| Race in America |  |
Race In America
Editorial by Todd Pierceall
Life in Gastonia
One of the things we should explore and appreciate the most in our great country is often the very thing that we use to be divisive and promote hatred. Race is more than just defined as skin color, it also involves cultural aspects and history. These are things that we should never lose and more importantly be willing to share with others and invite others to experience with us.
I am a white male and in some circles of societies I am considered privileged. Trust me, I am not. I was raised as part of a middle class family that lived in a mixed race neighborhood, We never had problems and our community was very active together and race was not thought about. It wasn't important. I guess I was lucky to learn at an early age that the color of someones skin did not define who they were as a person.
With so much in the media lately regarding race I began to wonder why it is still an issue in our Country. Why does it still make headlines? Local Civil Rights Activist's arrested for a DWI and claims it was racially motivated, NAACP calls the Tea Party racists, the Tea Party charges that the NAACP is racists, a black government official gets fired for an edited video tape to make her appear racists, and the list continues to grow. Unfortunately it seems there are many fingers to point. No one race or segment of society can escape the blame.
At one point in our history the NAACP had a purpose. Martin Luther King had a dream. Now, I am afraid that Mr. King's Dream may have turned into a nightmare and the NAACP has become increasingly irrelevant. GASP! Did I really just say that. Well, yes. I think individuals like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are doing more harm for civil rights than they are doing good. Their association with organizations such as the NAACP only tarnish a good reputation.
The NAACP in itself and it's mission are sound and have a good purpose. Just as the Tea Party has a purposeful mission and sound objectives. It is when these groups begin to associate with the outer fringe radicals that they no longer seem relevant. They must learn to stay focused and not lose sight of what their goal is. No matter how different the groups are, they can all bring about positive change if they stay on message. Don't reach for headlines when progress is so much closer.
How many times have we seen a white on black crime and Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson all of a sudden appear and begin spouting off at the cameras. What about black on black crime. It would seem they would be equally concerned but yet they never appear. If it is black on white crime then the same individuals should be making the same type of appearances and making similar statements but it never happens. Case and point is the Duke Lacrosse Team incident a few years back. Before any of the facts were even investigated these self proclaimed civil rights activists were condemning a college known for excellence in higher education and trying to get the masses riled up. After it was said and done, and the Lacrosse Team was found innocent, there were no apologies and none of these so called leaders were condemning the black woman for lying. Everyone went home as soon as the cameras were turned off as if the accusations were just forgotten.
This does nothing to bring people of different color together. It merely serves as a tool to drive a wedge further into the racist divide. It breeds hatred where it might not have existed before. If I were head of the NAACP I would sever my ties with these activists and concentrate on issues affecting the people I represent. Education would be great place to start. The NAACP already has college scholarship programs but what about for the younger generation. Instead of showing them radical leaders that are not achieving anything, show them positive role models. Start in the elementary schools. Sponsor programs that teach the values of education, religion, and family values. The church has always been a core of the black community but so many young people are no longer involved and shun the positive messages the church offers. Show the younger generation that they can be anything, like President of the Untied States. This will not happen if every time someone gets in trouble a media hungry radical from out of town swoops in and starts shouting racism. People of all races lose their way and get into trouble. It is what you do after the trouble that makes the biggest difference. Do you use the experience as a positive lesson or do you refuse to take responsibility and scream racism. Think like Mr. King thought. Make positive changes and don't create new problems. Lead by example.
I am by no means singling out the NAACP, there are plenty of groups all over the country that operate the same way. Color, National Origin, and religion seem to define which group we associate ourselves with. The extreme Christian fundamentalists that preach intolerance and hate all in the name of God. Lately even Hispanic organizations have gone to the extreme with issues of civil rights for people that are in the country illegally. Before the hate mail starts pouring in, I am sympathetic to the plights of the large number of illegal aliens in our country looking for a better life, but the fact is an illegal alien has broken the law just by being in the country. This is an insult to the millions of people that migrated here and were processed through Ellis Island years ago and by other means more recently. They followed the law and have built rich cultures in America that most of us enjoy today.
If law enforcement arrests you, regardless of the reason, you are in fact already a criminal if you are in the country illegally. Your skin color and national origin have nothing to do with it. It only fuels the distrust when people start screaming it was racist because the person was Hispanic. No, the person was a criminal, they broke the law. I was so glad to see a Hispanic group actually come out in support of the Arizona Immigration Law that was recently passed. The reason for the group's support was that they were all in the United States legally and they were proud to be called Americans. They had not broken any laws and they stated that they would be glad to show proof of their citizenship because they were proud of what they had achieved. This makes perfect sense to me. Obey the law and go about your business. No crime, no problem.
It is time we all took a deep hard look at our own race and our own culture and see what we can fix with ourselves first. Trying to blame our problems on others only magnifies the situation and breeds intolerance. Innocent people can only be blamed so many times before they rise up and proclaim the truth. Sometimes the truth is ugly and people do not want to hear it but it can not be suppressed. I mentioned that because I am a white male and people put me in the group that is supposed to be privileged. The only privilege I have had was a loving family that taught me good values, a respect for the law, and a blindness to color. When someone blames me for problems within their own racial or ethnic communities based on the color of my skin it surprises me and then the surprise turns to anger. I am sure this is the case for many. Anger where there was none before.
Embrace your heritage. Embrace your culture, and in doing so learn to share it with others and let them share theirs with you. At the end of the day you can return to your comfort zone knowing that your life has been enriched and a new friend has been made. Color is not what separates us, ignorance is. Turn away from these radical leaders, ideas, and thoughts and do what you know is right. Don't blindly follow, but set an example to the younger generation so that they can build upon the knowledge you teach them. It is far easier to follow than lead, but in leading you become stronger and build a solid foundation for the next generation. Work for what you desire but never think you are owed anything. Thinking you are owed is a quick trip to failure and it will last for generations to come.
Learn to celebrate what makes us equal and unique. We are all in the human race. One giant family.
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