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I would, however, like to know why my father left me. I would like to fill the hole in my heart.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to know about the other half of me, the half that is dark-skinned and African, the half that drove much conversation in my grandparents’ home and caused some people to react poorly to me in public. There are some questions only my father could answer. The rest I got from Rev. Wright and his congregation.
I moved to Chicago confident and content with the white half of Barack Obama. I was inquisitive about the black. I was introduced to Rev. Wright and his church. In them, I learned what it means to be a minority and unprivileged in America. I discovered the immense joy and satisfaction of helping someone pull themselves up by their boot straps. I found a place that helped me along my journey to become whole.
What I did not find is perfection. As I shared with you on Tuesday, my grandparents’ home wasn’t perfect. I’ve yet to find and doubt that a perfect place exists in this world. Rev. Wright has views on race, America and American politics that I don’t agree with and frankly find offensive. He is not unlike the parents of my white and black friends. I’m a part of the generation that has agreed to disagree with our parents’ view of race.
Our parents are controlled by their segregated views. They have a little bit of bad information and/or bad experience and jump to irrational conclusions based on them. My generation knows each other far more intimately. We have context and perspective. We recognize how far America has come because we’ve enjoyed the benefits of that hard-earned progress.
What I’ve tried to do throughout my life and in this presidential race is grab the hand of my grandmother and grab the hand of Rev. Wright, pull them together, remind them of where America has allowed us to go and where we, the next generation, can take this country.
We’re in a different time, a new era. Our nation will not move forward if we continue to castigate white people for every shortcoming within black America. Or if we continue to thwart every effort by minorities to level the playing field by pretending we erased hundreds of years of discrimination with a generation of freedom.
Now is the time for all of us — white, black, brown and yellow — to grab an oar, commit to the work necessary to row this country to a higher level. That is why I’m running for president. Because it is the only country where my life, a life I love, is even possible.
To reach Jason Whitlock, call 816-234-4869 or send e-mail to jwhitlock@kcstar.com. For previous columns, go to KansasCity.com.
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