America is not a racist country. A country-- its gestalt... collective mind --cannot hate anyone or anything. It simply is, and nothing more. I don't "hate" Barack Obama. I have no reason to. But I do have reason to fear and hate some of the things he is doing to this country. But this is not the point I wish to make.
Racism is a tragic, HUMAN flaw, not a country's, which, like racism, is illusory-- it only has those borders and meanings WE give it. America in not racist, America is FREEDOM... or used to be.
To quote Edward James Olmos,
"Race and racism are illusory concepts, created by oppressors to encourage hostility toward other cultures. There is only one race, and that is the human race."
And he's right. There is only one race. GOD only created ONE race of men, and He loves us all IRRESPECTIVE of the colors of our individual skin. It is easy to hate, hard to love and, sadly, it's the simple minds that find it easiest to hate. But there it is, the truth I've been driving at:
Only minds can hate. And the last time I checked, each of us has the power and capacity to do one or the other. But only as we CHOOSE to do one or the other. As some have chosen to jump on Joe, despite the fact that he uttered an undeniable truth:
"America is a country where ANYBODY who works hard, never gives up and has the right attitude can be a Secretary of State, a Congressperson, a CEO, a doctor, a lawyer, a small business person or the president, regardless of race."
THAT is as true a statement there is. If you feel you're being held back, you are. YOU are holding yourself back. There is nothing you cannot do, except those things from which you hold yourself back. In America, anything is possible. Anything.
"Listen to the MUSTN'Ts, child
Listen to the DON'Ts
Listen to the SHOULDN'Ts
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'Ts.
Listen to the NEVER HAVEs,
Then listen close to me
Anything can happen, child.
ANYTHING can be."
--Shel Silverstein (1930-1999)
Steven Biko and hundreds of others died at the hand of racism. South Africa wasn't racist... not the land, but it's government and people were. On BOTH SIDES of the racial divide. One out of fear, the other out of retribution. And yet it took a WHITE MAN to tell the truth about the government's racism, and murder of Steven Biko. A white man. A member of the same race as Biko. The human race. The only race God created.
Anyone can give into racism-- and many do --but in the end God isn't going to pat us on the head and say, "well, I know you tried, and that's enough..." No. It's NOT enough. He's going to ask us why we didn't use the gifts he gave us in spite of the obstacles laid before us; gifts that know no human bounds in the mind and will of God.
America is not Apartheid South Africa. EVERYONE has the right and ability to pursue their dreams here. And Barack Obama is the epitome of that dream.
One more thing. You left a message at American Descent, saying the site looks like a lot of hate. Even still, you were willing to follow the blog in hopes that we might "see the light and change."
But then I come here to check you out and I find beneath your profile much of what you claim to have found at our place.
When were you EVER commanded to bow down to George Bush? Never. You, sir, are an American, and you bow to NO one.
The past has NOT been swept under the rug, America has simply moved on. It's in the past. It is not relevant to today. America HAS come a long way.
Obviously our experiences are vastly different. You've seen things I have not. My father was military, and the first ten years of my life were spent overseas. I didn't see what you saw. But I'll tell you what I DID see.
When I was thirteen years old I went to a Jr. High School in a predominantly black neighborhood. I had no trepidation whatsoever about going there for the simple reason I knew little or nothing about blacks. I stuttered as a kid and was naturally the butt of everyone's joke. But imagine my surprise when, on my first day at this new school, I found myself hated NOT because of my speech impediment, but for the color of MY skin.
The problems of race in this country go BOTH ways.
Now, you obviously can't forget the things you saw as a child, and I'd never ask you to. But there has to come a time when folk on BOTH sides look back and say, "I'm not who they were... I am not a victim... I am not an oppressor, I am not less than he is, I am not better.
The fact that a HALF black, HALF white man is now president should tell us all something. He makes you proud? Wonderful! Me too, in as far as seeing a "black" man sitting in the Oval Office. This is a very proud event for ALL of America, if not all Americans. But don't confuse my dislike of his policies with the color of his skin. Do that, and you only show that YOU have not moved on. The onus then is on YOU.
You don't like Bush? Fine. No one says you have to. But I'll go out on a limb here and assume it's NOT because of the color of his skin but, rather, it's the "color" of his policies. And guess what? My dislike for Obama-- and the same goes for millions like me --is based solely on the "color" of HIS policies.
You think America is racist? Do you realize that the Jim Crow laws were imposed by Democrats? That Democrats largely OPPOSED Civil Rights legislation? That Democrats FOUGHT to keep slavery on the books?
If I vote Republican, it has NOTHING to do my party affiliation. In truth, I believe BOTH parties to be thoroughly and unequivocally corrupt. I refuse to vote for a party. But I will vote for a man. If the man has the right attitude. The right vision. And the right heart.
Sadly, for me at least, I did not, and still don't believe Obama to be in possession of the right qualities... the qualities I look for in an elected official.
