With all of my heart and soul, I believe it is wrong to judge a person by anything more than the content of their character.  But sometimes I know that in the very back of my mind, just a bit of racism lurks. Let me share just a few examples of what I mean:

Sometimes when watching the news and something really bad happens, I think please don’t let a black person have done that.  How paranoid is it for me to think that the actions of one person might actually add to the disdain some have for a race?  (Perhaps a little racism creeping in)

In this last election, I couldn’t somehow help but think that being white gave Mitt Romney an edge that President Obama did not have—could never have.  I thought if Mitt Romney had been black and telling those lies we would have run him out of Washington.  I guess we did.  That said, I do believe that if Romney had not been white then the race would not have been close—it would have been an even bigger loss.  (Perhaps a little racism creeping in)

It really bothers me if I go into a business establishment and still see portraits of George Bush (none of President Obama) and/or the Confederate flag.  (Perhaps racism creeping in)

It really bothers me when I watch an entire Hallmark movie and don’t see one African American. It really bothers me that the black guy is once again becoming the first person to die on the Sci Fi Channel.  (Perhaps a little racism creeping in)

I’m a yard sale fanatic.  I am really shocked by how many people took their little black-faced jockey out of the front yard and placed him in the back yard. I am still shocked by how many people still collect the little black-face figurines and I’m shocked that I never see them at the yard sales of black people—maybe we keep ours.  (Just  a little racism creeping in)  I am encouraged that no one ever seems to even look at them at yard sales, though.

I get really beside myself when I go into an establishment and the salesperson is more attentive to a white customer than to me although I came into the store first. It is also inconvenient because I can never go into that business again. (Perhaps a little racism creeping in)

It really bothers me when I get stopped by a cop who admits they didn’t clock me speeding but gives me a ticket for not having my license —something that no one I know has ever heard of (white or black).  Furthermore, I have my vet tag and they called in to make sure my license and insurance are in order. (Just a little racism creeping in)

Last week I went to a city in Florida and visited a relative in a hospital.  I was so elated by the number of young black men I encountered working in the hospital in various medical professions.  I thought now why isn’t it like this in my neck of the woods where we have a larger hospital and a higher population of African Americans? (Perhaps a little racism creeping in)

It really bothers me when I go into a convenience store and the cashier places my change on the counter, when they counted out in the hand of the white customer before me…another store I cannot patronize.  (Perhaps a little racism creeping in)

Well, you get my gist.  The thing is, due to my age, I understand that we have come far from where we were.  But don’t get it twisted, more than a little racism still creeps in.  We still have a ways to go.