Northern Reflections – What Colour Is Music?

So here’s the thing. My wife was telling me a story tonight about a woman we know who got in a car accident with a black guy. When she was done telling the story, I had to ask why the fact that the guy was black was relevant. She admitted that she had misspoken and that it wasn’t. It brought a bunch of thoughts on the topic to the surface.

For a while now, it’s irked me that a comic book writer I’m very fond of is constantly promoting Asian-American writers and artists. Apparently, I should be supporting them because they’re Asian-American, not because they’re talented. Or maybe I shouldn’t support them because I’m not Asian-American. Oh, and he’s (either North or South) Korean. Or Korean-American. Or American-Korean. You know what? He’s smart and funny and talented and engaging. That’s what he is. That’s what matters.

When I was a kid, I remember the class being asked in school “what” we were. Where were our ancestors from? Even then, it bugged me. I was born in Canada. My parents were born in Canada. Their parents were born in Canada. Their parents were born in Canada. Why can’t I just be Canadian? I was actually made to feel “less than” because way back when, there was Irish and Scottish and Dutch and native and English and who knows what else in my bloodline. Not like some of the other kids who were first- or second-generation “whatever the case may be.” Couldn’t get away with just being a Canadian mutt.

Look, I’m white and male. I have a wife and two kids and a dog and a white house with a picket fence. Honestly. My wife and I built the fence ourselves. And I get it. I know it’s easier for me than it is for a lot of people who aren’t white and male and who don’t have what I have. Let me make that clear. This isn’t about me saying “quit whining” or “work harder.”

I try to treat people equally. I think I do a pretty good job. It’s hard not to overcompensate sometimes for fear of offending someone who’s black or female or gay, but that’s my biggest struggle: worrying about trying too hard.

I try to treat people equally by consciously not saying “a black guy” when it’s irrelevant, or “a guy” for that matter. All my life, I’ve seen and heard about people pushing back because they’re different. People seeing inequality in their lives and getting pissed and trying to do something about it. And I support that. Equality, that is.

I support “a black guy” getting a job instead of me because he’s more qualified. Or a woman getting that job if she’s more qualified. Or an “Asian” (by the way, not all Asians are Chinese and Japanese. Some of them are Indian. Some of them are Russian. They don’t all look like you think they do. Be careful!).

What I will not support is “a black guy” getting a job instead of me because an employer has a quota of non-white-males to fill. That’s as bullshit as hiring me because I’m white and male, regardless of my qualifications. It’s the pendulum swinging too far the other way instead of stopping in the middle.

I don’t support feminism, not because I don’t think women are treated equally to men (they still aren’t), but because the feminist movement doesn’t want equality, they want recompense.

I don’t support the idea that black people are owed anything because their ancestors were slaves. I didn’t own a slave. My parents, grandparents, and great grandparents didn’t own slaves. Don’t take it out on me.

Likewise for natives. Or “Indians” if you’re American. I didn’t take your land. Don’t blame me. And I’d like to treat you equally, but you’re not equal. You get subsidized housing and pay no taxes. How is that fair? Yes, white people took your ancestors’ land, but that’s been happening for the entirety of human existence. People take things from other people. The people from whom things were taken are rarely still being compensated hundreds of years later.

I’ve painted with broad strokes here. I’ve generalized and I’ve stereotyped. I realize that not every black person, woman, and native is the same as every other black person, woman, and native – just as I realize that some white males are actively trying to make the rest of humanity a sub-species.

My only recourse is to treat everyone equally. And that means that I’m not supporting ethnic groups because they’re ethnic or women’s groups because they’re women. If you want me to treat you as my equal, act like it. Don’t ask me for anything based on what you look like. If you want my support, show me what you can do.

Does a comic book look different because it was written by a woman, drawn by a black guy and inked by a gay guy? No. Does music sound different if the composer’s in a wheelchair? No. I love to support talented people. If you’re a decent person with a shred of talent, I’ll get on Twitter and Facebook and promote what you’re doing. I won’t do it if you’re an asshole or if you try to guilt me into it by using your race, gender, or…damn. It occurs to me that I don’t even know what to call “gayness or lack thereof.” And you know what? I don’t care.

Have fun. Play safe.

Your pal,

~Hodgey