"Oh, is there still racism."

I grew up in a house where 'people of color' were considered to be undeserving of respect or power in any form; I had heard slurs of all forms while growing up. As I got older I saw that this was not the proper way to behave. I feel that all people should have equal rights in the world. We are all born the same and would live the same if all of the crazy restraints that are put on the world did not exist. To me race, sex, or religion have no say in who I befriend. I have really christian friends even though I am agnostic/atheist. I have male and female friends (in fact most of my friends in high school were male), and I also have friends in multiple races (not as many in high school but that can be expected when the the white to all others ratio was 10/1). While growing up in such a sheltered world I some how found a way to have the courage to speak up.... To my parents when they make a racial slur... To my friends as well... Be friending someone that many in the society I lived in would choose to ignore. Over the years I have seeming experianced 'counter racism' (if you could call it that). In example this one guy would ask me out over and over all the while knowing that I was not availible. Even though he knew that I was with someone he always seemed to think I would say yes and when I said no he would always exclaim venomously, "it's because I am black isn't it!" When this would hapen I would always seem to feel like a bad person. I can remeber a time after this hapened going up to one of my black friends in high school and asking her if I was racist. She was always very adament to get the point across that I wasn't. In reading the articles I am being thrown these examples of privlage that I white person recives. But being so young I have yet to be put in many of these situations so I cannot say for sure if those are a correct. But saying just because a person is white they have this ingrined racism is a bit absurd... if those privlages can be used to in your advantage then maybe we can use these privlages to help others. maybe I can create equality yet!