On November 4th, 2008 racism was officially pronounced dead. It at one time formed a negative, but powerful part of politics and society, but grew weaker over the years. By the 1990s the disease looked terminal. Despite the attempts of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton in their use of heroic measures to keep it relevant, it slipped further and further away.
Racism's final minutes ticked away when Barack Obama was declared president. At that point, no one inside or outside of the United States could ever call the nation "racist" again. Whatever other calamities may happen over the next four years, we can safely toss "racism" into the historical dustbin.
Mourners over the death of racism include Sharpton and Jackson. As racism declines in relevance, so do they. Arguments for expansion of affirmative action and quotas now can be met with the fact that an overwhelmingly racist society would never elect a black president. Racial prejudice is no more prevalent than, say, prejudice against Appalachians. Of course people from that region faced a barrage of insulting stereotypes over this very election.
One prejudice put to rest, another laid bare.
The death of racism will have a powerful result, the loosening of the ties that bind blacks to the Democratic Party. Additionally, if Obama ever comes close to implementing his plans of theft it will drive more middle class and wealthy blacks towards the Republican Party. Racism's death also means the death of race based politics. That is definitely a sliver of positive from this election.
It's this type of full-on idealism and detachment from reality that precludes your assessment of our society on many issues. Your paragraphs on the death of racism is ridiculous. To suggest that survivors of the civil rights movement attempted to prolong the existence of some amorphous creature, racism (not too distant from your notion of spirits, God, etc.) for their benefit is offensive.
ReplyDeleteYou seem further out of touch with reality than the majority of your own party.
Welcome back, old friend.
ReplyDeleteThe suggestion that it is outside the realm of possibility that a person or group would want to keep the pot stirred on a given issue to mobilize supporters is incredibly naive. Both parties do it.
Not all members of the civil rights movement would want to prolong this issue, but some definitely derive benefit and support. Would Sharpton and Jackson still be relevant otherwise? Nope.
First, combating racism does not end with the election of a black president. These people are still very relevant and shall continue to be relevant.
ReplyDeleteMore importantly, you have to understand that people don't work their entire life trying to defeat something like racism, and then feel irrelevant when they strike a considerable victory. The opposite is true. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson have probably never felt this proud to be an American. You really have to understand why they are in the positions they are in in the first place to understand their goals.
Following your logic, Abraham Lincoln would have been saddened by the reunification of the United States because he no longer had a struggle to fight.