I’m from Compton. I lived there with my parents until age 8. Spare me, please, the “you don’t look it” jokes. I find them not so much racist as trite—and far below the standard I expect from Californians.
My godparents were African American, though my parents used the term “black” in the 1960s. As a child, I was actually shocked when my father pointed out my godfamily’s race to me.
For the record, I’m not a huge fan of the term African American.
I use the term because courtesy requires me to use it and because I’ve heard some respectable arguments in favor of its use.
Still, I have two objections to the term: One, the term confuses skin color with place of origin. My mother’s best friend, my “aunt” Mari Sommerville, was from India. Her father was European. Her skin was quite dark. Mari Aunti would have been described as African American by a politically correct person who did not know her. I deal with descriptions quite a bit while working on the Crime Log and prefer precision to confusion.
Two, the current consensus of scientific opinion about humans evolution says that the first homo sapiens spread out from Africa—which would make all of us African Americans.
I mention these facts as background to the subjects of race and racism that have recently arisen since Long Beach Transit officials decided to discontinue bus service to Seal Beach, apparently in response to what they regard as the racism reportedly expressed by individuals who attended a community meeting.
There are actually two issues that this controversy raises.
Is Seal Beach racist?
I’ve read racist comments on the Internet. I am not convinced everyone posting on the Internet is a racist. I once met a member of the Nazi party at Long Beach City College. I don’t believe every student at LBCC was a Nazi.
Some Long Beach Transit staffers were convinced, based on comments made at a May meeting no one apparently had the sense to record, that all of Seal Beach is racist.
I don’t know how many people were at that meeting, but I’m betting there were far fewer than the 24,000-plus people who actually live in this town.
Now if you tell me that there are racist individuals in Seal Beach, I’ll believe you. I’ve encountered evidence of their passage while working on the Crime Log these last seven years, including: A citizen reported seeing a black man who was unfamiliar to the neighborhood in a car in a supermarket parking lot. Police found—a uniformed security guard in his marked patrol vehicle.
A citizen reported a Hispanic-looking man shining a flashlight into parked cars. Police found—a uniformed security guard on patrol. A citizen reported a Hispanic gang in a park. Police found—a family having a picnic. A citizen reported seeing Hispanic-looking men smoking cigarettes and “flashing gang signals” in a parking lot. Police found—a work crew on a break.
A citizen reported seeing two Hispanic men who “didn’t belong” in the caller’s neighborhood. Police found—the caller’s neighbors.
When an Asian restaurant opened on Main Street, an individual who chose to remain anonymous sent the Sun a letter warning us that “they” would take over the community. The letter went straight to the wastebasket.
I once encountered a Klansman on Main Street, Seal Beach. (Surprised me, too.) I don’t expect to witness a cross burning any time soon. For that matter, I don’t know if he was a resident or a tourist.
Yes, there are racists in Seal Beach. But to say all of Seal Beach is racist is to say something that is not supported by any evidence I am aware of.
Should Long Beach Transit cancel bus service?
Will discontinuing bus service between Long Beach and Seal Beach benefit anyone but the racists?
Nope. Cancelling the two bus routes will cost Seal Beach and Long Beach a few customers. Cancelling the two bus routes will cost some individuals in both cities their jobs. That offends my sense of justice.
They are being punished for the alleged sins of others. Surely that’s a form of discrimination.
Some businesses in both cities will lose valuable employees. Orange County Transit will pick up a few more passengers for Route 1, which goes into Long Beach and people who have no choice will transfer to the Long Beach bus system once they cross the county line.
Long Beach Transit officials have managed to respond to what they say is racism by punishing the poor, the disabled and the elderly of all races in two cities and two counties. How egalitarian.
Meanwhile, somewhere, members of one of Seal Beach’s smallest minority groups—bigots—are giggling. Long Beach Transit officials have handed them a victory they could never have accomplished on their own.
Charles M. Kelly is assistant editor of the Sun Newspaper.
