If there is one part of racism that I suffer from, it's my notions regarding African Americans and pickup trucks. For some reason, I can not accept the visual image of a black person driving a pickup truck. There is just something wrong with that. Blacks drive around ran-down or supped up foreign cars, or Cadillacs, but not pickup trucks.

I've not only seen several blacks driving pickup trucks in Albany, I've also known or worked with African Americans that drive pickup trucks. My neighbor, an African American is not only black but rural hippie types with goats and horses. Yet, somehow I can't get over the thought of African Americans driving pickups. Certainly many do drive such trucks, but it just seems strange.

Part of this deeply held belief on blacks and pickup trucks is probably from where I grew up. There aren't a lot blacks around here, but there are lots of pickups. Most people don't associate pickup trucks with urban life. My truck is small, but it's still a bit more challenging then cars to park. So the pickup seems out of place in the city. I guess I associate blacks with the city, and the country with being black.

I'm not advocating that more people go out and get silly full-size pickups to drive around the city, and consume large amounts of fuel. Nor am I suggesting that blacks move out to the country, though if they want to try the free rural life, then so be it. I just wish I could accept the notion of blacks driving pickup trucks.