A False Race Narrative Yields Negative Results

A False Race Narrative Yields Negative Results

Just as not acknowledging the root causes of terrorism and not naming it avoids addressing and resolving it, so too it is with racial issues. The administration and recent events keep reminding us of the need for a dialogue on the subject – a dialogue we’re scolded for avoiding.  So let’s have one.  Here, then, is another of my installments on the subject.

Eric Holder held a news conference to share the results of a Justice Dept. investigation of the Ferguson Police Dept., where the Brown shooting occurred, the police officer was acquitted, and rioting followed there & elsewhere.  The chant of “hands up, don’t shoot” went national, including in Congress.  Only that was based on the false narrative from few witnesses that went against all the many other witnesses, and against the forensic evidence.  That didn’t matter to the race-peddlers, who perpetuated the narrative for their own purposes -- just as they’ve done with some campus “rape” accusations later proven false. 

Holder himself very quickly (if you blinked, you missed it) acknowledged that the officer was correctly exonerated, but dwelt at length on a set of statistics that he claimed had “no other explanation than racism.”  He and the race peddlers were bound and determined to find racism – that’s their agenda, their cause.  And statistics can be interpreted in many ways, to prove almost any point.  “Lies, damn lies, and statistics” is the quote of Mark Twain who attributed it to British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.  One “other explanation” that I came up with on my own, and have since heard at least one commentator echo, is that there are significantly higher rates of crime in the Black community.  When you commit crimes at higher rates, you get arrested, fined or imprisoned at higher rates – that’s how the justice system does and should work.  For instance, Black homicide rates.  And now I’ve heard that traffic crimes are also significantly higher in the Black community, and that the Ferguson statistics (especially traffic offenses) that Holder dwelt on were almost identical to the national – i.e., not racial profiling.  And even more ridiculous were implications that ticket quotas for raising revenue might be racially motivated – as if that weren’t common across the entire nation and all racial communities.

In line with those statistics, I have personally noticed a higher incidence of reckless, lawless and rude driving by Black drivers.  They (certainly not all Blacks, or even the majority, but those who do) act almost as if it is their entitlement – just as many other entitlements.  I often sense no guilt or sheepishness, but rather defiance and a chip on the shoulder, and no one dares honk or express displeasure, as they normally would for anyone else doing the same thing, for fear of appearing racist, or inciting a violent response.  They feel above the law (or even civility), and then act resentful and angry when confronted by the law.  You can justify a lot when you see yourself as a victim.  And a victim mentality will never have the ability to elevate itself, but only endlessly blame others, and expect “social justice” to be served them on a silver platter, with no thought of personal responsibility.  

In entering into this dialogue on race relations that the administration has called for, by not sharing their politically correct views that the fault lies mainly with whites, of course I run the risk of being called racist -- which is why many are hesitant to enter into the dialogue.  If some of my remarks seem to warrant that label, rather than objectivity & openness in the interest of effectively addressing the issues, I have a few remarks.  First, let me assure anyone that just as I am fully capable of making the easy distinction between Islamic radicals and mainstream Islam, I can also make the clear distinction between radical Black activists and scofflaws, and the large number of Blacks with excellent character and values.  Like the Blacks I work and worship with, and live next to.  And many in my political party, and volunteer & civic organizations -- Boy Scouts, CERT, etc.  Second, a wise survivor of the Holocaust, Viktor Frankl, said there are only 2 races:  the good and the evil. That is in line with MLK's dream of all being judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin.  I don't care whether gang members, criminals and scofflaws are black or white.  I judge them by their character.  Third, there are of course also ethnic communities like Asians that statistically have lower crime rates & higher education rates than Caucasians, so I don't come from a racial superiority perspective.  We can all learn from one another, and improve.

