James Lester
In 1983, I earned a B.A. in physical and
cultural Anthropology at U.C.Berkeley. In 1988, at the age of 50,
I did post-graduate work at the San Francisco State University
School of Ethnic Studies. What I learned there radically changed
my understanding of racism in this country. As a result of what I
learned, I decided to discard the privileges of being white. I
vowed never again to contribute my talents to our economic system.
I live at the poverty line on half my military retiree pension and
Social Security Retirement income in a poor neighborhood in order
to share the condition of the victims of our economic system. I am
a race
traitor; I wish to abolish skin color as a social construct.
These convictions are based on an understanding gained
from my training that it is impractical and foolish for us
"Mushrooms" to speak of helping the poor and minorities
to share in the "wealth." The "wealth" was
(and is) stolen from the poor and minorities. I want to encourage
my white American peers to "step down" from their
privilege and redistribute the "wealth." I intend the rest of my
life to be an example of that "stepping down."
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