Racial reconciliation will only be complete when Jesse Jackson and his ilk are gone from the national scene.
In the 1960s, there were many people, a majority, who wanted an end to the Jim Crow environment kept alive in such Democratic strongholds as the Deep South and the industrialized cities in the north–Boston, Chicago, Detroit. Look at old films of Dr. King’s marches and rallies and within the sea of dark faces you will see many white ones. I was too young to get involved in such things myself. And, to be honest, there was never anything like that in my neighborhood anyway. Relationships between whites and blacks in most places were probably better then than they are now.
Martin’s death–murder–was a shock. It affected me even more than the murder of either of the Kennedy boys. I couldn’t grasp how anyone could be filled with that kind of hatred.
In King’s place, we saw the rise of people without his vision, and it is a loss we still feel today. Those new “leaders” had a different agenda, and it had little to do with equality.
But who are their followers? Those are the ones restricting any kind of reconciliation. Those who believe the doom and gloom, those who see racism at every turn. Even when it isn’t there. I sincerely know nobody who is a racist. There may be someone who keeps it hidden, or it is simply latent. But nobody I know, of any skin color, views someone of any other skin color as something less.
I know many demanding people. Those who expect a certain standard can be accused of anything convenient if it suits a person found lacking in ability to meet those standards. But that isn’t racism. It involves setting a standard and living up to it—striving to exceed it. Some are simply too lazy. As a boss, I’ve been accused of racism on occasion, but I’ve always had another subordinate who knew me well and was the same race as the accuser. That accusation didn’t last long. So I understand how some feel they can turn their own failings into a perceived failing of someone else.
And that is what needs to change. That is the attitude projected by the Jesse Jacksons of the world. And it is something preached to young people. If you fail, it isn’t your fault. That isn’t simply a race issue. It is a cultural issue telling our kids they should do well, but if they fail it isn’t their fault. Must not make them feel bad about themselves. In the case of race, Jackson and others simply give one group another excuse.
Racism is not a group problem. It, like most other cultural issues, is based in individuals. There will always be individuals with a distorted sense of values. They will be racist. But that does not make the population in general racist. And it is not something that can be legislated. When all people look at others individually rather than as a member of some group, there will be no reconciliation required.
Individuals. Individuals. We are all Individuals! Quit looking at someone else as a member of some group.
I used to admire the young civil rights leaders of the 60’s like the “used to be” Jesse Jackson but they turned their leadership positions into fulltime jobs and spiritual figureheadships. Now when things really have changed very much for the better they are afraid of losing all that.
Comment by Wallace-Midland Texas — December 14, 2004 @ 2:15 pm
Great post, Bunker! Similar to my take, as two folks living in the south, we bring the lies of the MSM of a “racist south” to the light!
Like you, I remember being aghast that anyone could murder that gentle man! It hit like a rock! Would he not be upset with his protege, Jesse Jackson? I, too, was too young to join the marches with him, but wished I could have gone to march along side of those brave souls. I remember a book I read at the time, call Five Smooth Stones [couldn’t tell you the author!], about some of the marchers and their tribulations. It’s stayed with me all these years.
Comment by DagneyT — December 14, 2004 @ 3:32 pm
Well-written post, we share some common experiences. My response started as a simple comment about MLK, and grew out of control. Rather than jack your thread, I posted the product of my comment gone awry here.
Dialogue and commentary like this are big parts of why I enjoy blogging. It provokes retrospection, thought and insight.
Comment by Cerberus — December 15, 2004 @ 11:44 am
I agree about the strength of the blogosphere. None of us has all the answers. Together, we have pretty much all of them corraled.
Comment by Bunker — December 15, 2004 @ 1:11 pm
Racial Reconciliation
Homespun Bloggers: Homespun Symposium V Do you really want to hang around with guys who throw imaginary flags in the air while watching football, yelling at the image of Deion Sanders, “Fifteen yards, acting like a n****r?” I don’t. I…
Trackback by The Commons at Paulie World — December 15, 2004 @ 6:29 pm
The sad part is that the situation regarding black leaders has gotten worse these past ten years, not better. Jesse Jackson has been replaced by the even more odious Al Sharpton. The NAACP spews ever more extreme condemnations of anyone who does not toe the party line. And it doesn’t look like it’s going to change anytime soon.
That said, we cannot simply sit back and say “oh well, it’s all your fault” Call me a dreamer, but I’m still convinced that the GOP can, IF WE TRY, wean at least some blacks from the Democratic party. As Jack Kemp says, to get voters to vote for you you first have to ask them. On and on, too much to write here.
I will certainly agree that I’m sick and tired of the racial /sexual/ethnic identity politics that has permeated our nation.
Comment by The Redhunter — December 18, 2004 @ 10:37 am
Racial Reconciliation
Homespun Bloggers: Homespun Symposium V UPDATED BELOW Do you really want to hang around with guys who throw imaginary flags in the air while watching football, yelling at the image of Deion Sanders, “Fifteen yards, acting like a n****r?” I…
Trackback by The Commons at Paulie World — December 19, 2004 @ 7:50 am