Spoken Word: What Are You?

What Are You?

Her: What are you?

The words slither out of her teeth like a snake on the hunt.

Her: I mean where are you from?

The confusion in her voice almost as questioning as a child.

Me: Here.

My tone is a cello string strumming softly to smooth jazz beats on a dimly lite stage.

Her: No, no, no. I mean where are your parents from?

To me, this is another question. Not a question of confusion, but of ignorance. This display lacks knowledge, it is what brings our country to where it is now. Ignorance. Ignorance of where we stand as a country on race. "It's over. Everyone is equal. We're all living equally. No more racism." To me this confusion, rather than propelling us forward, is flinging us backward. The fact of the matter is we are not all equal. We are not all treated equally. And to this insensible woman I reply,

Me: Here.

You see some white people believe they are true Americans. The belief that they were here first binds around their brain like a disease clinging to the life of an ill person. This too dark to be white and too white to be black person standing before them is nothing but a mere mystery. "Why is her hair not straight nor a kinky tight curled fro standing on top of her head? Why does she speak white to me and ghetto to others?"

Her: But you're not white so what are you?

What am I? What do you mean what am I? I'm a human. A being. A body with a heart, mind and soul. I am the truth to the lies, the answer to the question, the light to the darkness, the physicality of a mortal and the mind of a goddess. And you ask me, what am I? Are you honestly not able to comprehend the idea of a mixed race? You can only identify that I'm not of your blood? I would return the question right back to you but I'm too afraid to match your level of ignorance.

Me: Do you mean what race am I?

I might as well help her find her own question deeply embedded in the thoughts of mild embarrassment and confusion.

Her: Yes, yes that's what I mean.

Now this either goes one or two ways. Her confusion is turned into interest and she continues the conversation telling me how unique I am...or it results in more of a ignorant performance. Better grab my popcorn.

Me: I'm half black and half Turkish.

Here it goes.

Her: Which one of your parents is black?

Me: My father.

Her: Oh so you're half white.

Me: No, my mother is Turkish.

Her: Aren't Turks white?

Me: No.

Her: So are you an AY-RAB?

Really? AY-RAB? As if you couldn't get more ignorant than that.

Me: An AY-RAB?

Her: Yeah like one of those Bin Laden people.

Wha... How... Does... At this point I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I feel that pit. That part of my stomach filling up with rage. That bubbling bowl of lava that was once my stomach is now steaming. I feel the smoke pooling out of the nostrils. I take a breath. What comes next? Even I'm concerned with how I'll respond. When people say these types of things, I find myself more shocked at the fact that they can say that with a clear mind than what they actually said. My soul burns and I sense my anger is about to force my lips to say something I'm going to regret.

Me: First of all, it is pronounced AIR-RUB and secondly you assumed all Arabs are  Muslim and then referred to Muslims as a part of a terrorist organization. The actions of a particular group does not reflect the beliefs of Islam. The actions of those groups are reasoned with beliefs that are misguided and evil. For you to believe that all people practicing Islam have a terrorist agenda is just as misguided and prejudiced. I am who I am and you are who you are. I accept all races, religions, cultures, beliefs and practices. What I can't accept is ignorance provided with lies and false accusations.

I do not hate those who lack empathy nor do I scream at them like a parent scolding her reprehensible child. The best way to deflect ignorance and prove your self-worth is teaching your knowledge and experiences. Being a Martin Luther King Jr. reborn.