If He Wasn’t Black

For the first time in American history being a black man is now an asset? Ok, for the first time outside of an athletic event being a black man is a plus. I have been black a long time and I have witnessed countless instances when being a black man has been a handicap of epic proportions. I can even attest to the fact that just having a “black sounding” name has been a detriment. Now, I am suppose to believe that being a black man is somehow the reason Barack Obama is leading the nomination for President of America? I wonder if the people who are saying this line even hear themselves. I would like for them to go and tell this to the many young black men that are incarcerated in our nations jails and prisons who won’t even get the opportunity to vote in this historic election or tell it to the many young black men who are unemployed standing around the corners of our inner cities.

I have heard and read that blacks and specifically Obama supporters are too sensitive and are reacting to everything in racial terms. It appears that any criticism of Obama is cast in terms of racist intent. The race card is being played in reverse. Everyone that criticizes Senator Obama is a racist regardless of their previous record or support for civil rights. I agree there is a hypersensitivity on the part of Senator Obama’s campaign, but I do not think that it extends to the candidate himself. One of the main reasons for this I believe is that we are at a place as a nation that we have never been before. And please don’t talk to me about Jesse Jackson, Shirley Chisholm, or Al Sharpton. Due to our refusal in the past to honestly confront the issue of race in this country, no one really knows how to proceed in this area. This is especially true for most whites, particularly whites who have previously stood with blacks on civil rights issues. Talk that use to go on behind closed doors in liberal parlors are finally now being aired and I for one am thankful.

The latest “racial attack” was perpetrated by none other than Geraldine Ferraro, the first women ever nominated for the Vice-Presidency by a major Party. Ms. Ferraro basically stated that if it were not for Barack Obama being black he would not be leading in the nomination for the Democrats. Now many took this to be another hidden reference to race being perpetrated by another Clinton supporter. I do not believe that Ms. Ferraro is racist and I would consider anyone who did to be either foolishly carried away by the campaign or deliberately using comments to further their agenda and both have no place in a serious discussion about the comment. So, if you fall into one of those categories you should probably not read any further.

She specifically accused David Axelrod, Mr. Obama’s senior adviser, of using race as a tactical weapon and of implying that her remarks were racist.

Mr. Axelrod, responding in an e-mail message Wednesday night, said, “I never suggested that. I’ve known Gerry for a long time, and I don’t believe that. But what she said was plainly wrong and divisive.”

The same, she said, is true of the Obama candidacy. “Why is his candidacy historic? Can you give me another reason why it is an historic campaign? Why are we afraid to say this? I am absolutely stunned by this whole thing. I’m not saying he isn’t qualified, never did I say that. He is very smart. He has experience issues, but if George Bush can learn to run the country, so can this guy.”[1]

I do not believe that Ms. Ferraro is a racist, however I do take issue with her statements. I take issue with them not because of their racial tone, but something more insidious that she probably never considered. As a black man who has broken many social and employment barriers, the one constant has been the “affirmative action” defense used by whites who felt they could not have been bested by a more qualified black person. Their egos will only allow them to believe that it was because of an unfair advantage that a black man could be better in any given area outside of entertainment or sports. The comments by Ms. Ferraro echo those sentiments. Sure Barack Obama is intelligent, gifted, and qualified, but still if he wasn’t black he would just be another also ran.

Her comments are not racist, but they are in fact divisive. They smack of the affirmative action argument and there are only a few issues that are more divisive in America than affirmative action. So, I guess the only way that a black man could be elected President is through affirmative action? So the American electorate is trying to carry out the ultimate in affirmative action hiring by electing Barack Obama. Imagine how this sounds to the many blacks who have gained positions of power and prestige through hard work to be told once again that the only reason is because you are black.

Ms. Ferraro has the right to express this opinion the problem for me though is that to give her statements credibility she should have also said the same thing about Hillary. That the reason Hillary is in this position is because she is a woman, because the truth be told the leading candidate should have been a white man like it has been for 400 years. So it is unfair to say Obama is in this position because of his race, but not also say the reason Hillary is in this position is because she is a woman. By not including what makes Hillary’s candidacy historical Ms. Ferraro’s comments can be construed as those from a sore loser. Why does the issue of gender in Hillary’s case not apply, but the issue of race does apply for Obama? Is it because she feels that Hillary is so supremely qualified that it doesn’t matter or is it that Obama is so under qualified that this is all he has going for him? If he wasn’t black.

[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/us/politics/13ferraro.html

Read more!

The Sin Is Pride

The thing that bothers me the most about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Ward Connerly and the other black conservatives is not their politics, their seemingly denunciation of their heritage, or their advocacy of wingnut philosophies. No, it is something more perverse in their character. I believe that we all are entitled to our beliefs even if those beliefs do not correspond to the ones I think you should have for your own survival. For example, I believe that poor whites are entitled to believe that the Republicans represent their interests, even though this belief to me is against their better interests. To me a better plan of action would be to join forces with people in the same condition regardless of their race or ethnicity, to develop cooperation to bring about economic change for all.

What bothers me the most about these guys is their tremendous egos. Let me explain, even if they truly believe that it was due to their superior intelligence and hard work that they were able to outsmart over 300 years of racism and white privilege to attain their current positions, what about your brothers? They appear to be saying I have mine and screw everyone else. I am so bad that I was able to overcome these obstacles, why can’t you?

There are two problems with this scenario. The first is that these men were able to attain what little success they have because of people and policies put into place to help overcome all of those years of racism, slavery, etc. If it were not for affirmative action none of these clowns would have a pot to piss in, so for them to claim otherwise is to fly in the face of reality. To deny this of course feeds their super ego’s and allows them to think that they are somehow superior to other blacks, yet both have benefitted from either affirmative action or racial set-asides.

