Multiracial Society: Our Reputation
I hear that Georgia has a reputation for being a ‘racist’ state among other states, but in MANY places it is NOT. There are remote, small, all white Georgia towns where racism probably is prevalent. However, I just don’t see it much at all in our diverse, multiracial area. The Greater Atlanta Metro area is multiracial. Bigotry doesn’t seem prevalent to me.. at least, not to any significant degree, but then again.. I’m white, so maybe I’m oblivious? I don’t see it among my friends either though.
Multiracial Society: What kinds of solutions are there?
How can we all let our voices of love and unity rise above the droning din of the press?
What can we do to show the world we’re the UNITED States of America, regardless of race?
How can we drown out the voices of those who want to divide us, and convince the world that we’re NOT a bunch of angry, racially-biased, unloving people?
Sadly, I think we’re letting our national news outlets focus so much on the racial divides, they’re ruining our reputation!
The MAJORITY of people in our nation are perfectly loving, reasonable, and kind people, and we need to shout out our unity and love for one another!
How do we overcome a reputation of multiracial division?
- LOVE YOUR NEIGHBORS — ALL of them! Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” ~ Matthew 22:37-40
- DO NOT CHIME IN on the BLAME Game — whether it is blaming whites, Republicans, Democrats, angry protesters, alt-anything, etc.. we DON’T need anyone else to promote division. Division RHETORIC is rampant. “Do all things without murmurings and disputes, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world, holding up the word of life; that I may have something to boast in the day of Christ, that I didn’t run in vain nor labor in vain.” ~ Philippians 2:14-16
- Let your voice be used for sharing IDEAS and SOLUTIONS — propose ways to solve problems. If you see a need for change somewhere, consider how you can be a voice for positive change, then focus on SOLUTIONS, rather than just pointing out everything you see wrong. We NEED forces for GOOD and proponents for change where divides truly do exist. “Seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.” ~ Matthew 6:33
- SHARE THE GOOD; DON’T SPREAD DIVISION! Share uplifting, encouraging stories.. (like this post about unity.) We could ALL use some GOOD NEWS these days!! The Good News of the Gospel, for one, could uplift MANY hearts if people took time to truly seek to understand exactly what Jesus taught.. If we all treated each other like Jesus treated those around Him, we’d surely have a more loving and kind society!
More than JUST a Multiracial Problem
I think were as divided, if not more divided over politics and policy these days. So, here again, the same advice would apply. And need I say it again?
Don’t Share angry, ranting, blaming posts. It doesn’t ACCOMPLISH anything.
If you are about to share an angry or blaming news article.. STOP! DROP the Link! And ROLL ON BY the negativity!
It truly makes me sad to see people I know trashing whole other sectors of people by sharing the news media’s biased, blaming rhetoric. It hurts my heart, and disappoints me greatly, my friends, to see those I know and love participating in growing our national division, raising anger and hatred levels, and thinking they’re doing ANY good at all! 🙁
POST AS IF Your friends were in the room and you were making a speech! Could you look your opposing friends in the eye and still say whatever the post says? Are you posting with LOVE in your heart, or anger and hatred for “them”?
If you’re a Christian, Would you say what you are about to post if Jesus was standing right in front of you?
What say ye?
Proclaim EXCELLENCE, NOT Anger!
You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: who in time past were no people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
~ 1 Peter 2:9-10
I LOVE YOU my fellow countrymen, no matter your race. I truly pray I’ll see as much UNITY on Facebook as I saw in the Post Office this morning!!
Excellent. Really good reflection and solutions. You are a very good writer.
Charlotte
THANK YOU, Charlotte!