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I’m Gen X. I have clear and distinct memories of the 80s, 90s and 00s. Most of the memories are happy because time has a way of sorting out memories so that most of what remains is the good times. However, there is a lot of Gen X delusion on social media. The decades of Gen X’s youth wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

I grew up in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan. My high school was most Black. Most of the people I interacted with in any meaningful way were Black. My neighborhood was mostly Black. My family was Black. I went to a church with a large Black congregation. I was pretty much insulated in a Black community.

The US is a diverse country but it is segregated. I recall my middle school having a fairly even mixture of Black and White students. There were also many middle eastern students mixed in. But within the school the student body was mostly segregated. I imagine most Americans had a similar experience due to the nature and culture of this country. The originator of the tweet I pasted is a bit delusional.

After high school I went to college at a predominately White institution. I interacted with a diverse group of people. I wasn’t uncomfortable in that environment and I was open to friendships with all people but I learned a lot about racism in my young adulthood. I picked up on racism while socializing and after graduation on the job market. Gen X did NOT solve racism.

David Marcus and those that agree with them believe racism was solved because they listened to music by Black artists and admired Black professional athletes. Americans enjoyed Black entertainment long before the 80s. It didn’t change racism in any fundamental way.

The Civil Rights movement changed laws so Gen X was the first generation of Americans to grow up without legalized racism. We were less conscious of race and the limitations placed on Black people but the legacy of racism and the structure it created did not go away. It doesn’t make sense to think that removing signs would create a color blind utopia.

David Marcus goes on to complain that racism was reborn when Barack Obama was elected in 2008. They don’t elaborate as to why that is. The fact is is that Gen X was the first time Black Americans had a voice. That voice was heard through pop culture in the 80s and beyond, politics and later social media. That’s what makes David Marcus and those like him uncomfortable.

I suggest those that claim to want unity and think racism faded away in the 80 take the time to learn about this nation’s history and observe American culture instead of complaining about CRT and DEI. They should take the time to listen and self examine if they actually value acceptance and a lack of prejudice.