Living Black in America By Keith L. Anderson, Ph.D. Except for spend a few weeks in Copenhagen, Denmark, I have never lived anywhere but America. I was born in America. My mother and father were born in America. Their mothers and fathers were born in America. I’m a damn American! But America says, because my skin is black and not white, I’m not entitled to live free of discrimination and violence in the only country I know. I often wonder what America would be like if Americans would put all its effort into making sure everyone, regardless of skin color, has equal opportunity, equal access and equal government protection. What would happen if Americans put as much effort into equality, as we put into hatred? What if America believed all people are equal, because they are human? How advanced, Christian, or compassionate is a country that has to write laws, in order to treat its citizens equally? Jane Elliott proved on April 5, 1968, the day after Dr. King was assassinated, with her blue eyes / brown eyes experiment, that even if we all had the same color skin, Americans would find another reason to cause division in this country (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/04/us/jane-elliott-anti-racism-blue-eyes-brown-eyes.html). Growing up, my Mama taught me to care about ALL people. Sometimes I wish she hadn’t. It’s heartbreaking to realize there is a significant number of people who don’t care about people of color. Mama, I’m so tired of having to watch what I say to a group of people who say and believe the stupidest shit, ever uttered by human-beings. Mama, I’m tired of having to shrink in stature, knowledge and experience, just so the so-called superior people, don’t feel uncomfortable around me. I didn’t come to America looking for a better life. I was born here. I’m an American! Because I’m an American, I should have equal access to all of America’s opportunities. That’s called being a citizen, and it shouldn’t matter if I’m a born citizen or an immigrant who becomes a citizen. Equality should allow me to make a better life for myself! I am tired of being on America’s endangered species list. I want to live, to love, raise my children, grow old and spoil my grandkids. I want to contribute to America’s potential greatness! STOP making Black people and people of color out to be people who are seen as bad for OUR country! As an educated Black American it offends me to understand how America has put more energy into demonizing Colin Kaepernick, than it has put into addressing the real reasons he kneeled. America’s response to Black Lives Matter, has been a resounding, Black lives do not matter! While it is easy to point out national politicians and leaders who show a lack of racial and social justice, let’s not forget those politicians who do nothing and saying nothing about America’s racial and social injustices. Doing nothing makes these people accomplices to the racial and social injustice going on in this country. We see them. We should remember them. These are Americans stuck in the “blind self” of the Johari Window. And because of the “blind self” they would rather see this country burn, rather than do what we were taught in kindergarten, “share equally”. As for me, I’m going to hold on to the wisdom my Mama taught me, for as long as I can. I will love all, teach the teachable and pray for wisdom, strength, discernment and the ability to forgive. Learning to do so, is one of the most important steps to surviving, living Black in America.