If you follow me on instagram you may have seen my post about meeting Uncle Ruckus. I am trying to recall my emotions during that interaction, and I am positive they were a mixture of confusion, anger, and reflection. If you are unfamiliar with the Aaron McGruder comic, I would recommend taking some time to watch the series and/or read the strip.
Most of the time I found myself laughing hysterically simply because of the antics of Riley and Huey Freeman. There was a freshness about their takes on social classes, prejudices, and pop culture, that resonated with me. I assume that I am not the only one that felt like this. The kids and their grandad were the main characters, but there were great supporting roles in the series. One of them being Uncle Ruckus.
What made Uncle Ruckus so controversial and memorable for me was his complete disdain for African Americans (he is African American) and, pretty much anyone who isn't white. His symbolism as the "self-hating black man" is often extreme and over the top. So much that I often just had to laugh at his antics because I had NEVER come across any black person who even remotely resembled him...At least I didn't until earlier this month.
I figure myself to be a pretty progressive person when it comes to trying to understand the views of my fellow man. In the past couple years I have been out of my comfort zone because of how prominent in my day to day these different views have become. Never in my wildest dreams did think I would meet someone who actually reminded me of Uncle Ruckus. The point of views that this man had not only challenged me as man, but also as an African American living in the USA. The fact of the matter is he has a story, more than likely it is far different than mine. No matter if I agreed with him or not I could not let that dehumanize this man.
What I learned about this experience is it really easy for me to cast judgement on someone when they disagree with my social, political, religious, and cultural views. That judgement opens up a variety of feelings about the individual that are more than likely not accurate. So rather than get in my feelings I will try to love more, allow there to be pockets of disagreement, and move forward. At the end of the day Uncle Ruckus is no less of a man than I am. #uncleruckus #boondocks #growth
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