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I live in Levittown Pennsylvania a suburb of Philadelphia built in the 1950s. The creation of this community was considered a marvel at the time but in its early years embodied racial discrimination through its sales practices and policies that were driven by widely held racial fear and prejudice. Pointedly, one black family, William and Daisy Meyers, purchased a home and were harassed and threatened until they eventually moved away. This case garnered national attention at the time and remains a shameful part of Levittown’s history.

Although I lay my head down on a suburban bed, I have travelled and worked all over this country. Like others in this community, I’ve had the privilege of working with and getting to know people from every walk of life. Suburbs are no longer the “bubble” they were presumed to be in the ‘50s. The world has grown smaller and we now can touch, interact with, and learn from every culture on Earth, if we choose. Many of us choose.

Some have insidiously used protests to stoke division and fear even to the point of dog whistling to residents (and voters) of suburbs to rekindle the memories of past strife. I believe this political strategy will fail. There are a few points that are worth considering.

  • Although the suburbs are still located in the same places, the world has moved beneath their feet. They are no longer the suburbs of a generation ago. That does not mean that racism doesn’t exist, it does. But we are aware now and capable of facing the issues before us. We are coming to understand that the only way forward is through – together.
  • Barack Obama’s presidency brought a new paradigm to the country. We all witnessed, unfiltered, what a good man he was and is. He and his family put a face on the “other” and we all saw that the characterizations of racism were false.

For those inclined to respond to the whistle, it is essential to remember that it is called a dog whistle for a reason. I will not heel to such a call.

Kevin Deeny