On the side wall of my local theater

Is the outline of a doorway

Now bricked closed

But which in its day stood open

To people of color

‘Twas not “exclusive”

At least in the sense of being “Advantageous”

“Better”

But rather existed so other doors

Could hold those distinctions

And be reserved

For people of a different color: white

This former portal exists as a reminder

Of a time when people were routed

Shunted

Excluded

Because of the color of their skin

The specters of this treatment are all around us

Photographs of a popular local swimming club

Which upon close examination show us that only white people were present

Restaurants where signs saying “Whites Only” once hung

Creaky old movie houses with balconies where only people of color were seated

Today these overt signs, symbols, doorways are gone

Yet more than their memory lingers

For today we see their remnants

Roiling just beneath the surface of our society

Where irrational fear, bigotry and hatred still live

Becoming manifest in the latest racist incident:

A woman told to, “Go back to your own country” because her skin is brown

A world-wide virus derided as being “Chinese” as if Asian origins are abhorrent

A black man murdered by police on our nightly television screens

Violence erupting from frustration and anger

The mutual paths we have followed as a Nation

Have brought us to a gateway

A time of National reckoning

Redress

Renewal

And, if by our forthcoming actions, we are worthy,

Redemption

Of a recognition that the color of a person’s skin

Has nothing to do with the content of of their character

Or the size of their heart

Yet it also needs be a time in which we recognize

That skin color does still matter in this country

That there is still unjust, separate treatment given upon its basis

Wherein people of color are subjected to discrimination

Denial

Denigration

Violence

Death

While people of a different - lack of - color are spared such treatment

Protected from it

All on the basis of pigmentation

Which has no relation to the souls we actually are

These goals we must now dedicate ourselves to:

Removing the still very active separations that exist in our society

based upon the color of one’s skin

(As well as any other differentiation from “the norm”

(Be it color, origin, religion, sexual identity

(For all these things, collectively, are the true “norm”)

Insuring that “color” does not serve as the basis

of disparate treatment

Applying our ideals of freedom, opportunity and justice

To all

Recognizing that skin color will not divide us

But unites us

In a rich diversity of cultural heritage

Which we all share and celebrate

In the community of humanity

It is said that when one door closes

Another opens

And as with the old, bricked-in door of my local theater

May we forever close the old door

Of bigotry, racism, hatred, violence, fear

And, with a commitment to equality and justice

May we walk through the new door open before us

Hand-in-hand

Together

By Mike Turner

From: United States

Website: http://www.MikeTurnerSongwriter.com

Twitter: SchoonerSkipper

Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/MikeTurnerSongwriter