C.T.
If you have ever seen the movie "Chasing Amy," there is a scene in the movie that is my favorite an epitomizes the state of the black reverends, and even their community. The character,Hooper X, is giving his diatribe on how Star Wars was a racist movie. When he simply has had enough of the "white boys" stupid questions he unleashes his "black rage" by firing a .45 cal into the audience, appearing to kill a few of the onlookers. Now of course, the scene is set up by him and his two white friends. No one dies and it is simply a publicity stunt. But, best part is is that Hooper X is no more a militant than the average white tax payer in Wisconsin. In fact, he is a gay black man.
If you have ever seen the movie "Chasing Amy," there is a scene in the movie that is my favorite an epitomizes the state of the black reverends, and even their community. The character,Hooper X, is giving his diatribe on how Star Wars was a racist movie. When he simply has had enough of the "white boys" stupid questions he unleashes his "black rage" by firing a .45 cal into the audience, appearing to kill a few of the onlookers. Now of course, the scene is set up by him and his two white friends. No one dies and it is simply a publicity stunt. But, best part is is that Hooper X is no more a militant than the average white tax payer in Wisconsin. In fact, he is a gay black man.
Now, how Hooper X applies. Hooper knows that no one will buy a comic book about a militant black super hero, who is fighting Whitey, from a gay black man. So, he adopts a persona that fits what he thinks the black community is hungry for. This is exactly what the Black preachers are doing.
As a white man, I am told that I do not understand the plight of the American-African culture. It is one of frustration about slavery, prejudice, and discrimination. How could I know about that since I have been so privy to an illustrious upbringing? Well, the fact of the matter is I do. Just like most inner city whites who have lived and worked along side our black counterparts, I have seen their toils and crosses they bear. There is no difference between what the average black man faces than what I have faced. Bills, taxes, going to work, raising kids, maintaining a marriage, just trying to keep your head above water. I see blacks in jobs that as little as forty years ago none of them would have occupied, I have had black women as my boss. Could you imagine in 1968 a white man working for a black woman? As crazy as the thought was, here we are.
If this is the truth then why do so many inner city Blacks buy into these false Reverend's message of hate? Simple, it is easy. Why did so many whites buy into the KKK or the White Supremacist message.? We all do it, because it is easier to blame someone else for our misfortune than taking personal responsibility. When you look into the mirror do you like what you see?
As for the Reverends, these are people who are smart enough to know that if they inundate their community with hatred it will give them a position of power in that community. It is easy to elevate yourself around people who are tired and feel forgotten. You give them an enemy and let them feel like you know how to fight that enemy, you will be on top. It is a tactic that has been around for a very long time. Sadly, it has caused many cities to burn and many countries to fall.
Do we have far to go with race relations? Not really. The only problem we have is the people who profit from division. Get rid of them and the race problem is pretty much gone. Sounds easy doesn't it? Since that is not going to be the reality we should educate each other on the real problem and hope it takes. Then and only then can the "isms" stop.
C.T.
I have lived, most of my adult life, in a city that is about 72% black and was underwater in Aug. 2005. Not a hard one to figure out. I have been to a few inner city black churches and enjoyed myself. I do not think that they stopped the hate whitey speech just because I was there as a guest. The message I heard was one of hope, responsibility, faith, and looking to the future. In my book, the men and women professing this message and the word of Jesus Christ are the one's who get the moniker, Reverend. Now, these churches are not the ones that gain notoriety. Unfortunately, it is the angry, hate-America, it's all Whitey's fault that do.
As a white man, I am told that I do not understand the plight of the American-African culture. It is one of frustration about slavery, prejudice, and discrimination. How could I know about that since I have been so privy to an illustrious upbringing? Well, the fact of the matter is I do. Just like most inner city whites who have lived and worked along side our black counterparts, I have seen their toils and crosses they bear. There is no difference between what the average black man faces than what I have faced. Bills, taxes, going to work, raising kids, maintaining a marriage, just trying to keep your head above water. I see blacks in jobs that as little as forty years ago none of them would have occupied, I have had black women as my boss. Could you imagine in 1968 a white man working for a black woman? As crazy as the thought was, here we are.
If this is the truth then why do so many inner city Blacks buy into these false Reverend's message of hate? Simple, it is easy. Why did so many whites buy into the KKK or the White Supremacist message.? We all do it, because it is easier to blame someone else for our misfortune than taking personal responsibility. When you look into the mirror do you like what you see?
