Relationships1 min(s) read
Published 10:10 25 Jun 2020 GMT
Right now, a lot of us are talking about racism.
Whether it be with friends, family, colleagues, or strangers, the events of the last few weeks have had more and more of us discuss systemic racism, the BLM movement, white privilege, and more - which is amazing, the more we talk about racism, the more we learn.
However, there is perhaps no better understanding somebody can get than by actually asking a black person to describe their first-hand experiences of racism. And that is exactly what 45-year-old white woman Caroline Crockett Brock from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina did.
[[facebookwidget||https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10212978799920316&set=a.1545017980986&type=3&theater]]
But after asking black appliance repairman Ernest Skelton what his experiences had been, she later took to Facebook to share his story, saying that "the truth needs to be heard".
Writing in a Facebook post, Caroline starts by explaining that "today was the first time I spoke frankly about racism with a black man.
"When Ernest Skelton, my appliance repairman, came to the front door, I welcomed him in. As this was his second visit and we’d established a friendly rapport, I asked him how he was feeling in the current national climate. Naturally, he assumed I was talking about the coronavirus, because what white person actually addresses racism head-on, in person, in their own home?
"When Ernest realized I wanted to know about his experience with racism, he began answering my questions."
Caroline then asked Ernest: "What's it like for you on a day-to-day basis as a black man? Do cops ever give you any trouble?"
She says "the answers were illuminating", before going on to write Ernest's response.
"Ernest, a middle-aged, friendly, successful business owner, gets pulled over in Myrtle Beach at least 6 times a year.
"He doesn’t get pulled over for traffic violations, but on the suspicion of him being a suspect in one crime or another. Mind you, he is in uniform, driving in a work van clearly marked with his business on the side.
"They ask him about the boxes in his car parts and pieces of appliances. They ask to see his invoices and ask him why there is money and checks in his invoice clipboard. They ask if he’s selling drugs.
"These cops get angry if he asks for a badge number or pushes back in any way. Everytime he is the one who has to explain himself, although they have no real cause to question him.
"Ernest used to help folks out after dark with emergencies. Not anymore. He does not work past dinnertime, not because he doesn’t need the business, but because it isn’t safe for him to be out after dark. He says 'There’s nothing out there in the world for me past dark'.
"Let me say that again. Ernest, a middle-aged black man in uniform cannot work past dark in Myrtle Beach in 2020 because it’s not safe for him. He did not say this with any kind of agenda. It was a quiet, matter of fact truth.
"A truth that needs to be heard."
[[facebookwidget||https://www.facebook.com/GrandStrandRepairbyErnest/photos/a.114593343616302/114607803614856/?type=3&theater]]
Caroline then asked Ernest what racial terms he gets most offended at, to which he explained that the most offensive term he deals with is being called "boy".
"Ernest has a bachelor's in electronics and an associates in HVAC," Caroline wrote, adding: "He is not a 'boy', and the term 'boy' in the south implies inferiority in station and status.
"He came to Myrtle Beach and got a job at Hobart. The supervisor repeatedly used the term 'boy'. Ernest complained. After several complaints, Ernest was fired."
"Ernest says most white people are a little scared of him, and he’s often put in a position where he has to prove himself, as though he's not qualified to repair appliances."
After plugging and praising Earnest's business (Grand Strand Appliance Repair), Caroline added:
"Ernest doesn’t have hope that racism will change, no matter who the president is. His dad taught him 'It's a white man’s world', and he's done his best to live within it.
"When I asked him what I could do, he said, 'everyone needs to pray and realize we’re all just one country and one people'."
Caroline ended her post by writing:
"I am a 45-year-old white woman living in the south. I can begin healing our country by talking frankly with African Americans in my world by LISTENING to their lived experience and speaking up.
"I can help by actively promoting black-owned businesses. That’s what I can do today. Let’s start by listening and lifting up. It’s that simple."
[[facebookwidget||https://www.facebook.com/carolinecrockettbrock/posts/10221533891152250]]
After their interaction went viral on Facebook - amassing over 183,000 shares and 36,000 comments - Ernest and Caroline spoke with the news station WMBF about the conversation.
"In the comments, people, a lot of white people say, 'I’d love to have these conversations, but I’m scared. I’m scared I’m going to say the wrong things. I’m scared I’m going to approach it wrong. I’m scared I’m going to offend someone,'" Caroline explained.
However, please keep in mind that Ernest, for example, said he wasn’t offended by Caroline’s questions at all due to the fact that he had built up trust with her prior to addressing these serious topics - therefore, he knew she was genuine when she asked about them.
Caroline then said: "If we want to change the world and make our country stronger, we have to be willing to step into the uncomfortableness and pain in this country."
