Ercille I. Christmas

Are We There Yet?...Reason v. Racism
September 28, 2009

When are American whites and blacks going to realize that they need each other and stop the damn nonsense of seeing race and racism under every rose bush? Those of us who try to live by the Martin Luther King dictum of character over color, are tired of the games being played to try to eternally divide and probably eventually destroy this country!

Today a half black, half white man is leading the US. Not even Hollywood could have written such a perfect script. A president split right down the color wheel, takes over, elected by whites, blacks and every color in between. If we follow the logic of the “race baiters,” then if to be white is to be racist, the president was elected with the help of “racists.” The media mogul with the most billions is a black woman. The golfer with the most millions and talent, is a black man. Basketball is a black man’s game, with a supporting cast of a couple of white guys thrown in. Just ask Michael Jordon, premier among the countless other black basketball stars. I don’t think that it is only blacks who are purchasing the products of these black stars, or watching them perform.

The election of the first half black president was supposed to prove to the world that this “racist” country had repented of its ways, seen the (color) light, glory hallelujah! So why is it, the race card is being trotted out by politicians, who in order to satiate their need for publicity of any kind, are grabbing the nearest microphone and verbally painting a big “R” for “racist,” on the chest of anyone who criticizes this president?

Am I a racist because:

I disagree with seeing, hearing the president apologize to a bunch of two bit dictators for America, on his extended “blame America,” tour?

I disagree with his increasing the US debt more in six months than was done in two centuries?

I disagree with the take over of private industries with a stroke of a pen, and we are still presumably living in a democratic republic?

I disagree with a proposed a healthcare plan that could be run the same as those other government agencies with their overwhelming record of success, a health care plan under whose mandate, I and my fellow citizens will be forced to pay for healthcare for those who voluntarily invaded the country? Isn’t 2017 “B Day,” as in Bankruptcy day/year for Medicare?

I disagree with the cavalier description of myself as one who “clings” to God, or I am a “right wing fanatic” because I oppose abortion?

I disagree with hearing my fellow citizens consecutively and concurrently described as “derisive,” arrogant,” a “mob,” to be “called out,” by the president, and now “racist” as the piece de resistance?

I am foreign born and when I see this “War of the Roses,” I am thankful that I grew up elsewhere, unencumbered by the need to view every thing through the prism of race. I was raised in an atmosphere with a mother who had quite a few pints of white blood in her. The younger version of her with her hair pulled back in an upsweep looked like a young Jackie Kennedy. Although my Mom was very light skinned, she married two dark skinned black men. The other woman in my life, my adopted Mother, did not have time for the crap that skin color is a barrier to achievement.

With that background, when I immigrated here, legally, and for the first time heard about affirmative action and the double standard based on race, I was puzzled. My puzzlement turned to bewilderment, and now rage. This life is difficult enough without adding an unnecessary bogey man. My interpretation of the “double standard” is a situation where too many Caucasians are so afraid of being labeled “racist” that behavior that would be unacceptable when exhibited by another white, is perfectly fine, if the perpetrator is black. So if a white kid is pummeled within an inch of his life, move along…nothing to see here.

Turn the tables, and a black kid is pummeled by some white kids, the hunt is on for these junior versions of the KKK! Want to find an example of “reverse racism,” in the very recent past? Call up one of those Duke University lacrosse players. I hope that those players have found it in their hearts to forgive the race baiters who came after them with a vengeance. To further add insult to injury, the race baiters were not men enough to apologize to the players, when the alleged racial component vanished. I won’t even dwell on the famous “Beer Summit,” when the president invited the black professor and the white cop to have a beer at the People’s House. Those suds have long since fizzled.

When I first heard about affirmative action, I thought someone must have been soft in the head to come up with such a cockamamie idea of effectively telling one race of people “you are inherently inferior.” Therefore, we are going to lower the bar so that you can get into college and get jobs for which you qualify – not because of the contents of your resume or experience – but because of the color of your skin? Thank God I never found myself in that situation. Although a non-violent person, I would have probably thrown a textbook or computer at anyone approaching me about making me a quota kid. I got where I am through God-given ability, and I would not have it any other way! Affirmative action is evil and racist.

Skip the hate mail. I am in a protected status. I am a triple minority. I am black, female and a foreigner. And since I am a foreigner, I have more rights than an American born citizen. Had I played my cards right and set up shop here illegally, I would have had even more rights, with American citizens paying through the nose for me! That is the social, financial structure that has been deliberately set up by power-drunk immoral politicians. Allowing the sovereignty of the US to be broken down by encouraging the “immigration” of about 20 million illegal aliens is no “mistake.” It was a deliberate act to put “uppity” US citizens, white and black, with all of this talk about liberty and freedom, in their place. Is the ultimate goal to have the country downgraded to third world status? If that is the goal, then the current plan is foolproof. Ask California.

That is not to say that there is not white racism. There is. There will always be a small minority of whites who feel that blacks are inferior, because of the color of their skin. Sometimes the rage of these white racists, erupts in vituperation and vengeful acts. Even so, in a country of 300 million, they are not even a blip on the radar. Truthfully, they have been marginalized, by the combined actions of blacks and whites. They are irrelevant and powerless. If we stand up to them, like many bullies, they slink away when there is a chance that they could be on the receiving end of what they are trying to dish out.

