For anyone who knows me or my family, it shouldn’t come as a shock to hear that I hate racists. To be honest though, one’s heritage shouldn’t make a difference in whether or not you tolerate racism.
One of the most striking differences between Philadelphia and Lancaster is the more overt racism, especially in southern Lancaster. I’ve heard residents use “colored” to describe black people, heard others let the n-word slip, and seen more confederate flags than I care to count along with a few swastika/iron cross flags.
Racism and hateful stereotypes in general are learned, conscious behaviors. Not only is racism learned, but perpetuating it requires conscious choices. This can be both through deliberate maliciousness or through sheer ignorance; neither of which is excusable or justifiable.
Of course, I made a playlist to capture my feelings about racism. It begins with MLK Jr’s final “Mountaintop” speech, and progresses from celebrating the triumphs of civil rights to rage against those who perpetuate racism. Yes the language in a few of these is rather “salty”, but if that concerns you more than their message then you might have other issues.