January 2016 by Kristin B.
I always give reviews when i visit an establishment and ive never given less than 3 stars because theres always something positive can see, find, or experienced, so this review is the first of its kind and i pray the last like it. A group of us visited Selma Alabama this month and in our travels there we came upon Gordon's Antiques. We love antiques so we stopped in. Within 2 minutes of our visit Robert began to share his racist thoughts and feelings about blacks or, those Negros as he so angrily named them. Even after i informed him that i was married to an African American he didnt back paddle or tone it down at all. And when i told him i was from Michigan he leaned in and told me how many guns he had and that they killed lots of Yankees and he'd wish they'd killed more..... with that deep gruff southern draw i felt a little uncomfortable at that point. Im not ignorant i know racism be it intentional or not exist. Institutional and individual, i know its there even though as a white a dont experience it, i know its there. But NEVER did i ever think id have a real live conversation like this, that someone would be so openly racist and hateful. It has moved something in me, disturbed me and awakened a need to confront, expose and get the conversations going with my white counter parts. If you want to engage in conversation or have questions feel free to post.... i dont understand it all and im no scholar or psychologist but i know this is real and the conversation about racism with whites needs to happen. Blacks and people of color are already aware and have to deal with it daily but whites need to talk about their racism and thevwickedness of even our internalized superiority and stereotyping.
