I wrote the other day about in my youth I was raised by a father who was overtly racist causing me to begin my college basketball career (short as it was) by befriended by a Black basketball player of whom I was in fear the first time I realized I was on the same team as a person of “color.” I grew up in a “lilly white” neighborhood, went to a “lilly white” school, and, quite naturally, had a group of friends who were all white. This great friend was the beginning of myself learning about my own racist upbringing, my own racist beliefs, and the reality is this was an area in my life where I was completely ignorant.
I won’t go over all I wrote, but over the course of my life – to this point – I’ve evolved due to the many persons of “color” who’ve had a significant influence on my life AND, I’m happy to say, my father evolved to a much better place before he went “home.” The reality I have to face is that, despite being in a much better place than I was as I graduated from high school (in 1965) – my level of ignorance is still much greater than it should be. My curiosity about the history of America and the history of those places in the world recently referred to by our so-called president as s#@thole countries is clearly lacking.
Today I spent time listening to Joy Reid, a MSNBC host of a program called “AM Joy” and, in my view, she is one of the most intelligent commentators on the cable news networks. She had a couple segments with three distinguished Black guests. Unfortunately, I can’t remember the name of two of them, the one whose name I knew, Mark Thompson, is a man who has a radio talk show on XM radio and, in the past, I’ve listened many times to his show (the time slot changed and I no longer am able to get it) What I was reminded as I listened to these three guests of Ms. Reid was that I’ve failed, in all my reading, to educate myself more about the history of Black Americans and the areas in the world Trump referred to – which have sent us so many great Americans – and from which Trump is not only trying to block more immigrants while encouraging immigrants from places like “Norway,” but wanting to “send people back.”
One of the three guests, who was a journalist working for the “New Yorker,” caused me to realize a place like Haiti has a much more significant place in America’s history than I was aware and “we the people” over the years have allowed our leaders to, essentially, plunder that nation – taking much more than we’ve given back – and, now Trump is planning to return thousands of Haitians who’ve immigrated to the U.S. because of the terrible earthquake in (I think) 2010 and a disaster they have not totally recovered from by canceling their “temporary protected status.” (again, I should know more) Haiti is not a s@#thole country and it has an important place in American history. Haitians should not be returned to Haiti because they’re Black – which is what myself, and many others, are inferring is Trump’s intention regarding his unilateral action. From what I can tell, he’s insinuating Haitians lack “merit.” Yikes! (people from many other of Trump’s so-called “s@#thole countries are affected by Trump’s action as well)
Several years ago I read the biography of W.E.B. Du Bois, which I remember as being a very challenging book for me to read because it was packed with information I, as a white person, was challenged to comprehend. (what helped me the most, as far as helping me to better understand his biography, were the REAL stories my Black friends shared with me over the years about what they endured) Du Bois is clearly one of the Great Americans who’s been largely “hidden” from the history books. This was about the same time I connected on the XM radio in my car with Mr. Thompson and began listening to his program “Make it Plain.” Mr. Thompson caused me to learn more about the view of persons of “color” in America and how I was so naive in my thinking about the level of racism in America. I suppose I was thinking that as my beliefs had evolved over the years, so would have the bulk of Americans’ beliefs as well.
Well, enough Americans had evolved in 2008 to elect our first Black president – whose father came from one of Trump’s s@#thole countries – but his eight years in office somewhat opened my eyes. (I have to say, I was proud of my country the day President Obama was elected. I can’t remember any other day in my lifetime I felt so proud of this great nation). Soon after President Obama took the oath of office, the now infamous “Koch brothers” funded the so-called “tea party.” It was clearly a response to Obama’s election. I saw the “Tea Party” for what it was right from the start – I will never forget all the disgusting signs at their rallies depicting President Obama in such overtly racist manners. All their “coded” language during Obama’s two terms in office sickened me. But, I continued to delude myself into thinking it was a “fringe minority.”
I guess, as I try to be honest with myself, I kind of brushed off the “birther” movement, which was part of the “tea party” backlash to Obama’s election, as fringe nonsense. I kind of knew Trump was leading it, but I didn’t really know who Donald Trump was. I saw him as someone constantly seeking to draw attention to himself. It was beyond my imagination he could be a viable presidential candidate – but, the republican field of candidates was often referred to as the “clown car.” One thing common to almost all of them was a racist disrespect for President Obama. As he was attempting to bring America out of the “Great Recession” which many said could have become another “Great Depression” (and, to many Americans it probably seemed it was) these republicans were attempting to cause him to FAIL. Ask yourself, why?
