Wright, Race and Reason

Michael Prescott chimed in on the Jeremiah Wright controversy this weekend, and I decided to cross post my contribution to his thread here as well. This is such a volatile topic, it's an incredible test to discover some sort of genuine reason within ourselves, let alone among the writings and sound bites generated by the hundreds of pundits weighing in all over the world.

I am a white man. The Wright controversy has forced me, along with millions of other Americans, to confront an aspect of the African-American community that most would rather pretend does not exist. Wright's ravings, as incendiary as they are, are sadly representative of a line of thought that runs throughout the black community. Wright speaks to the mentality of the victim, a mentality that persists with a pernicious tenacity throughout this particular segment of society. Though his language may have been unusually strong, the feelings he has given voice to are real and powerful for many African Americans, and they are not going to be wished away.

Like it our not, the treatment of the African American over the history of these United States of America is shameful and atrocious. Beginning with the stain of slavery, continuing with the rise of the KKK, the lynching’s and racial cleansing of communities throughout the south, the Jim Crow laws, the Civil Rights horrors and riots of the sixties . . . I think it is impossible for a white man to have a genuine appreciation for how this all is viewed when it is part of your heritage. How would I feel if I knew my great-great grandmother was repeatedly raped by her white slave owner? Or if my family once owned dozens of acres in Forsyth County, Georgia that they were forced to abandon without compensation upon threat of death, property that is today home to wealthy residential neighborhoods? What if I could remember being forced to use separate hotels, or restaurants, or water fountains? What if I had a beloved uncle, or maybe a brother, who had been beaten to death in the chaos of the sixties? What if my children were trapped in schools rife with drugs and violence, if gangs roamed my neighborhoods, or if too, too many of my former schoolmates were either dead or in prison?

Would I be able to look at a white man with benevolence? Would I see my race as victimized by my country? Would I awaken each day with a sense of hope and optimism for my own, or my children’s future? If I’m brutally honest in self assessment, I have to conclude that I would fall short. When I think of the adversity I have faced throughout my life, I can only say that in comparison, I’ve been very fortunate.

This is not to defend Black Theology. The statements of Wright and Cone are correctly identified by many as vile, horrific, racist rhetoric. But I can understand the source. I can see why there is an audience for these diatribes, why there are many blacks in this country that still see themselves as victimized, and face life every day through a lens colored with bitterness, resentment and hopelessness.

Having said all of this, I also must admit that I share the resentments expressed by many whites. I didn’t rape any slaves. I didn’t participate in a lynching. I didn’t drive someone from their home, or own a segregated business, or beat a black man to death while resisting the civil rights movement. I look at the inner cities; the rampant drug use, the crime and violence, the contempt for education and the horrible consequences of the welfare system, where there are now several generations that have known nothing but dependence on the state for their survival, and continue to have children as a means to a steady source of income. And when I hear the black population call for reparation for the injustices of the past, I recoil. I’m in my late forties, with concerns of my own. How will the economy hold up? Will I be able to provide for my retirement? I have no children, but many of my white friends have serious concerns about their kid’s future; about how to pay for education, or what will be the environmental conditions their children will inherit? I see a well qualified friend bypassed for a job through affirmative action, and consider the growing tax bill that seems to only exacerbate the problems with the existing welfare system, and I wonder what the hell is going on. It’s the truth.

These are issues that run deep throughout our society, and Wright’s comments hurtling into the collective consciousness has exposed a deeply troubling aspect of American society to the entire world. These are not concerns that are going to be solved either quickly or easily, and certainly not from the mentality from which they have been created. For the white population, it involves understanding the source of the bitterness in the black community, and advocating a society that honors the dignity and deep humanity of all races, of respecting that we are all humans first, with deeply human problems, and that we all share that in common, before any cultural differences. For the black community, as difficult as it may be, it involves recognizing that the atrocities of the past are past, and that the only reasonable path forward involves accepting individual responsibility for one’s own future, and by extension, that of the African American community as a whole. Progress is likely to be slow and painful, but both races need to emphasize the dignity and rights of the individual, and demand absolute equality for each and every one of us.

The electorate has an important choice facing them this year. There are some that will conclude that Barack Obama’s long association with the theology of his pastor is too disturbing for a Presidential candidate. By doing so, they are effectively choosing to sweep the issue of race back into a dark corner, where it will continue to fester. The resentments will grow on each side, the government will continue to throw money at the problem, and the divisiveness will worsen.

I will be interested to see how this all turns out. Race is an issue that has never in my memory been so visible in a presidential race. And as difficult and uncomfortable as it is, it cannot even be considered among the most pressing of the issues before us. There are major economic issues we are faced with, continuing military debacles on two fronts, a severely damaged international reputation and continuing fears of radical Islamic terrorism. The question for me is not whether Obama’s association with his pastor disqualifies him, but which of the candidates is best equipped to move the country in a positive direction in all areas. Obama’s platform is much too liberal for my tastes, but I also recognize that he may possess the finest intellect of any candidate in my lifetime, and his message of unity and hope is sorely needed in a deeply divided country. I also happen to think he means it. I think he’s real. I also think that he understands that in order to make progress, he will by necessity need to move towards a centrist position upon assuming office, while his campaign itself speaks to remarkable organizational skills. If I have the opportunity to vote for the man, I will.

In the meantime, I will watch with great interest as this all plays out. If nothing else, this election will show the world what is important to the American people, and most critically, who we are choosing to be.