Race matters

At the end of the Civil War when the slaves were emancipated, well meaning whites formed Freedman's Aid Societies to assist newly freed slaves with assimilating into society by providing them with whatever they needed to ease the process. Frederick Douglass, himself once a slave, was opposed to these measures on the basis that he did not want the former slaves to continue a pattern of dependence. Rather, he felt that it would be better for these newly emancipated slaves to make their own way in the world and learn for themselves how to manage and to pull themselves up. However, the Freedman's Aid Societies persisted and eventually, blacks did make the transition into freedom, but they still faced a great deal of discrimination in so doing that persisted, and persists even to this day, although perhaps not as blatantly as occured back then. Supposedly, the Civil Rights movement of the late 1960's changed a lot of that and gave blacks a lot better opportunities than they had ever had before. But the stain of racism and slavery still persists, and sadly, it would seem that there are many who use this as a way to continue placing blame on what our ancestors before us did even though we ourselves are not guilty of the sins of our forefathers.

The most recent brou-ha-ha over racism arose recently when Barack Obama's former pastor spoke some rather nasty and negative words condemning America and what it has done to the black people, and this has caused quite a stir among commentators and editorial writers, not to mention the impact that it has had in the recent Presidential campaign. Obama gave a stirring and eloquent speech that gave address to the painful realities of racism in this country, and I was most impressed with his words, but allow me to add a few of my own thoughts to the whole matter before us. Perhaps Douglass was correct when he opposed Freedman's Aid Societies. In a way, I almost feel as if we've kept the black community dependent via welfare, food stamps, Section 8 and other social programs. This hasn't lifted anyone out of poverty - rather, it has kept people in a pattern of dependence instead of making it more possible for people to get up out of the projects and make an honest living. Oh, sure, racism still exists, and yes, there are people who will not hire a young black man out of some kind of misplaced fear, but blacks have got to stop viewing themselves as perpetual victims. That kind of negative thinking is only going to keep them down instead of lifting them up. Blacks are also partly responsible for their own problems, and no one is willing to admit this. Witness how they promote the "gangsta" culture by glorifying rap artists who spew misogynistic lyrics and wear "gangsta" clothing like droop pants (which came from the prison look because prisoners cannot wear belts to hold their pants up) and do-rags and are heavily tattooed and talk in "ghetto speak". Is anyone going to hire a young man who walks around looking and acting like that?

And why is it that they are so suspicious of education? Why is it that a young black boy with a book is frowned on, but acting and dressing like an urban thug is considered "cool"? Why is talking in normal, correct English labeled "acting white" while speaking some almost undecipherable "ghetto-speak" is OK? Racism cuts both ways. There is anti-white racism in the black culture, but why doesn't anybody see that or talk about it? And when they do, like Bill Cosby, they are frowned on and condemned for what they say? It makes no sense to me. I mean, I truly understand black anger, but no good ever came of staying and acting angry all the time. Sooner or later, you just have to get over it and move on. When you have religious leaders like Rev. Jeremiah Wright out there spewing such hate speech, well, it's no better than that being spewed by others who have an ax to grind against some culture or religion that they don't agree with. However, religious leaders carry the moral weight of this country because of how many people look up to them and hear them preach on Sunday mornings in churches and on Friday afternoons in mosques and on Sabbath in the Synagogues. Preachers have to be very careful what they say and choose their words with great care. Most of them do, but in this case, there is one who just happens to be associated with a very prominent political leader who has said some rather divisive and angry words that are now being associated with that political leader, even though the words have been roundly and soundly condemned by him.

In this campaign, I would just hope that people can move beyond the race and gender matters that threaten to destroy the Democratic Party and put the White House further out of reach in November. Sure, Hillary is a woman and Obama is a black man, but more important than that, they are two Democrats running for President who just happen to be a woman and a black man, but their blood runs red the same as you and I. They are people first, then Democrats second, and third, a woman and a black man. If people could view it this way, maybe all of the spew and brou-ha-ha would cease and desist and this campaign could move forward with some hope that the Democrats will stop trying to tear each other to pieces and instead come together to find common ground to heal this country that has been so badly wounded and abused by a criminal administration for the past 7½ years. It's time to end all the negative campaigning, end all the finger pointing, accusations of wrongdoing and other manifestations of a campaign and move forward with a sense of hope that we can turn this sinking ship around and make it once again the beacon of hope to the world that it always has been.