February was Black History Month, and a challenging, painful and difficult one for me. I chose to take a hard look at Black history from the perspective of a Black man or woman. What I learned is not in our history books. I was unaware of my “white privilege” that I had unconsciously accepted and perpetuated throughout my life.
My eyes have opened to the shameful, disgusting treatment of our brothers and sisters throughout American history in these United States. Never had I read or heard about the stories of oppression and abuse suffered by Black people at the hands of white people. Video after video I watched. The more I watched, the sicker I became, physically and mentally, that my ancestors had been a party to such hatred and discrimination, whether knowingly or unknowingly.
My stomach churns every minute of every day now, knowing that this discrimination, hatred and prejudice continues to this day, in 2021.
True, we do not own slaves now, but we as white people, continue to enslave our brothers and sisters of color even now. Black people are targeted by police, stereotyped by ignorant white people from all stations in life, and receive no justice in our courts of law. I have witnessed this firsthand. Today in the United States of America our brothers and sisters of color face repulsive discrimination and targeting, in every state in this union.
Even those who served this ungrateful nation in the military, putting their lives on the line for our freedoms. Even in the ranks of the military, our Black brothers and sisters are sent to the front lines ahead of white soldiers. When seeking health care at our military health-care facilities, a huge disparity is evident in the care received, including designation for disability.
I have personally witnessed this discrimination in the military health-care system. I have seen the hurt and utter hopelessness on the faces of Black soldiers. Some turn to self-medication (with drugs or alcohol) in an attempt to numb the pain of their experiences, manifested as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Still others give up on receiving the care they earned for their military service to protect our country, ending up on our streets, or committing suicide.
This is 2021. Things must change and change now. I personally will not rest until my Black brothers and sisters are afforded the freedoms my white brothers and sisters have enjoyed for decades, and continue to obliviously enjoy today. I will continue to confront inequality, hatred, racism, discrimination and health-care disparities until I no longer have breath in my body. Change is not optional. It must happen, and it must happen now.
My home is Hawaii and has been for 25 years. I have lived my entire life in ignorant bliss of white privilege. But no more. I will confront racism and discrimination and injustice until I die. It is the very least I can do to serve my brothers and sisters of color. It is my enlightened obligation, my duty to my fellow human beings.
Today, in 2021, racism and discrimination are alive and well in Hawaii. Yes, in our beautiful island paradise, these ugly truths live and thrive. My promise to you, my Black brothers and sisters, is to fight for you until there is no life left in my body. I will fight for your rights, no matter the cost. This horrific wrong must be righted, because “all lives cannot matter, until Black Lives Matter.”
Honolulu resident Glenda Tali is a nurse practitioner.
