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H O
W A R D U N I
V E R S I T Y
Faces
& Voices IV
AN ANTHOLOGY OF VERSE AND
PROSE
Barriers
Jason Johnson
Was it wrong when the head of the taxi commission in DC created a racial profile for taxi drivers to use to determine whom they should not service? Absolutely. Any black American who would have the audacity to make it more difficult for blacks to function in society is a traitor to his race.
Blacks have been struggling to be treated equally by society for hundreds of years, and that struggle still has not ended. Even before the first of us set foot upon North American soil, we were a despised people by the majority of white Americans. For the color of our skin, the texture of our hair, the timbre of our voices, our rich culture overflowing with soul, and anything that makes us unique, we have been judged. It petrifies me to think that maybe one day, I will not receive a job solely on the basis of the color of my skin, despite my long arduous years of preparation, my above-average grades, and myriad accolades during my matriculation at Howard University. I am constantly reminded of the time when my father, a very successful medical doctor, had his employment terminated by the members of an entirely caucasian review board, whose goals were apparently to “whiten up” this medical institution. It saddens me even greater to witness the efforts of individuals of African descent who have been plagued with the same ignorant mindset programmed for the advancement of white people, and the exclusion of blacks. When blacks such as Clarence Thomas use their high powered positions to denounce policies such as affirmative action, which has been a stepping stone for those with unequal opportunities in society, it just gives credit to Willie Lynch, who wrote that the best way to control blacks is to turn them against each other.
To create a barrier in the pathway of an optimal quality of life for blacks, is to scorn the memory of the thousands of blacks who have died in efforts to improve the quality of life for people of African descent. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, both dedicated their lives to ensure that every American would receive an equal chance of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness- their piece of the American pie.
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