"Where Do Black People Go?"

I now work at a bar, which is a really interesting thing. It has brought me experience that I could not have obtained any other way. Last night, a couple approached me and asked me if I knew Norman well. I replied that I did and then the woman asked me, "Where do black people go?" You know, there are some things you don't hear very often, so you don't know how to respond to it at first; this is one of those questions. Instantly, I became very aware that they were black and I was not. I stood there silent for a moment, and as I processed the question, I grew a little disgusted by it. I stumbled over my words trying to communicate that we don't have segregated bars in Oklahoma. The woman responded, "Oh, so everyone sort of goes to the same places?" I nodded my head and she asked me, "Okay, so where do cool people go?" I made a recommendation and wished them a good night. However, this morning I was thinking about it and it really bothered me.

The thing was they just wanted to go to a cool bar. The bar where I work is definitely a mellow, older environment. That's fine. When I go out, I don't go to Othello's either. Yet somehow, this woman decided to make race the primary source of her inquiry. Why? If she wanted to hang out at a cool bar, why not just ask where the cool bars are? I work hard every day to give her and her boyfriend respect. I chastise my friends because they will occassionally make a racially inappropriate comment. I get into arguments all the time explaining that just because one says that they are not racist does not mean that they do not act racist. What we have in America is a nation full of people who say they are not racist and yet they let racism breed in their hearts with little snide comments and trivial actions. And here I am staring this woman in the face who is doing exactly this thing that I have worked so hard to stop specifically for the benefit of the people of her race! Does she want me to cease my efforts? Does she want me to ignore the walls that society has built up between races? Does she to insist that there is a difference and I should always remember that?

Well, I do not care what she thinks. I know what is right and I will keep doing it.