When the republican “field” was reduced to Trump or Cruz, I realized the issue of racism was much more significant in this country than I had allowed myself to comprehend. Despite the fact the evidence was right in front of me every day. Republicans, from the first day President Obama was elected, were putting their hate ahead of their country as they committed themselves to causing Obama’s failure. (They failed at that, didn’t they)
I was not so naive as failing to understand the “dog whistle” behind Trump’s “Make America Great” again. This was the slogan of Hitler in the 30’s “Make Germany Great Again” and it was the slogan of Ronald Reagan as he started his successful campaign for president in Philadelphia Mississippi (this was his first speech after securing the nomination) with a racially coded message assuring “white nationalists” he was on their side. In the case of both Trump and Reagan, “Make America Great Again,” should read “Make America White Again.” (This is why, in my posts since Trump moved into the “White House” I use quotation marks – if you hadn’t already figured that one out)
Of course, one reason people like Paul Ryan are urging Americans (by inference, “white Americans”) to have more babies is because soon America will be a majority minority country. Recently, I read an article which said a majority of children who are 5 years old are of “minority” decent – meaning “non-white” in their answers to census type questionnaires. I guess this is why Trump is trying to block immigration from what he refers to as s@#thole countries and encouraging more immigration from Norway. (My first thought when I heard what he said was how many Norwegians would even want to come here with Trump as president?)
As I listen to all this stuff – and, Trump seems to purposely create a controversy every day – (I’m guessing this hides much of what he’s really DOING) I keep trying to put myself in the place of Black Americans. One of my best friends ever is a Black Pastor who now lives thousands of miles from me and I almost don’t want to broach the subject of Trump’s racist remarks with him. This is what he and so many others have had to endure for their entire lifetimes, There was a pastor on Joy Reid’s show – as I mentioned above – who said “we the people” should “repent” for so many things (he called them “S” words – like “slavery” for one). I can’t remember exactly what he said, but it was such a passionate and coherent response to Trump’s disparaging words I felt, as I kind of said above, a sense of guilt for my own lack of knowledge about so much American history. And, for so much of what America’s Black community has had to endure.
Clearly, the history books I was brought through school with and the ones I taught with as a middle school teacher did not clearly report true American history as it relates to Black history or that of other important minority groups. The reality is almost all Americans are immigrants to some degree. The white Europeans have been the majority since the days of the revolution and those of us who are white have been “blessed” with “white privilege” – most of us with no comprehension of what that actually is. Mr. Thompson helped me to better understand this as I listened to his radio show, and this morning, I was reminded of his “lessons” as I listened to his commentary regarding Trump’s offensive comments on Ms Reid’s show. (My friend, who I mentioned above, was my teaching partner for many years and he helped me supplement material into our history lessons that was not in the text books. I’m 70 now and, obviously, still have a lot to learn.)
It’s Martin Luther King “weekend” and, hopefully, many Americans will be looking back at Dr. King’s “message.” Years ago, I was wanting to write about Dr. King and, after reading his “letter from a Birmingham Jail,” I simply published that letter – because there was nothing I could add at the time. (I need to go back and read it again) Today, I listened to Trump reading prepared remarks about Dr. King and it almost seemed offensive. He was simply reading prepared remarks with not an “ounce” of emotion. It came across to me as, especially after his words of last week, as another Trump example of the “height of hypocrisy.” I’ve made it no secret on the site that I have a difficult time “stomaching” Donald Trump. He’s the (so-called) president and I have never wanted a president to “fail.” I want America to succeed – it’s just, to me, that won’t happen via Trump’s racist agenda. To me, Trump is “Making America worse.”
As with the three guests on Joy Reid’s show, I was not surprised at Trump’s racist words – other than to think he should be smart enough to say them with a different audience. (it’s been reported that Lindsey Graham actually called him out on his language – I hope that’s true and I hope Mr. Graham is rethinking his recent lack of rectitude when it comes to his remarks about Trump) I’ve pointed out Trump is OBVIOUSLY racist since long before he was elected. I believe it’s the REASON he was elected. Comments from those carrying the Tiki Torches at Charlottesville confirm THEY believe they’re the reason Trump was elected. The “white nationalist” movement came out from “under the rocks” to back Trump in huge numbers. As the saying goes, it is what it is.
What I was reminded this morning is the importance of the “resistance” continuing and the importance of encouraging the MILLIONS of young Americans who, mostly, see through Trump’s racism to get to the polls in 2018. We need to show the world this is NOT who we are as a nation. America was GREAT before Trump ever thought about running for president, and precisely because of immigrants from s@#thole countries and virtually every place around the globe. We DON’T need to “make America white again,” what we need to do is follow the ideals of Martin Luther King, show pride in being the world’s “melting pot,” work harder to “Make America ‘just’,” and work to regain our status as the “land of opportunity.”
Final Thought: click HERE if you’d like to read the “letter from Birmingham jail.” I re-read his letter today, “Martin Luther King Day” and, it remains one of the most powerful documents I’ve ever read. He was truly a brilliant great American. He brought us a long way, but Trump is constantly reminding us all, we’ve got a long way to go. I hope, if you’ve made it this far, you’ll read his letter. However, I thought I’d put his final remark here: Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear drenched communities, and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.
Somehow, I can envision a march, similar to the “women’s march” with White and Black Americans marching as brothers and sisters in opposition to the words of Donald Trump and the white nationalist movement he represents, and, instead in support of the ideals of love and peace taught by Jesus Christ and preached by Martin Luther King.