REVERSE DISCRIMINATION. Pts. 1-2

I am a fan of social media, or at least one particular genre of social media referred to as, “Facebook.” With over a billion users, I think I must be in good, (and not so good) company; given the multiplicity of subscribers.

From time to time, I post a considered response below a Facebook friends’ musings, or beneath a post on a group page.

Recently, as I viewed a broadcaster’s website, I came across a photo of a severely tattooed, relatively light complexioned African-American man. I say, ‘severely tattooed’ as his face was covered with all manner of characters and script. As a human resources manager, who once interviewed someone with a similarly ‘doctored’ face, I immediately recognized the countenance of a man who had, over time, submitted himself to a ‘do it yourself’ prison tattoo parlor.

Having studied the man’s portrait a moment, I dropped down to the comments section, and wrote, “With that nasty stuff all over his face, it’s obvious this man will have little or no chance to get a job on the outside.”

As it fell together, a young black man named, ‘Robin’ almost immediately responded to my initial response.

“My point exactly. Pretty much all White and Asian men on this list, and who gets the cover photo? A black prisoner. Your comment shows ‘mission accomplished.’ Of all the horrific things those men did, your comment is on the unrelated black man.”

(In regard to Robin’s musings, it is important to understand that had I clicked on the caption, I would have opened up a website which displayed and described a multitude of similar folks as the man on the cover photo. However, I had not done so).

Pt. 2

Well, I can tell you, in my ‘righteous indignation’ I felt compelled to offer Robin some clarification. (And as a matter of fact, I did just that).

“Actually Robin, among my ancestral bloodlines I have discovered, as the result of DNA testing, that I have a small percentage of African-American heritage. (Namely, one of my 5x great grandparents). As a result, I think that your ‘mission accomplished’ reflection is not well-founded; (or, if so, I would be downing some of my own people).

Beyond this, it might be helpful for you to understand that I didn’t bother to open up the weblink, and view the other 47 photos of those fine, upstanding American ‘jail birds,’ but was merely commenting on the cover photo.

Thus, I can assure you, there is no prejudice on my part ‘going on.’ Given what I have just conveyed to you, it’s obvious that you were operating out of a lack of information, and were, summarily, jumping to conclusions, and lumping me in with a group of bigots which I abhor and renounce for what they are.”

And what of that cover photo to which Robin alluded, and whom he claimed was an ‘unrelated picture,’ (as contrasted with the additional men on the webpage)? Speaking about a lack of information, another fan of the media site subsequently made Robin and I aware of the prisoner’s name, and that he had been found guilty of having taken the lives of a couple of his relatives.

Contrary to my ‘friend’s’ assurances, the man in the cover photo was certainly no choir boy.

White, black, red, yellow (or purple) I think we may all too easily fall into the trap of reverse discrimination, and “get our feathers ruffled” for lack of sufficient information.


by William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "McDonald's Daily Diary." Vol. 47. Copyright pending.

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