The Moment in College When You Learned You Knew Nothing
Not so long ago I was a freshman in college. I thought I knew everything about the world and the rules and ways my parents told me it operated. Through my 20’s I have come to learn that I knew close to nothing and the world my parents taught me about had some surprises in store for me. These experiences were some of the most beautiful, sometimes painful, moments of growth in my life and I am better for them. I hope the three men from Ole Miss can one day say the same.
While I don’t know any of these guys I can hedge a guess their personal feelings of racial supremacy are a sentiment born from within their homes. It would be pretty difficult to go for an afternoon of noose throwing and confederate flag draping while belonging to a racially progressive family wouldn’t it? The refusal to speak to the police without a warrant is a move that is both puzzling and foolish. Whether they have watched too much Scandal to feel this could be spun away
or they are so impressively confident in their actions that they believe this is the smart move? Either way they will soon learn that they aren’t winning. They will learn, whether now or later on, that when you place a noose on the embodiment of courage and progress you are actually placing it on yourself. I sincerely hope they reflect on how their beliefs and actions have served them.
This is not a post of condemnation because none of us have a place to judge. We have all made mistakes that have brought pain on ourselves and others but their actions do provide us all with a necessary moment of reflection. Have you ever acted in a racially superior manner towards anyone and, if so, how did your thoughts/actions improve your life? Do you still feel your thoughts/actions serve you?
