Here it is, Sunday, and the past couple of weeks we have been inundated with blasts of heat from the 'post racial' gang about race! At the end of the week we find out there was, or is, a concerted effort from some who consider themselves 'liberal' and 'progressive' to 'play the race card' when one wants to obfuscate an issue. Now, mind you, the English language is a lot of fun to play with, like 'LIBERAL'. There are a few choice ways one can use the word liberal. Liberal means copious amounts...for instance when you are supposed to baste a bird you are to be liberal with the amount of basting. And 'PROGRESSIVE' has equal many ways to use it.Now consider this: With the release of discussions back and forth on the JournoLIST site, now defunct because of exposure, it was a concentrated and concerted decision for some in the 'media' business to deflect interest from a serious set of associates for then candidate Barack Obama, like his minister, by putting the report of Mr. Wright's theological sermons and his closeness to the Obama couple and the expose' of this coupling of friends into the context of 'race'. Because some reported on this volatile association some in the 'liberal progressive' media began their 'race' campaign. We have been bombarded with this strategy over and over again until most in America are wondering what happened to our peaceful and united citizenry! It wasn't until this past week we found out it was actually a PLOT to pull out the old standby Race Card that puts everyone in a place of discomfort. It has backfired on those who promoted this idea BIG TIME. How?
Well, first of all, in reality. Since the narrative from the liberal progressive left is that America has had a long history of not liking people of color, specifically black individuals it is time for a tad bit of a reality check. In my life I have been a fan [sometimes way more than I should] of some of these: Diana Ross & the Supremes; The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Stevie Wonder [even naming my daughter partly from one of his songs], Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Sidney Poitier, Bill Cosby, Greg Morris, Nicole Nichols, Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, Chris Rock, Chris Tucker, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith and many more. I don't do sports but come on, who in America can deny the long time love affair with celebs from the Football and Basketball sports fields? My life has been so blessed and surrounded by the beautiful talent of these folks that it would not be the same without them. Yet, when I listen, watch, read or discuss these same individuals it is not to see them as 'black' but to see them as PEOPLE! Just like everyone else but exceptionally talented...in comparison to myself!
Now with that out of the way, to the repugnant charge 'white' America is 'anti-black' or 'anti-people of color', let's get real. Are there ignorant people who not only possess but practice bigotry and is that bigotry sometimes directed towards people of color? Absolutely! But there is a segment of society that also is ignorant and bigoted with regards to anything that is not 'traditional' or 'acceptable' to their world view, including religion, more specifically, even against different Christian denominations. Are they the 'majority' no way. Do they even amount to enough they should get noticed other than as a concession ignorance is alive and living even in America!
Does playing the Race Card advantage anyone? Especially those in America who go about their daily business enjoying living in this country many of whom are people of color? Only the political movement that may be trying to foster a special agenda which runs counter to the wishes of the majority of Americans, including all people of color. Have we seen this before? YES, YES, YES! Back in the '60's we were being faced with a couple of big movements: Anti-war, Anti-establishment and the Race issues! We had demonstrations on campuses all over the U.S. against the Viet Nam war, Love Ins that showed the previous generation the social mores of their time were being changed and it was 'in their face' change. We also had a campaign by one group of strong militant young black people while at the same time faced with peaceful demonstrations for equal rights led primarily by a minister whose name is synonymous with peace and love, Martin Luther King. Unfortunately, as a teen from that time, I can tell you I confused the one with the other, or more to the point, I saw the violence of the one and superimposed and coupled it with the demonstrations of the other and classed them all as dangerous, not in message so much as in aim. With maturity I was able to divorce the RIGHTS and purposes of Mr. King -- whose message was not to call people to war with each other but to embrace -- from the message of Malcolm X, or the original Black Panther group and others from that time. Even murderer Charles Manson had the black vs white conflict of the time as a strong under current to his maniacal life.
Today, it is a matter of disgust to most Americans to see or be personally aware of any sort of discrimination. We point it up and deal with it when we witness it and we consider it a matter of national pride to do so!
Will this latest move by the 'alternate reality' folk, the mass cry of RACIAL unrest that the media is trying to develop and move along, last? Or, lead to another summer like those of many of the mid and later part of the '60's and early '70's? Not if we don't allow it. We must minimize it in our lives and not let provocative images and statements stir our outrage. Taking the high road is the essential now. We lose only if we let masterful manipulation move us from the place we have been comfortable for a few decades now, life without division, without segregation, without noticing color because we dislike it but because it's diversity enhances our lives!
Shame on EVERYONE who has promulgated this lame and divisive narrative. Shame on those who plotted to make it so in the media community. Shame on the President and his staff that they would make such a public issue out of a media incident and SHAME on the the same for using this instance as an opportunity to further the RACE NARRATIVE!
The one thing I figure will come from all of this is the 'DISGUST' that most Americans will feel from being assaulted in this way will be to begin to push back with counter media, via such places as blogs like this, and with a vote which replaces those who would ride on this sort of dangerous narrative in any way! So, those of you who want to be voted out please feel free to be as 'liberal' as you like, really baste the voting public with as much of your nonsense as you wish. We will remember your name at the polls when we vote for your opponents, doesn't matter what party you or they are, it is ABY! [anyone but you]
This has become boring to most of us because it is nonsense.