The second problem is that let’s assume they were so smart and cunning to have been able to overcome the pitfalls of racism and Jim Crow, so what. Why would you pull up the ladder that many others need to overcome these systemic problems? The history of immigrants in this country is full of stories of them reaching back to help their brothers, it appears that only blacks have a problem with supplying help to those other blacks that need it. This is the same philosophy being played out in our city streets that allows one young black man to kill another. In the hands of these race apologists the number of victims is multiplied by thousands. Rather than lifting up our brothers we continually want to tear them down, if you’re not going to help someone don’t hurt them.

I understand the mindset of these men I witnessed it in college, it is an attitude of defeat. The person believes that fighting is futile; so they take the attitude if you can’t beat them, then join them. If given the opportunity they would become white completely. They don’t want to be like whites, they actually want to be white. Sometimes this mentality is the product of growing up in a home where the whites are portrayed as superior in thinking, culture, and physically by a parent or mentor of the child. The child grows up believing that all things white are superior to their own racial traits. Many times they marry white women because they believe that white women are more attractive to black women and it allows them to complete their fantasy of pretending to be white or colorless. This of course is not the only reason black men marry white women; I would never attempt to stereotype all inter-racial relationships. I am merely pointing out that this is a by-product for having that mentality.

One of things I find tragic about these men is that when confronted by adversity from other blacks or progressive whites they immediately bring out the race card and claim the criticisms are racially based. In the case of Judge Thomas, “a high tech lynching”, here is a man who would deny protection of blacks or any other group from hate crimes talking about a lynching. The irony of these clowns is amazing; they only pull the race card when it fits their case. If I remember correctly Mr. Connerly has gone on record saying he isn’t black. It seems that Judge Thomas could not understand why blacks wanted a “Black” man on the Court, not someone who does not perceive color.

That is the problem with these people they perpetrate the lie of a colorless society. We don’t want the society to be colorless; we just want the country to be equal for all regardless of their color. Some would say that is what these black conservatives are after, but the difference is that they want to ignore the past 300 years of white privilege and entrench the inequality now in place. I am all for an equal society, but don’t give yourself a giant head start and then want to play fair. No, let’s do some things to level the playing field from the past and then play fair. It kills me when whites or blacks talk about equality as if today is the first day of the world and we are all beginning from scratch. Using their logic it would take centuries for those who have been discriminated against to catch up without any considerations. I’m sorry, but I’d like to jumpstart the process a little quicker.

How can you give blacks from inferior schools, neighborhoods, and economic conditions the same test as whites from suburban schools and call it fair. We aren’t seeking a hand out, we want a hand up. These race apologists and white wannabes promote equal opportunity as if all things are now equal and have always been equal. By doing so they help to assuage the guilt of their white handlers and give credence to the lie that the greater society’s debt to blacks has been paid in full and now it is up to blacks to “pull themselves up” just like they did. Their egos will not allow them to see the foolishness of their argument. Yes, the sin is pride and God does not like ugly or pride.

Read more!

If Not Affirmative Action, Then What?

I am not nor have I ever been a proponent of free rides for anyone. It was taught me and I truly believe that if given a fair opportunity I can compete with anyone. The issue becomes "a fair opportunity". What constitutes a fair opportunity? This is the issue that has divided this country and will continue to do so until we reach a consensus of what a fair opportunity entails.

For example, it used to be fair for over 3oo years in this country for white males to be the only ones to fully experience the freedom that this country provided. They were the only ones who could own property, they were the only ones to vote, and they were the only ones to attend school. This arrangement was considered fair at the time. Any other race or gender was not considered worthy to partake of these privileges. So for 300 years, you have one group that has exclusive rights to all the economic, educational, and political resources available. This group prospers and generates opportunities for others in this group to do likewise. Now granted everyone in this group may not be personally involved in the subjugation of the other groups, but they are reaping the benefits of this subjugation. They have less competition for the available resources thereby increasing their chances of success. I do not want to delve into the emotionalism of this issue, but merely the factualism of it.

So now after these 300 years of complete monopoly, we want to say, "You know what, we were wrong, let's start all over with a clean slate." We will make the playing field level from now on. None of these other factors will have any influence on our decision making. You have been given inferior education, job training, and representation in the past, but today we are even. It is wrong to discriminate against anyone and we will no longer stand for it. We will now let you compete with us on an even plane. We won't hold your inferior schools, economic circumstances, or past discrimination against you, we just want to be fair today. Even though, for many years members of your group were indiscriminately subjected to this institutionalized racism that was supported by the majority of our citizens and those who did not support it still benefitted from this system, we want to be fair today. But today it is unfair to use race as a criteria even for making up for past injustices. We will just pretend those "little indiscretions of the past 300 years" didn't happen. Live and let live. Forgive and forget. If you work hard you can make up the difference in no time. The problem with trying to right past wrongs is that there is never anyone to take responsibility for them. Each generation points to some past generation as the culprit, but this isn't about blame. It is about how we as a society can move forward into the future with a system that will help to overcome this 300 year head start in a fair and equitable way. It's funny how we used the court system to make up for women's rights and there was no large scale outcry of reverse discrimination. Is this fair?

I don't have the answer. I am open to any suggestions. But until we begin to tackle this issue head on there can be no justice. I do not propose "free rides" or "lowering standards" as alternatives. Instead of lowering the standards for any group we should figure out a way to raise the standards for that group to fairly compete. This will require an investment in time and money on the one side and an investment in hard work and effort on the other side. There will be no system that everyone agrees with. Any system will hurt some group. But we should be able to come up with a system that hurts the fewest people while at the same time ensures the most success.

If not affirmative action, then what?

Read more!