I spent my time and energy during my children's formative years, teaching them the value of all human beings in this world. While it is true that some make better choices in their lives than others and warrant some personal judgments based on that component, I always taught them that race has no bearing on those judgments. I cannot tell you how many arguments I got into with family members who would use a disparaging racial remark in their presence. But rest assured, it was plenty.
As I grew up in my formative years (60s and early 70s), I saw some things that were very wrong and felt the need to educate them about right and wrong so they would not be part of that culture. I saw how whites treated blacks, when whites outnumbered them greatly. I saw how very little was done to avert some of the injustices that I was forced to witness. Being a military brat, I learned to get along with everyone, black, white, Asian, Latino, all of them. But still, there were moments when I was not altogether approving of the things I witnessed.
I remember being the only white person in my second grade classroom in Honolulu. In other words, I was the class "haole" (pronounced howlie). I was picked on, laughed at, called names, and at times was beaten on by bullies who used my skin color as fuel for their meanness. So, I do not want to hear anything from ANY minority how it feels to be black, Hispanic, or anything else for that matter. I know.
This is precisely why I was determined to teach my children better, why I got into many a shouting match with relatives over their choice of terminology. And I am proud to say that it worked. Today, as adults, my children have a diverse group of friends, based solely on the content of their friends' character and not by the color of their skins.
So with this in mind, maybe you can imagine my dismay to hear from one former President, various news commentators, elected government officials, and others (who should have a better understanding of what true racism really is), that because I oppose Barack Obama's policies I am a racist. If they knew me, they would know many black and Latino people who always get a smile on their faces, when they see me. They would know just how many old black ladies have to hug me when they see me.
But they have no idea, yet they continue to run their mouths like they do.
Jimmy Carter has demonstrated time after time that he truly has a peanut for a brain, but his latest absurdity takes the cake. I expect idiots like Keith Olbermann to show their collective ignorance, but I would think that a former Chief Executive would have the class and intelligence to not be sucked into the insane notions of a handful of loudmouth race-baiting political hacks, and apologists. I expect racist demagogues like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and 99% of the Democratic Black Caucus to continue to use race as a wedge to justify their own existences. But, it makes no sense for a man who claims Christianity as his true faith to advance lies and distortions in the golden years of his personal and political life.
Over the weekend, we have seen Kanye West insult a young white 17 year old in what should have been her moment of triumph, Serena Williams berate and threaten a tennis judge of Asian descent, and a group of black teenage thugs beat a white student on a school bus in Belleville Illinois, while the bus driver merely yells "sit down". But Jimmy Carter has no words for this? The Democratic Black Caucus remains silent and as you would expect the mainstream media does too.
This is not going to promote healing. This is only going to inflame things further than they already are and will most likely, someday, be looked back on as a catalyst to an even more dangerous world.
Be sure to check out:
AC at Fore Left. He has some things to say on this and even linked me up with this latest VDH essay.
13 comments:
Thanks for the shout out. I like your post, especially regards your experiences in Hawaii. I've never been in that scenario before but I was privy to a few beatings and bus torments as a kid due to always being new (my parents moved a lot, too).
BTW, a new story is making the wires today about a white man beating a black woman at a Cracker Barrel. This was clearly racial, since he was yelling epithets while delivering blows. Horrible and disgusting hardly cover it, since the woman's young daughter was right there.
However, the double standard will come back in play again, because while all blacks and all but the most mypoically twisted whites will see the racism in the white man's beating, few in the media or in the black leadership are willing to admit race played any part in the Belleville bus beating. And that's why some people are frustrated.
//And that's why some people are frustrated.//
The fear for me is that a handful of the frustrated will act like this bozo at the Cracker Barrel did. But as we all know bullies (of all races) purposely select the weak, because they haven't got the guts to assail those that have the capabilities to fight back. For instance, the little bastard that beat the kid on the bus would have been in some pain the next day had it been me he chose to hit. Instead, he picked on someone he knew would not fight back. He is a coward.
Excellent post, LA. It is extremely unsettling watching this trend in our government and in people's lives.
We knew this would happen, didn't we? We knew you wouldnt be able to critcize Zero w/o being labelled a bigot. Frankly, it shows a high level of insecurity on the part of many of 0bama's sycophants. Or maybe it's just the liberal reflex to avoid debate on the facts, and instead to resort to plays on emotion - fear-mongering, if you will (note the comment of the GA representative who said people would now be rampaging across the countryside in white robes and hoods).
Fear not - we are witnessing the death throes of race baiting in America. People have had enough of it and its practitioners. Less and less people can delude themselves into believing America is the racist hell-hole that moron Carter thinks it is.
//It is extremely unsettling watching this trend in our government and in people's lives.//
Yes, especially when all it would take is someone to address the concerns of those that oppose the policies. They cannot, so they turn to cheap shots.
//We knew this would happen, didn't we?//
You know it.
All anyone has to do is go back to the campaign and look at the hateful things that were said by those in the Obama camp, when he would appear to be on the ropes. No dealing with the arguments being made, no intelligent debate, just cries of racism to divert attention from the real issue.
It's only going to get him so far, this time.
to think WE are called things like that by this man ....
Anything I'd write here would be in such bad taste I can't.
I apologize for HIM as a former American president for even suggesting that people like YOU are racist, LA.
Take it easy on the poor old geezer, he has dementia, or at least I think he does. There's no other rational explanation. Oh, wait a minute, yes there is, he's a liberal!
//I apologize for HIM as a former American president for even suggesting that people like YOU are racist, LA.//
He is the first President I ever voted for, so I guess I should apologize to my fellow Americans for being dumb enough to think he was worthy of such an undertaking.
//There's no other rational explanation. Oh, wait a minute, yes there is, he's a liberal!//
Good job, but now let's see if you can use the words rational and liberal in the same SENTENCE. Paragraphs don't count. ;)
Hi LAS !
///Good job, but now let's see if you can use the words rational and liberal in the same SENTENCE. ///
Geez, the above sure looks like a sentence to Amerloque. Begins with a capotal letter and ends with a period, right ? (wide, wide grin)
Best,
L'Amerloque
//Geez, the above sure looks like a sentence to Amerloque. Begins with a capotal letter and ends with a period, right ? (wide, wide grin)//
Yeah...but I can't do it and keep a straight face. ;)
As I grew up in my formative years (60s and early 70s), I saw some things that were very wrong and felt the need to educate them about right and wrong so they would not be part of that culture. I saw how whites treated blacks, when whites outnumbered them greatly.
My situation was the same.
My family and I finally came to a truce, but the break was pretty permanent.
Post a Comment