Monocolor: color madness in a chaotic world
On rare
occasions I get on my soapbox—usually when the world’s news has exasperated me
to distraction. My muse goes into overdrive and my mind slides into the
computer. I can’t stop it!
I know my voice
is a whisper on the wind, compared to those of the loudmouth know-it-all celebs
and politicos. I’m just a nobody know-it-all.
But, I may as
well share, since I spent so much time writing it … though someone will certainly
misinterpret my words; blow them all out of proportion, and send me into permanent
hibernation. Wait a minute—that isn’t such a bad idea …
You may think
you know what this week’s word means. You might feel I oversimplify a complex
issue. But let me put a different thought on it as we apply it to people …
MONOCHROME: (mänʹɘ krōmʹ) n. – 1) a painting, drawing, design, or photograph in black and
white, or in shades of one color
often with black or white;2) the art or process of making these; adj. – of or having to do with a single color … [the bolding and
italics are mine, hint, hint; WW #97].
Black and White, White vs. Black—but as
people, what are we, really? We’ve
battled our differences since the beginning of time. To what end? Add a little
brown, yellow … throw in some rainbow colors. Has no one thought to create a monochrome
blend?
Black and White are supposed to describe certain
ethnicities. But in this blended world I think we’ve outgrown those terms. They
have become impossible definitions that we continue to chase around the globe.
Again, for what purpose?
Hardly monochrome
A Black person may seem relatively easy to
define. Per Webster (in part): “designating
or of any of the dark-skinned traditional inhabitants of sub-Saharan Africa,
Australia, or Melanesia or their descendants in other parts of the world.”
While Whites—Caucasians—are more of an
enigma now than ever, in the history of racial profiling. The dictionary states
(in part): “a
person with a light-colored skin; Caucasoid.” A tad
on the ambiguous side don’t you think?
I am an admitted Caucasian—as dictated by our
government—“White.
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle
East, or North Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as ‘White’ or
report entries such as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Arab, Moroccan, or
Caucasian.”
We “Caucasians” have quietly accepted and used
our official designation since the late 1700s. After just skimming the surface
of this issue however, I’m objecting.
If you read the light exploration into “Caucasian race” on Wiki, you’ll find arguments abound and the definition across
centuries and sciences is ill-defined. All ethnicities can have
light-colored skin members; doesn’t that make the official definitions of all races
erroneous from the get-go?
Even within the same family—my mother’s heritage is Irish and she had olive skin and black curly hair—I appeared with auburn
hair and great skin that tans easily (thanks mom!). My dad was of
Austrian/German descent. So what does that say about us?
And what of those folks who are lovely shades
of brown, tan, or ivory—through natural evolution or enjoyable romps in the hay?
Methinks we have diluted the melting pot.
Over the course of the past century, African Americans
have eschewed the term Black. Are there anymore “Black” people, or have they
all disappeared into the African American reference?
Even after millennia, we can’t agree on any
true and definitive basis for “race discrimination”—why not celebrate monochrome and the diversities that
brings in common understanding—rather than vilify each other for our
differences?
Honestly, any nuances in any race are
important only to those in that designation. The rest of us are busy with our
own discrepancies.
If we were monochrome … perhaps there wouldn’t be such a perceived need
for segregation. We have worked hard at segregating our communities, from ethnic Chambers of Commerce to ethnic churches and schools. Yet, we tell our
children not to be racist. Right.
Another concept to consider, is terminating
governments payments for restitution of centuries-old racial discrimination and
cruelty. We cannot undo or make right the wrongs of our ancestors. No amount of
monetary restitution will fix it. Nor is it right to expect descendants to pay
for the sins and/or stupidity of those who went before. The only ones who
deserve it in the U.S., are the Native Americans.
While none of it needs to be forgotten, it
DOES need to be forgiven. Because it’s happened to ALL of us.
When we choose to destroy and slaughter,
regardless of the excuse,* the color of your skin which may come with any of a
number of religions, is no excuse.
Not just African Americans, Chinese, and other
cultures have felt the pain of discrimination. Caucasians too—of varying
descents—have also experienced mass slavery,
bullying, and genocide.
Which brings me to HISTORY. When someone yells
fowl about the political correctness of certain archaic words in literature or textbooks
or performances, we jokingly reference Orwell’s 1984.
IT IS NO JOKE. We are in danger of attempting
to erase or revise historical contexts …once more, to what end? WE will know it
happened. And when we’re gone, is it right that our children and their children
do not? Don’t they have a right to
know the truth of their heritage?
More to the point, it is our duty to create a new understanding for our descendants.
Be proud of your heritage. Celebrate it and learn its intricacies. Improve upon
it with love, peace, and compassion.
Bottom line, folks, we are ALL human. For the most part, we’ve been
watered down to a scintillating monochrome of our former
ethnicities. Embrace it!
Let’s be MONOCOLOR (mänʹɘ kulʹɘr) n.
– 1) blended of all colors to form one spectrum; 2) one bond of humanity
without racial discrimination.
[New word created this day, just for you.
While it appears in Wiktionary
as a solo word without real definition and is used often in writings, it does
not appear in Webster’s humongous
tome. So there you have it. LR]
Personally, I don’t care what color you are,
what religion you practice (or not), whether you’re tall, short, fat or svelte.
Are you basically a good human being?
Then you’re all right in my book.
Under the sky, under the heavens, there is but one family. It just so
happens that people are different. ~ Bruce Lee, 1971.
*A rare tip-off to the next Wordplay Wednesday: February 8th
we’ll explore the differences between excuses
and reasons.
Word Challenge: Take your choice—MONOCOLOR OR MONOCHROME. Blend, merge,
and improve your writing as you fit one of these anything-but-colorless words
into your week of thoughtful writings.
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