WILL BROWN, WHITE AND BLACK EVER BE FULLY ECONOMICALLY EQUAL?

Chicano, Anglo and African-American cultures will never be fully integrated, they never have and they never will.  Schools have taken steps over the years to integrate and the attempt to have the cultures learn together and perhaps even more equally so must be applauded.  School integration has most assuredly had an impact on race relations and perhaps even on the equality of the quality of education, although schools now, especially in Texas under Gov. Perry’s control, are back trying to make sure that the working-class simply continue to breed more workers and he ensures that by making some of Texas’ so-called schools, trade-schools and steering certain students, usually brown and dark brown students, that way.

Even with the scholastic attempts at integration, residential areas have remained largely segregated and will continue to be that way, of course with some exceptions based on one’s economic ability to live wherever they choose.  Even those who could afford to live in any neighborhood they wished, often choose to live in neighborhoods with a majority of their own kind, even if that neighborhood is not the newest and priciest.  Many who have done otherwise have, even if not blatantly, felt the “look” from neighbors of the majority homogeneity that said, “you’re not welcome here”, usually followed by citations from the homeowner’s association for ridiculous “infractions” like the trash can being on the street too long or the car’s front tire being partially on the sidewalk.  This is not to say that the different cultures are not getting along, under the circumstances and usually in public, everything appears to be kosher and very nice.  It’s privately and when certain things are at stake, that things can get ugly.

The birth certificate of the Nation’s first black President was questioned, his faith was questioned, his loyalty was questioned and even now, any ill, real or invented, that the Country experiences, is blamed on him and usually in a very personal way.  If one of the cultures is the main merchant group, meaning that they are in control of goods, services, loans and credit, and the other cultures are simply their customers and consumers, how can things ever be equal?  If you argue that Chicanos or Blacks should only buy groceries, tires, clothes, gasoline, computers, games, shampoo or whatever, from other Chicanos or Blacks only, you WILL be labeled communist, socialist, anti-American and a host of other things and your message will be targeted for elimination by discrediting the idea’s parent.  However, only if Chicanos and Blacks do this very thing, will they ever bring up the masses of their own culture, become the creators of trends, ideas and policies and transform all neighborhoods into sought-after real estate.  If you don’t find a Chicano or Black selling the product or service you need, become that vendor.