Standing up for racial harmony

Happy Monday! I stared at the screen for 30 minutes Sunday afternoon wondering how to broach today’s subject.

Then I decided just to dive right in.

Had a Cattle Dog chat the other day with a bright young man of color. He’s in his 40s, moved to Citrus County a year ago from a medium-sized city for job reasons, and is quite successful in his chosen field.

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As a man not of color, and no longer young, I’m always curious how folks are treating one another in the community. If you get my drift.

I asked him. He said he’s never lived in a community that is so friendly and helpful.

We talked a bit about Citrus County’s oddly low percentage of the African-American population that it’s historically the lowest per-capita population in the state.

I’ve written a dozen stories over the years at the Chronicle about that strange statistic. What is it about Citrus County that we have such a lopsided white population?

My friend’s observation is Citrus would attract more diversity if there were more employment opportunities, particularly in the technology field. Families of color would move into Citrus County for work and find the same thing we’ve all discovered — this is a cool place to live.

I bring this up because today is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday observance, a federal holiday. I attended a celebration Sunday at Liberty Park and there are similar events planned throughout the day and in February during Black History Month.

Regular readers of this blog won’t be surprised to know I’m very much inclusive, not exclusive. My circle of friends is quite diverse; I seek companionship and opinions from people who are unlike me.

This entire blog starts conversations with a diverse group of readers. That’s the idea. Seeking opinions and observations from a wide swath of folks helps me to better understand the totality of things.

I know people get revved up about their political team, but I never liked the “we’re a This Politician” argument to get anywhere. You know what I mean. The citizens who push county commissioners into one direction or another based on the public majority’s political persuasion.

Here’s why that doesn’t work: It invalidates others simply because of their allegiances, their beliefs, their sexual orientation — even the color of their skin.

Something I couldn’t help but notice Sunday. A man had parked a pickup truck with two large blue flags in the bed proclaiming someone won. Someone not usually associated with the crowd of folks gathered in the Depot pavilion.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, this pickup drove slowly on Apopka Avenue past the pavilion, then turned around and crept through the parking lot. The white driver wanted those black faces in that pavilion to see him. The message was clear. 

Look. I’m as white as the day is long. The African-American struggle is something I can’t identify with, but I know it’s real. Racism is real. Hatred is real. What’s in my head and heart direct my actions.

That’s why integrity wins every time.

I’ve mentioned before that my belief system for politicians has altered significantly in the last 10 years or so. Particularly on the local level, I’m less concerned with someone’s political affiliation than I am their character. When I have a Cattle Dog chat with a candidate, the last thing I ask is their opinion. I want to first know who they are.

So, as the face of this community changes, two things I hang on to: diversity and heritage.

That brings me to one of my favorite people, Andrea McCray. Andrea is heading up the effort to restore Crystal Memorial Gardens Cemetery, the historical Black cemetery that sits just outside Crystal River city limits.

The second annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Gala, which raises money for the effort, is Saturday, Feb. 1, at Citrus Springs Community Center. Click here for tickets.

Andrea, whose family members are buried at Crystal Memorial, wants to ensure that the heritage of Crystal River’s Black families remains intact. She’s attracted supporters of all colors and races throughout the community.

It is my hope that as this county continues to grow, we’ll attract a more diverse population that won’t be turned off by the handful of fools who display their ignorance for all to see. Efforts by folks like Andrea McCray will help that to happen.

That’s it for Monday. Stay warm and safe, friends.

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