Racism

Ugh.  Ugly.

With very few exceptions, the racism our in the early stages of our nation have been our worst example of Liberty.  It’s horrible and without defense.

But are we reaching new lows?

Just as we are moving past the ugliness of the racism that dived us, we may be dredging it up.  And not because we feel that one race needs to be controlled, but because we feel that one party, or another, needs to win.

We are a generation that are the children of the folks in the Civil Rights movement.  And our children are now being raised in homes more and more removed from that ugliness.  Growing up, I knew that distinctions made based on color of skin were wrong, but I also grew up in a time when it still occurred.  People were aware of the color of the skin of their neighbors.  Today, my children grow up without that awareness.  The fact that their classmate has brown skin is of no more importance that the fact that their classmate has red hair.

We are moving past this.

But then we get this:

The NAACP today is set to vote on a resolution to condemn the Tea Party movement for “explicitly racist behavior.”

The group’s more than 2,000 voting delegates are expected to pass the resolution today at the annual NAACP convention in Kansas City, Missouri.

The resolution, which was submitted by the NAACP’s Kansas City branch, reportedly says the Tea Party movement has “displayed signs and posters intended to degrade people of color generally and President Barack Obama specifically” and condemns “the racist elements” of the Tea Party as “a threat to progress.” It references instances in which black congressmen said they were verbally and physically abused by Tea Party activists.

And with that, a whole news cycle talking about it.  And reporting on it.  And showing pictures and images of it.

We can’t get past where we are because we are constantly reminded of what we were.

And it continues.  It permeates into our political discourse and taints it as well.  Now, instead of racism being the ugly ugly thing it’s always been, it’s being used as a tactic.  As a tool:

Mary Frances Berry Professor of American Social Thought and History, U. Penn. :
Tainting the tea party movement with the charge of racism is proving to be an effective strategy for Democrats. There is no evidence that tea party adherents are any more racist than other Republicans, and indeed many other Americans. But getting them to spend their time purging their ranks and having candidates distance themselves should help Democrats win in November. Having one’s opponent rebut charges of racism is far better than discussing joblessness.

A conscience effort to negatively brand a political movement in order to achieve your own political gains.  Aided by “racism”.

What happened to Shirley Sherrod was horrible:

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Wednesday he will reconsider the department’s decision to oust a black employee over racially tinged remarks after learning more about what she said.

But one has to wonder if this attacking and characterization would be taking place if organizations like the NAACP and even the Obama Administration didn’t stoke the old fires of that ugly thing we call racism.

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