Racism- Alive and Kicking?

I am a white woman. However, when I look at people, I simply see people. My photographer's eye may be trained to seek out someone's specifically unique qualities that make them an individual, or certain colors that would be excellent against their skin tone, but it never occurs to me to particularly note what that skin tone is or could mean. Perhaps it goes back to being raised with the concept of acceptance for all people, regardless of sexual preference or heritage; the very thought of discrimination or racism makes me queasy.

Saturday night, a group of friends and I went to a local bar for an evening of revelry and to celebrate a birthday. I have a fun-loving uncle who is also friends with one of the girls, and he decided to join us. This uncle happens to be a black man. The bar we were attending has a dress code, and that is a concept I fully support, as it may help provide the desired atmosphere for a night out on the town, but in this case, it seemed to be only selectively enforced. When my uncle arrived later in the evening, he was denied entry. It was said that his jeans were "too dirty" and was therefore not acceptable in accordance with the dress code. Upon hearing the news that he was not going to be allowed to join our party, I rushed out to see what the problem was, and proceeded to see multiple men walk in the door wearing jeans with holes in them. Their jeans appeared to have been bought with a distressed look, as opposed to have been genuinely worked in, but in my opinion, the appearance is at the same level. After a quick conversation with the bouncer, I learned that nothing was going to change his mind, and my uncle left to find somewhere he'd be more welcome. The entire exchange sickens and disheartens me. I was under the impression that in this incredible country we live in, segregation was fully removed with the civil rights movement in the '60s with the repeal of the "separate but equal" laws.

Beginning in 1896, the Supreme Court passed laws (known as the Jim Crow, or separate but equal laws) requiring segregation in southern states. In theory, the plan was for everyone to receive the same public services at schools, hospitals, stores, transportation etc., though in practice, facilities reserved for African Americans were nearly always lower quality than those reserved for whites. Upon research, I learned this was partially tied to arguments stating that there were "scientific" reasons that sanctioned racial superiority. In all actuality, the decision was likely a result that these racist beliefs were held by most whites during this time, and all voters were white. The Jim Crow laws were enacted and enforced from 1876 until 1965. The process to legally rid the United States of segregation lasted from the '50s through to the '70s, though the final decision of Brown v. Board of Education rejected the ideas of the need for segregation entirely in 1954. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended all state and local laws requiring segregation. Laws didn't seem to have influenced the United States Department of Agriculture from 1981 through 1997, however, as loans were denied to tens of thousands of African American famers that were otherwise provided to white farmers under similar circumstances. This discrimination was the subject of a lawsuit that resulted in multiple settlements and billions of dollars in an attempt to right the wrongs of those affected.

Thirty years after the civil rights era, in 2008, we elected our first black president. It would seem that the country's overall racism should be over, with a black elected official holding the highest possible office in the United States, and yet, it is just alive today as it ever was. The segregation may be declining, overall, even with society maintaining residential areas primarily divided into "blacks" and "whites" of vastly different qualities in most major cities, (including St. Louis) but to have a man denied access to a popular location simply because of the color of his skin is appalling. I went back inside at the time, and until that point, I had not yet paid any attention to other people's skin color. There was no-one else of an African descent. Had others been turned away, as well?  I don't intend to return to this place to find out if it is a recurring incident, or if there is simply a piece of the dress code that I did not and do not understand. It is nearly halfway through the year 2011, and on Saturday, I felt as if I'd been transported back thirty years and that there could be a sign posted somewhere nearby that would say either "White Folk Only" or "No Colored."  

Racism is defined as the belief that one race of people are superior to another because of the race they are born into. Segregation is defined as the enforced separation of different racial groups in a country, community, or establishment. It's not my place or intention to judge these individuals, but I do pity them. It must be a terrible burden to live your life carrying so much hatred in your mind and heart. Albert Einstein once called racism America's "worst disease." I'm inclined to agree with him, and merely urge you to learn to accept a person based on their personality, not the color of their skin. Unfortunately, I have been unable to locate the source of this quote, but I find it particularly meaningful. "The virus of racism may exist in the hearts and minds of millions around the world but when racism is acted upon, especially by a group of people, things don't just become dangerous, they become deadly."

While I fully welcome comments on this subject, I am going to request that you do so nicely.  I am purposely not listing the name or location of the bar this where this incident occurred out of respect for the owners. I am more than aware that this subject is incredibly touchy, and that is why I have written this piece, as I truly was shocked and appalled by the slap in the face of not being able to enjoy what should have been a celebration with my entire family. Have any of you come across any similar problems recently?