Why is white the norm? Why do minorities represent the deviation? Well, the word minority should say it all, shouldn’t it? We are not the majority. We’re certainly not made to feel like the majority. We look at ourselves as different. In the past, there have been scientific tests to prove our inadequacy and incompetence. Our dark skin made us “the perfect slaves” as we could be easily caught when trying to run away. Our stereotypical “laziness” somehow built the foundations of America’s agricultural economy. Our “sexual” people made our women ideal rape victims.

And then, our lack of education made us the victims of a false liberty that gave us the right to vote and own land.

Our inability to obtain the same jobs as white citizens caused us to migrate to slums and ghettos where our children learned the ways of the streets.

Our very presence in cities and towns caused the white flight, as they left for the suburbs from our skin dark as night.

Our lack of good schools and books and teachers allows us to fall prey to a system that keeps us locked up and running astray.

Our sense of endless repression causes our people to be violent and angry.

Our violence leads us to prison cells where more violence erupts daily.

Our fathers have left due to ignorance or violence.

Our broken family structures make us grow up too quickly to enjoy the freedoms every child deserves.

Our hands and hearts are hardened by the realities we were not old enough to understand or face.

Our communities are broken, waiting for the system to pull us out of disgrace.

Our country would rather worry about the latest celeb breakups than the newest shake up on the urban streets.

And these are the reasons why minorities cannot be the norm in a nation in which racism keeps us torn.