An Appeal to my generation of White Folk to Conquer Racism

 

The history textbook I learned from in 8th grade 1969 Concord Junior High

Relax, I’m not going to tell you that you’re bad. Nor am I going to expect you to be ashamed of your race. And I am not going to discredit America. In fact, I am going to appeal to your sense of American Exceptionalism as a motivator to conquer racism.

   Being a white 66-year-old, I speak to white people of my age group. I make my appeal to those of my own condition and race. I do not presume to speak on behalf of nor to black, brown, or other minorities as I have never lived in that skin and can only in an abstract way grasp their conditions and experiences.

But I can confidently speak of white conditions and history.

I have as a hobby the reading of Presidential inauguration speeches. I recently ran across the following paragraph from the Inaugural Address of William Howard Taft given March 4, 1909.

Please consider these words from one elected to lead this nation over one hundred years ago…

The negroes are now Americans. Their ancestors came here years ago against their will, and this is their only country and their only flag. They have shown themselves anxious to live for it and to die for it. Encountering the race feeling against them, subjected at times to cruel injustice growing out of it, they may well have our profound sympathy and aid in the struggle they are making. We are charged with the sacred duty of making their path as smooth and easy as we can. Any recognition of their distinguished men, any appointment to office from among their number, is properly taken as an encouragement and an appreciation of their progress, and this just policy should be pursued when suitable occasion offers.

Over one hundred years ago the unjust conditions of black people were acknowledged as something our nation should correct.

Taft spoke these words forty-four years after the 13^th Amendment which abolished slavery. Racism was still a problem. Fifty-five years after Taft spoke there was segregation in sports stadiums…still a problem.

I bring this to your attention because, for some inexplicable reason, many of us seem to suffer some forgetfulness of our own learned history and believe that the problem of racism was fabricated over the last 15 to 20 years so as to promote some political agenda.

I must point out…

We ourselves are witnesses to the history that we ourselves learned fifty or more years ago. We read, in our own history books, in our own predominantly white classrooms, from mostly white teachers, about the slave trade between England, Africa, and the colonies. We read about the Fugitive slave act of 1850 which legally compelled citizens to assist in the capture of runaway slaves. Our white teachers taught us about the lynchings, the segregated busses and drinking fountains. It was newsworthy in 1964 when the Beatles declared that they would not perform at Jacksonville’s Gator Bowl Stadium if it was segregated. These circumstances and conditions are not made up, they actually happened, and we know they happened. White teachers, in white classrooms, with textbooks written by white historians told us about them… decades ago.

I appeal to your capacity of reason…

The black folk that live among us today are mostly descendants of slaves, of those segregated on busses, and in stadiums, and schools.

Again, I’m not expecting us to be ashamed of our race or feel guilty of personal or intentional racism.

    Many white folk I know personally are respectful, helpful, and befriending of black folk and others of color.

But also, we white folk today are not so detached of association with our nation’s current and past history that we can claim to have no moral duty whatsoever to address and correct this intolerable smudge on our history. Racism is unconscionably incompatible with American Exceptionalism.

President Taft, in his address claims that America is now the only country of these black people. Yes, I know that since that speech, and maybe even before, there has been a movement of black people to reclaim their African heritage. That does not make them any less American than white folk having pride in their Irish, Scottish, or Danish heritage. American identity is sufficiently, and confidently hospitable of all of our various national ancestries.

President Taft asserts that We are charged with the sacred duty of making their path as smooth and easy as we can.

I know, immediately some of you may say “nothing was ever smooth and easy for me”. I assert that comparatively speaking, we white folk have indeed experienced ease of social movement. When we walk into a store, go to a job interview, or show up at just about any social function, we feel confident that we fit in and fully belong there. We do not receive raised eyebrows, double glances, or any other gesture of surprise or awkwardness. We know our presence is welcomed without having to offer justification for our presence.

I recently had a conversation with a black fellow of my generation regarding such issues. He stated that, even to this day, when he enters a room or building he first looks for the exits in case he may need one in haste. When I enter a building I look for the restrooms. I am preparing for my comfort while he is preparing for his safety.

Then Taft becomes yet more proactive…

Any recognition of their distinguished men, any appointment to office from among their number, is properly taken as an encouragement and an appreciation of their progress, and this just policy should be pursued when suitable occasion offers.

Over one hundred years ago a newly sworn in President petitioned for the intentional inclusion of the minority into government and society as a means of correcting this intolerable smudge on American Exceptionalism. This is not some recent strategy of political agenda designed to diminish the conditions or status of white folk.

It is not my goal to point the finger of accusation so as to find personal fault with anyone. Rather, it is my hope to invite you to be part of the solution.

In the social circles I move are mostly white folk who will eagerly be helpful, hospitable, and friendly to people of color. Yet still there seems to be a lack of understanding regarding the comparative ease of social movement we experience in contrast to the struggles of people of color.

My goal is to encourage houses of faith, service clubs, individuals to invite people of color to visit and describe their personal conditions or perhaps the stories of their parents or grandparents. Mine is an appeal to better inform my generation of white folk about the disadvantages that people of color experience in our society. Mine is an appeal to engage the compassion of white folk to address these conditions in whatever personal or organizational way we can.

I do not advocate for the passage of laws, nor do I discourage laws necessary and effective toward resolving this issue.

The condition of racism lurks deeply within this culture. To rid ourselves of it we must be intentional.

I offer a story from my youth describing just how deeply we hold on to our “white preference” …

My late grandmother, a very devout Christian and person of charity toward anyone, having once worked in the State of Mississippi, described black folk in this manner… “The colored folk in Mississippi are good folk. They step off the sidewalk to let white people walk by.”

My grandmother had been so very socially immersed in “white preference” such that she believed that people of color displayed good character by, of their own volition, subordinating themselves to white people.

My grandmother never caught the irony or dissonance in her statement.

Grasping how deeply and firmly this condition of “white preference” can be, I ask the white folk of my generation to relax the defensiveness, the pride, the fear of irrelevance, or whatever may be an obstacle toward fixing this problem.

I ask that we extend our hand of brotherhood to the various minorities among us and pull them toward us. It is an appeal to fix this problem personally, intentionally, and finally.

We, as Americans, have proven that we can reach the moon. Our free-market capitalism continues great and relentless growth of GDP regardless of wars, calamities, administrations, or whatever challenges have presented themselves.

I am convinced that we are smart enough to correct this problem. I believe our personal and national character to be compassionate enough to be moved to rid ourselves of this evil. And, by golly, we’re American enough to conquer this problem.

We are all that and more.

Now let’s determinedly be yet more and intentionally make racism a thing of the past in fact.