We live in a culture obsessed with exteriors. A culture that takes appearances as truth and hides interior lives with guilt and shame. The frivolous surface is taken with such seriousness that it then manifests itself into real-life consequences. Our shallow first impressions can turn around and impress themselves into the depths of our inner lives.
This is why Race is at once completely irrelevant and, at the same time, the most important thing in the world.
Skin color is as meaningless a trait as hair color or height but Racism is as real as oxygen and can cause bodily harm, emotional and psychological distress, and at times death.
You may want to ignore Race because you know it doesn't matter. You know that assholes come in every shade, gender, and sexual orientation, and when you meet somebody you can actually stand, you better not let something as stupid as race come between you.
But you can't.
Because to ignore it is to ignore the very fabric of America. To ignore it is to ignore truth.
Then there are cultural differences that form in segregated groups. When a group of people who look the same, all act the same as well, it fosters the impression that they share some genetic pre-disposition to act that way.
This is a comforting idea to Americans it seems. People become walking color-coded name tags. It keeps things organised and helps to maintain the status quo. And those who step outside of the normal operating parameters assigned to their race run the risk of ridicule, humiliation, and possible punishment.
In this song MURS writes a love song to race-traitors. Telling these women that it's OK to be whom-ever they want to be. It is a beautiful sentiment and a touching song.
Peace to MURS and all the human race.
MURS: D.S.W.G. (Dark Skinned White Girls)
from Murray's Revenge (Record Collection 2006)
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