Of course the Left blames higher crime rates on poverty – always going to the materialistic.  Even if it were a contributing factor and not just an excuse, the Left will never acknowledge any fault in contributing to that poverty.  E.g., intergenerational welfare they have provided.  But the foil to the poverty argument is the fact that in so many even poorer countries and communities in the world, the crime rates are not as high.  And one key difference in those places is the existence of intact families and religious or ethical values.  And those have gone dramatically downhill in the Black community since Selma 50 years ago.  They’ve won the battles for the vote and other civil rights, but are losing the war – not only the war on poverty.  The out-of-wedlock birth rate, abortions, and number of fatherless young men have skyrocketed.  Just as religious participation has plummeted.  The welfare state stands in the place of traditional fathers’ support and strength.  And without responsibility or direction, those young men are aimless and lawless.  Without a father, they have no authority figure to learn to deal with other than the police, who bear the brunt of their learning.  Those are the real causes of the higher crime rates and incarceration.  They can try to blame it on the police or justice system all they want, but it won’t address the real root causes.  Will we ever be able to judge people by the content of their character, rather than the color of their skin – MLK’s dream?  Or are Blacks (including the President) exempt from judging their character because of the color of their skin?  That seems antithetical to MLK’s dream.

Sure, blaming things on the police or justice system or widespread racism will sustain the racist outrage in the Black community, and sustain the livelihoods and political careers of the race peddlers like Sharpton, Jackson & the NAACP, or even the Democrat Party, but it will distract from and excuse the root causes and behaviors.  And perpetuate the problem indefinitely.  Which is good, of course, for the turnout of the Democratic Party’s voter base.  But will never really better the lot of that base – it will only continue to hold an ever-elusive carrot out that they can never reach.  They will just keep blindly trotting in the same direction to get that carrot.  Just look at conditions in all the communities that for generations now have been under Democrat control.  It bears repeating, that doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. 

But if they somehow find purpose and meaning in life in feeling and venting rage, and playing the victim, that’s one way to live life, in never-ending anger, misery and unhappiness.  Ever dwelling on the injustices of slavery several generations ago (for which over half a million men paid the ultimate price for their freedom).  But there is another way that has very often been demonstrably proven – there are many successful Blacks in all walks of life (not only professional sports & music) who took responsibility for their life – including CEO’s, and those in the highest ranks of all branches of government – including president of the United States. 

As imperfect as it is -- and there are pockets of racism (e.g., the drunken fraternity video widely aired recently, which of course also stokes flames) -- by about any measure, this country is the least racially intolerant, and has the most opportunity, of any on earth.  Which any who travel would notice.  I certainly did living 2 years in Switzerland, and the 34 other countries I’ve visited.  One has the least valid excuse here for intergenerational poverty – and crime.  If one waits to have a life until every last vestige of racism in every corner of the country is eradicated (and the news will always find one more instance to inflame the latent hatreds), one may wait a long time, given human nature.  And one risks perpetuating racism by behavior that alienates, and ignoring the inherent racism that exists when one continually voices anger and blame against other races, as some of the loudest voices in the Black community. 

50^th Anniversary of Selma

Which brings me to the 50^th anniversary observance of Selma, Alabama.  Another convenient occasion to review progress or lack thereof, just as I did at the anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech (my “Character vs Color” Aug. 2013 blog post https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2937105103698708786#editor/target=post;postID=8185232530501199984;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=20;src=postname & Dec. 2014 post, https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2937105103698708786#editor/target=post;postID=783582351332979617;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=5;src=postname).   The Selma event was a worthy observance, commemorating noble causes, with many noble aspects.  And then there were the false narratives that only serve to perpetuate the problems, and distract from, not address, the real problems.  For instance, Obama’s saying that a big problem that persists is making it harder to vote (voter ID).  No, in recent elections black voter turnout percentages were significantly higher than white.  Voter ID does make it harder for voter fraud, which of course is the real reason for Democrat concern over voter ID.  Such red herrings distract from the real issues that need to be addressed to solve the problems of poverty & crime – decay of the black family, welfare, values, etc.  Which Obama et al conveniently avoid – all the while complaining that we’re afraid to face and discuss the real issues (the issues he wants to talk about, that benefit him & his party – typical Alinsky-ite tactics).  Again, keeping Democrats from being elected isn’t a problem, it is keeping them in office so long when they never deliver on their promises, but just keep holding that carrot out.  Voter ID is just as much a distraction as the false narrative of “hands up, don’t shoot.” 