Their fellow racists, black in color, are now much more successful than the white racists, in plying their “trade.” The black racists have been thriving and surviving on “white guilt.” They have perfected the art of turning almost every incident into a racial one. They live on “payback” laws, supposedly designed to bring about “equality,” but which boil down to: “Whites for about a century and a quarter or so, you had your way. It is our turn now, and boy, are we going to make you pay, and pay, and pay, and pay!” These black racists keep preaching their “gospel” of the white man as the devil walking the earth in an overall or Brooks Brothers suit, while ironically wearing those same Brooks Brothers suits, or Armani, as they preach reverse racism!

They actively work to keep their “community,” in an eternal state of “victimhood.” Absent that “victimhood” status quo, they would be forced to find a new line of “employment.” Down the tubes would go the mansions, the appropriate wheels, and prodigious bank accounts. Yep, this working “tirelessly” on behalf of “victims of racism,” is a lucrative gig. Just once, I want to hear the race baiters, “get religion,” and begin preaching the gospel of “loving one another.” Just once I would love to hear them preach and follow the Martin principle of judging folks by the content of the character, and leave color out of the equation. Just once.

Hello! Hello! We are over here. Meet us in the middle. We are the ones – white, yellow, red, black – who are tired of you two extremist groups of black and white racists! We just want to be able to choose our own friends, intermarry if that is our desire, without the internecine war going on. Shut up and move out of our way!

In closing, I am going to let Jeff, an e-mail acquaintance, share his perspective about race relations. With all due respects to many current orators out there, I have yet to find one who summed up the question of race and relations, as poignantly and heartfelt as Jeff did.

Please take a read:

I was raised in a white town in the western suburbs, where I still reside. When I was a kid, we just figured blacks are the same as us, just a different skin color, since none of us ever knew any black folks. Some kids I knew hated blacks, probably because they were raised by racists. Not very many though. And I didn’t associate with kids who were the hateful type. My parents always taught me that we are all God’s children, and that He loves us all equally. This is the belief that I hold to this day since it is fact. And I have instilled this fact into my own children.

The high school I attended was all white 100% until my Sr. year. That year there was 1 black kid who was a freshman. He was the 1st black student in our school’s history. I didn’t know him personally, but from what I heard from those who did, he was smart, funny and a great guy.

As I entered the work force right after High School, that’s when I began meeting black people. And I never met ONE black person that I didn’t totally respect and get along with. They all were hard working, fun people, the males and the females alike. And I believe that I represent the vast majority of white America. I grew up in the 50`s + 60`s, so I remember what racism was. As a white child, seeing a public drinking fountain marked "whites only" made me wonder why the heck is that all about. Blacks were forced to ride in the backs of buses. It made no sense to me, and I remember my Mother telling me a story about a black man who looked at her when she was a young girl. Back then, a black man would get a whipping from a real leather whip, just for looking at a white woman. If a white woman got so much as looked at by a black man, all she would have to do is complain to someone and that black man would get the crap beaten out of him. She told me that when their eyes met, he quickly looked away. He didn’t want to get a beating. You know what she did? She whispered to him, "that’s ok. I would never do anything to see you get hurt, and I pray that some day, you will be treated equally"-- and he was shedding tears as she walked away. This is the woman who raised me, and these are true stories.

So let’s fast- forward a few generations, and take a look at how things have changed. Racism in America could have and should have been killed dead by now. Blacks got their equal rights long ago, and even back then those rights were long overdue. And in time, we began seeing black men being signed to major sports teams, etc... which was great! Personally, I think black guys are generally better athletes than us white guys anyway. And in time, we saw more and more blacks -- or African-Americans, as they respectfully prefer to be referred to, not only performing in sports- but reporting sports on the news. And reporting all of the news, acting in television commercials, major motion pictures and getting heavily involved in the music industry as well. I truly believe that all of this has made black/white American ties stronger.

Now enter politics. We have made history at the highest level. The election a Black (or African American) President of the United States of America sent a very strong message to the entire World, a message which is so much stronger than the day we signed the first black man to a major league baseball team, or a major motion picture contract. This is a message which cannot be topped. And my HOPE is that this message is one that America is not a nation of RACISTS. And another strong and important message is the fact that no matter what color you are, there is no longer any limit as to what you can accomplish here in America. My HOPE is that the youngsters struggling in our inner cities will see opportunities as never before. This may be the most important message of all. My FEAR, however, is that the word "racist" which is being tossed around by certain political groups, like frisbees at a rock concert-- will have a negative impact, and thusly create some regression.

To my African- American friends I must say -- we have been through a lot together, and we have come a long way. YOU have come a long way--a very, very long way. And I truly believe I speak for the vast majority of white America when I say that if a Conservative disagrees with President Obama`s policies, it is strictly about the political issues at hand, and NOT the color of the President’s SKIN. There were a tremendous amount of white voters who supported, and participated in the Obama campaign, and he is the same color at his current approval rating as he was earlier on. Too many politicians, both present and former, both black and white, have been using racism as an excuse for the unpopularity of some of President Obama`s proposed policies. We all need to back off on that and stick with what America’s true hopes are. No one wants to be beaten down for being a certain race, and no one wants to be falsely accused of being a racist either. I sure don’t - and neither would my Mother.

I sure cannot top what Jeff has elucidated so I will simply say: “What he said.”