As for the Reverends, these are people who are smart enough to know that if they inundate their community with hatred it will give them a position of power in that community. It is easy to elevate yourself around people who are tired and feel forgotten. You give them an enemy and let them feel like you know how to fight that enemy, you will be on top. It is a tactic that has been around for a very long time. Sadly, it has caused many cities to burn and many countries to fall.
Do we have far to go with race relations? Not really. The only problem we have is the people who profit from division. Get rid of them and the race problem is pretty much gone. Sounds easy doesn't it? Since that is not going to be the reality we should educate each other on the real problem and hope it takes. Then and only then can the "isms" stop.
C.T.
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As long as white politicians play "the race card", and people who make not-so-oblique references to "urban this" and "central city that", there will be blacks who react with emotional appeals to group solidarity. Can you blame them? It isn't right (no pun intended), but it happens.
But the problem does not lie with just, white politicians playing the race card. It is most black leaders. Who do you think these inner city folks will listen to first? A white politician or a black leader? Also, there is nothing wrong with group solidarity. It was that solidarity which brought us a peaceful civil rights movement. Right now there is just a group mind set of hate and resentment that will get nothing done.
"It was that solidarity which brought us a peaceful civil rights movement."
A lot of people, BLACK people, were murdered and beaten during the "peaceful civil rights movement", and some of our "distinguished" talking heads were vehemently opposed to it (Wm. F. Buckley, James J. Kilpatrick, to name just 2).
Peaceful on the part of the black community, with the exception of a few. The ignorance and violence that was perpetrated by the white community has never been, nor in my world, will ever be questioned. The original point was the solidarity those folks experienced was what led to their "passive" resistance.
Now do any young or even middle aged black people nowadays know what true oppression is? The answer is no. They have not had the trials and tribulations that their grandparents had. The latter know what it is like to go without basic freedoms, dignity, and respect. All of that was taken away from them and not by their choice. Blacks today have just as many opportunities if not more than whites. None of this is about oppression; it is about revenge and anger against a group of people who had nothing to do with the earlier situations.
How is it that just for the plain simple reason that I am white I have committed prejudice? That I am automatically a racist, in my words, my thoughts, and my actions? That is beyond reason. I am sorry, my family, nor I, had anything to do with any part of slavery. Like many Americans, we were not in this country during slavery. I will not be held accountable for something that I had nothing to do with. Nor, will I be quilted because of the color of my skin. That is as ignorant as a white man hating someone because they are black.
As always thanks for posting, you are always welcomed to share yoru thoughts.
C.T.
"Now do any young or even middle aged black people nowadays know what true oppression is? The answer is no."
I agree that there are many many more opportunities for blacks these days, but I know I've never been pulled over or hastled by the police because I'm white.
"How is it that just for the plain simple reason that I am white I have committed prejudice?"
I would say that anyone who thinks that you are guilty just for being white is a prejudiced idiot.
"I am sorry, my family, nor I, had anything to do with any part of slavery."
I'm don't doubt you.
"Like many Americans, we were not in this country during slavery."
OK; my ancestors were, though.
"I will not be held accountable for something that I had nothing to do with."
OK; fair enough. But I truly believe that there are lingering effects of slavery and racism in this country.
"That is as ignorant as a white man hating someone because they are black."
True. But there mayy be some room for undestanding where "they" are coming from, and racism is still alive in the USA. I'm could name names, but I'd do better thinking up a list forst, rather than mistakenly put someon on the list who didn't "deserve" to be there.
"I've never been pulled over or hastled by the police because I'm white.".
Maybe you have not and about 20 years ago that argument might have had some merit. But I hardly think, short of a few ignorant fools, that many cops will pull over a black man in a suit and a BMW because they think he is a drug dealer. Most of the perception nowadays is that he is successful and if he is pulled over he is probably speeding.
OK; my ancestors were, though.
Let me ask you this, "So what?" You have to be held accountable for their mistakes? That makes no sense. The biblical crap about the sins of the father are passed to the son is crap. It definitely does not apply to four generations later. The changes in all of us are evident around us everyday, in our interactions and viewpoints of people from other races. We have moved from blatant racism to simply having mild racial prejudice in a short time. That is a natural thing. Even the so called "enlightened" Europeans are capable of this. It is natural human state. We even do it to other whites from foreign nations.
"OK; fair enough. But I truly believe that there are lingering effects of slavery and racism in this country."
Maybe, maybe not. That is an individual call. But if we walk around carrying guilt about something we had nothing to do with it will never go away. Regret and guilt have a way of making problems stay longer than they have to. If we allow things to heal there are no resentments, there is not hatred, as a whole.
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