But this is the tactic of every failed government – to blame a scapegoat to continue to distract and garner support.  It’s used widely by totalitarians in the Middle East, Nazi Germany, Russia, China, North Korea, etc.  And it’s now being used by this administration after all its continuing failed policies at home and abroad.  It could not have come to power or been re-elected without demonization of any and all opposition, or creation of bogey-men.  It is propped up by projection, distraction and never-ending hollow promises.  It is time for any who care about this country, and their own welfare, to wake up. The “transformation” being delivered by this administration has failed, and will continue to fail, all of us.  It is not healing race relations, but exacerbating them.  It is not improving the economy and lot of the poor (or middle class), but dooming them.  It is not making the world (or the U.S.) a safer place, but ever more dangerous.  It has not made a better health care system, but has started it on a death spiral.  Everything it has touched it has damaged – a reverse Midas touch. 

And now when we dare say anything negative about this president & administration, we are accused of racism.  We must robotically admire the emperor’s new clothes – never mind that George W. Bush was (and still is) “disrespected” with at least the same level of vehemence.  Were/are they racist in that?  And they dismiss the Black Republicans and others who disagree with the president as not being truly Black – is there now a racial litmus test, and is the Black community completely monolithic and fascist?  That is such a childish or provincial outlook.

Officers Down

And now, 9 months after the Brown shooting, we have in the course of the never-ending protests in Ferguson, continually stoked by outsiders like Soros & the Black Panthers (both of whom bused in many outsiders), etc., a shooting of 2 police officers – severely wounding and very nearly killing them.  Like the 2 officers assassinated in New York.  Apparently it’s now open season on police.  Which could well lead to wider unrest, violence, anarchy & potentially ultimately even a race war.  It wasn’t enough that the police chief and other ranking officer resigned that same day – no, the protesters want wholesale turnover of the police department – no doubt justified in their minds by Holder’s “statistics.” 

When interviewed by reporters, many of the protesters expressed no sympathy or regret whatsoever for the shooting of the officers, but only for poor, innocent, “gentle-giant” Michael Brown’s death.  And on the video, immediately after the shots were fired, one loudly proclaims that if justice had been done 9 months ago, this wouldn’t have happened.  Those interviewed also clearly still believed the false narrative of “hands up, don’t shoot” – that Brown was an innocent victim of racism, shot in the back while surrendering.  There was no knowledge or acknowledgment of his brutalizing a store clerk & robbing, of attacking the policeman & grabbing his gun, of beating the officer, and then returning and charging him.  They have little interest (or capability?) in the facts, or reason, but only in their emotional agenda.  And listening to the loudest voices in the Black community & complicit liberal media, however ill-informed or dishonest, ill-intentioned, and mis-directed.  They subscribe to the definition of insanity – doing the same thing over & over again, and expecting different results. 

Their actions further divide the races, and make their own lot no better whatsoever, but only worse.  Again, their focus and energies are mis-directed, and counter-productive.  They might instead begin to talk about how Black kids are killed because they first break laws, then resist arrest and authority – somehow feeling justified, or because of irrational, unwarranted fears promulgated within the Black community to maintain distrust and fear.  It might be acknowledged that it takes 2 to tango – the rare racist-motivated excessive force by police is probably eclipsed by the much more common use of excessive abuse and resistance or aggression against police.  But if you are constantly told you’re a victim, and justified in resistance, you will begin to believe and act on it.  And provoke police.  And suffer the consequences.  By analogy, addressing the roots of radical Islam begins also with education -- in the madrases.

If the protests only endanger the community and peace, they need to be stopped, immediately.  The reason they have continued all this time and been amped up is due not only to the activists, but also due to the mealy-mouthed statements of Holder and Obama, who bend over backwards to acknowledge the validity of the Black grievances, and question the integrity of community authorities.  And the liberal media that loves to fan the flames & legitimize the protesters.  And for local authorities that feel it’s most important to let the community vent it’s anger – burn buildings, abuse police, etc.  That only begs for disorder.  They wouldn’t think of prosecuting those whose proven perjury – saying Brown was surrendering with his hand up – only continues to stoke the false narrative and violence.  Or prosecuting those who looted & burned many businesses (many on videotape).  Which of course also continues to give the rabble-rousers in the community the feeling that they are justified in their actions (and maybe more actions), and in any case can expect to not be held responsible for their actions – those already committed, or those they may now feel even more prone to commit. Where there is no accountability, or moral sensibility, there is no change in behavior.  The same can be said of letting ISIS or Iran run rampant -- they only understand firmness.