Are You a Racist?

Obama Deals the
Race Card

Posted on May 21, 2011

After receiving a comment from an old friend, that suggested racism motivated my articles about Obama, I started thinking about it. I decided to put a few thoughts on paper about my feelings towards other races. What I believe may be different from what you believe, and if so, please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts with me.

Specifically, the race we are discussing is the Black race. I want to caution you that none of what I write is pejorative in nature, just an honest assessment of my beliefs.

In the 1940’s and early 1950’s Blacks were politely referred to as Negroes. Of course we used the other term, but were oblivious to the hurt it caused by using it. Segregation was everywhere, even in the movie theaters; i.e. Blacks had to sit in the balcony while Whites sat on the main level. The drinking fountains had a sign designating which race was to use it as were the restrooms. But, to me as a child, it was just the way things were. I never even gave it a thought. Blacks had their schools, and we (Whites) had ours.

Except for the obvious changes found today in our schools, and the awareness of how hurtful the terms we used to refer to Blacks, not much has changed – at least not from my vantage point. Our cities and towns remain segregated into sections by race. The Latinos generally live in a section, the Blacks live in a section, and the Whites have their section. A few cross the racial boundary lines, but not many. Interracial dating and marriage are more common, but still, comparatively speaking, in very small percentages.

If you travel around in the town or city you live, you probably do not cross into the sections populated by other races, but if you do, chances are that you will find that the Black section appears to be poorer than the Brown section and the Brown section appears poorer than the White section. A generalization to be sure, but representative of the cultural conditions found with each racial group. It is clear just from observation that we are far from being an integrated society.

Each race has its own customs and traditions. The people who make up these racial enclaves like and want to keep those cultural identities. It is no more complicated than that. Blacks have their own set of values, work ethic, and way of life. So pardon me if I don’t share their choices on how to live. It isn’t a feeling of superiority that keeps me from adopting the way of life that they hold dear, but rather a rejection of their lifestyle.

Speaking only for myself, I prefer the term peaceful co-existence rather than racism. Technically, I suppose it is racism but not a form that denigrates the other race, just a cultural difference that I cannot accept. I have many Black acquaintances. Some I like but don’t respect, some I respect but don’t like, and some that I like and respect. For those who come under the heading of like and respect, the color seems to disappear into just a human hue.

It is important to note that the superficial differences between the Black and White races such as skin color, hair type, lips, and voice are just that, superficial. The differences that matter are cultural…not physical. Those who choose to remain within the cultural makeup of their natural race do not respect the crossovers, those who stray away from their cultural heritage into the world of the other races. But it is with these crossovers that hope for assimilation lies.

The resentment is strong enough for crossing-over to keep racial cultural assimilation progress a slow moving affair. Again, it is only a personal hunch, but with the passage of time, we will reach a plateau where cultural differences will be so small that racism will all but disappear.

But, it is the here and now we have to deal with. Whatever path taken to eventually lead us to a racially ‘I don’t care’ society, is of no consequence for the here and now. Our ethnic origin is the easiest tag we can use to define the different cultures. Skin color just happens to be the line of demarcation between the different cultures.

Each of the different races has a rich past, steeped in the traditions that have maintained them throughout their history. It is wholly unfair to ask of these great races to just forget about whom they are, their history, and traditions to merge with a different race and change their culture.

It is equally unfair of this nation to force dependency upon those different cultures. But that is what is happening. We have trapped millions of Black and Hispanic people into our welfare snare. Welfare is not an act of compassion but rather a bait, or lure if you will, for the only act of expression that they and all of us possess in America and that is our vote.

We have elected a bi-racial president. Obama subscribes to the philosophy that achievement doesn’t matter. His policies punish achievers and in the process discourages innovation that is so necessary to keep the society thriving. This is a selfish act by Obama for maintaining political power. He uses wealth redistribution from the achievers and private sector as pay-offs to his political base. Political pay-offs and schemes for redistribution are ruining what was once the beacon of hope to so many. Historically, these types of policies have always ended in the destruction of the society that tried them.

Am I a racist? In the matter of cultural acceptance, the answer is yes. In the matter of the superficial physical traits of the different races, the answer is no. Are you a racist?

Robert welcomes your comment to this or any other of my commentaries.

Unique Visitors