Not Guilty As Charged

"Maureen laughed loudly.  What can I say?  I'm not a politician.  I'm a counselor.  In my work I do what I can to help people discover their own prejudices and to deal with them . . ."  Maureen, a character in Changes, a novel by Lou Hough -- published by Jamie Carr Publishing in 2004.

I saw on the news today that another movie describing injustice to people of color is about to hit the big screen.  I'd like a word here before it does and before my community gets rapped up at the side of the head -- again.  The raps are coming pretty fast these days.

Just as I didn't cut in front of that black chick at the Dollar Tree the other day, I didn't enslave negroes several centuries ago.  I didn't make black people use a separate restroom.  I didn't make you sit at the back of the bus.  I didn't refuse to serve you in a restaurant.  Neither did most of the people who live in your city, walk down your street or shop where you shop.

I saw a sound bite one time where Denzel Washington said with great drama, "They enslaved us."  Well, no Denzel, they didn't.  Unless you are among the ranks of the walking dead it isn't possible.  Maybe they enslaved an ancestor, but not you, so the people alive today don't owe you any guilt or apology and they don't deserve your anger.  They definitely are not your scapegoats or punching bags for any past trespasses against your race -- real or imagined.

Just as most Americans didn't beat up Rodney King, most of those shop owners didn't deserve to have their stores looted and burned.  The entire American public does not deserve to be punished for the acts of a handful of bigots.

The Butler, a movie which focuses on the gross injustice of underpaying the servants at the Whitehouse -- interesting and well done as it was -- has a basic flaw.  All those featured on the butler's staff were black.  Now, had there been a white butler who had worked the same or less length of time that was paid more than the black butler, then that would have been discrimination.

I'm not saying the serving crowd wasn't underpaid.  Most employees are, even in this day and age.  I am saying welcome to the club.  I never had a job in my life where I was adequately paid for all my hard work.  So, I would like to request that the current black population quit blaming the current white population for ancient history.

If you are a supervisor today, do you give equal opportunity to white job applicants?  A lot of black supervisors don't.  Do you recommend that a white employee receive as big a raise as your favorite black employee?  Ummmm-hummmmm!  If you provide money for college tuition, do you include white students?

Before blaming white folk for what their ancestors did hundreds of years ago, look to the beam in your own eye.  Racism is a two-way street.  Are you socially correct yourself?  Do you watch what you say about the white folk?  Or do you strike out at the first white person to stand in your path after you believe you have been wronged?  The American Civil Liberties Union is supposed to be for everyone, not just you.  We are not guilty as charged!!!!