Do you realize that abortion affects the black community at a ratio of two to one over the white and "other" communities? Abortion is a veritable genocide upon the black community. And yet you love the man who, on at least two occasions, voted against the Born Alive Infants Protection Act... who supports Partial Birth Abortion... who even reversed the policy Bush set in place to keep our tax dollars from going to OTHER COUNTRIES to fund abortions on FOREIGN soil.
I want to believe Obama is a good man. I want to believe he is the Christian he says he is. But I cannot, in my feeble human capacity, understand how a "Christian" can say he loves Christ/God and still support the murder of innocent life.
Be that as it may, who am I to judge Obama? I am a sinner every bit as much as he. Despite that admission, I am still commanded by God to mark them that do not walk in the way. To call them to repentance, and failing that, have no fellowship with him. For that reason alone, I was unable to vote for Obama [though in truth, that was not the sole reason]. But I assure you, the color of his skin had absolutely NOTHING to do with my vote.
Can you say the same? Judging strictly by what I read beneath your profile, I'd say not. But again...
Who am I to judge. I am not your God, or your confessor. I am not your king, ruler, owner, what-have-you.
I don't know your faith. But if you are born again. YOU are my brother. I am YOUR brother. And like it or not we're going to be spending an eternity in each others company. Don't you think our time would be a better spent getting to know and love each other here and now?
What say you?
This is Bull. A country is not just the land and infrastructure. It is ALSO the people and their opinions and customs. If the customs or people of a country are racist, then it is fair to call that country racist.
ReplyDeleteA country is the ideals for which it stands, upon which it stands... its foundation.
ReplyDeleteIt is not bull.
America is not a racist country. And I challenge you to prove otherwise.
Eric, was it fair to refer to Nazi Germany as a fascist country? I believe we all understand that a nation itself - as a corporate Thing - does not think nor breathe and therefore can not be racist itself as an unthinking Thing, that is a bit of semantics.
ReplyDeleteIf a nation has fascist or racist or totalitarian policies and/or majorities, then it is not beyond the usage of the English language to refer to that nation as fascist, racist or totalitarian.
I am correct that you might refer to Nazi Germany as a "fascist nation," yes?
Now, one might legitimately question whether or not our particular nation still has racist policies and/or thinking, but no one really thinks it uncalled for to refer to a nation on the basis of the policies and majority mindsets.
You are correct Dan. I would refer to Nazi Germany as racist-- among other things --but your argument is false. The argument isn't 'WAS Nazi Germany an evil empire?' but rather, the argument is, 'IS Germany a racist country?' And the answer to that is 'No.'
ReplyDeleteGoing back to the body of my comments, I do not argue that America NEVER had racist policies, but rather, that America IS a nation of freedoms; founded upon certain principles that are as equally true today as the day they were penned. But just like TODAY'S government in terms of corruption, America lost its way in terms of slavery, and spent a century getting back on track.
America TODAY is not a racist country by any stretch of semantics. PRESIDENT Barack Obama puts that lie to bed. America is FREEDOM. We as a nation lost sight of that for a time, just as Nazi Germany lost sight basic human dignities. No one can't point to Germany today and say they are a nation of racists and butchers. And by that same measure NO ONE can call America a racist nation.
I do not discount the things the Gray Headed Brother has seen and experienced. All I'm saying is THAT is not what America IS.
You're a reasonably bright man, Daniel, but you sure slipped up on this one. You completely failed to grasp the context of my comments.
No black man can ever again honestly say America is a racist nation. The evidence all around him to the contrary names him a fool, uninformed, or worse... a liar.
There are black men and women succeeding every day. All it requires is to cast the shackles that men like Sharpton, Jackson, and other race pimps insist be carried.
To reiterate, what Edward James Olmos said rings true. Race and racism are merely the tools by which the REAL oppressors perpetuate class and cultural hatred. And in the case of Sharpton and Jackson to perpetuate their own status as leaders within the communities they themselves oppress.
Anyone can succeed in America. ANYONE. But success requires effort, hard work, and oceans of sweat. It is never simply given to you... you've got to work for it. But even then there is no guarantee you WILL succeed. Everyone in America has the opportunity to succeed, but no one is guaranteed success. And there's nothing racist about it. That's just the way it is. The way it's ALWAYS been. And short of Christ's return, it's not going to change.
The question is: "Is Barack Obama a racist?"
ReplyDeleteJudging from his bvackground...and his campaign...I'd say a hearty "YES"!
And...Greybeard should use his time wisely and go accuse those of his own ilk at liberal blogs.
The most important mission field is closest to home.
The evidence (I know poor Ben chained to the shackles of reality) shows America as a nation and it's policies still has some work to do.
ReplyDeleteThe ratio of Blacks graduating and entering college is drastically different compared to caucasians.
The number of blacks living in poverty, unemployed, and with substandard housing and health care is imbalanced.
The number of blacks who have risen high in politics, corporate America is low compared to census population ratios.
Women face many of these same imbalances.
In many ways America is still a country owned and run by white men. Fifty years has not been enough time to change that. America is not overtly rascist, like South Africa before apartheid. But there are still many inequities held over from your parents' generation.