Manufactured Racism Hurts Blacks More Than Real Racism

Race indelibly colors America’s tapestry. Caring citizens of every hue are heartbroken by persistent problems plaguing many black communities. Like every demographic, American blacks fare much better than relations still residing in Africa, but they languish in several aspects including income. While numerous obstacles hamper more widespread black affluence, one pernicious undercurrent appears particularly destructive: manufactured racism.

A lucrative racial extortion racket longs to expose lingering prejudice behind every errant look or parsed word. “Leaders” like Jeremiah Wright, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton exaggerate racism en route to amassing fortunes. But peddling ideas that America is grossly bigoted or that black failures are primarily other’s fault spreads despair and undermines responsibility. The race mongers sow self-destructive rage only to reap a weakened people.

When white progressives echo notions that society unfairly discriminates, they too severely disserve those they profess to support; fostering resentment and hopelessness. But opportunities abound. Minorities arrive daily from impoverished countries and prosper stateside. Immigrants of African descent often out-earn native born whites despite cultural and linguistic barriers. Asians are now America’s highest earning demographic.

It would behoove minorities, particularly blacks, to overcome this bogus perception that their plight stems from a racist system. There are surely whites harboring prejudice, and to the extent anyone is harmed this column most assuredly does not mean to trivialize their pain. But almost all whites, myself included, badly want blacks to thrive. A victimhood mentality likely hinders black progress more than does actual racism.

In my experience, some of the biggest practitioners of racial bigotry, hatred and profiling are those claiming to be its primary targets.

Frankly, the race topic has grown old and stale. Inevitably, each discussion of race revolves around America’s past with slavery. But, we didn’t invent slavery and, ultimately, it was the American belief in fairness and equality that caused us to end the practice.

And, yet, there remains a large group of people in America who have eschewed their own history in this country and wrap themselves in the cloak of victimhood. No intelligent person will deny that black Americans suffered some terrible treatment in their introduction to America, but was their treatment any different or any worse than that of the Irish, the Chinese, the Japanese or mny other uniquely foreign groups?

Ultimately, the Irish, Chinese and Japanese all dug in, assimilated and not only became proud, productive members of American society, they also gradually introduced us to many of the customs that, initially, made them so unique. Can black Americans say the same? I know many black Americans who work hard, got educated and have quietly become hugely successful in their own right. They haven’t blamed others for their lives but have employed their unique abilities and hard work to make their own success.

Why are these people so different from the rest of their counterparts?? They didn’t sit around complaining that they were being treated unfairly, they just did their own thing and made it work. If racism is so pervasive, why were they able to succeed??

IMO, racism is something that certain black Americans and the DBM keep alive because it suits their agenda. I don’t want to sound as though I have dug a hole and shoved my head into it and pretend as though black Americans didn’t face adverse conditions in this country. I lived through much of the period in the south when blacks weren’t permitted to do many things due to the racism of the time. But, they persevered and overcame those things and demonstrated their courage and strength in the face of overwhelming institutionalized racism.

Early in the 20th Century, black communities thrived with their own culture and business community that rivaled many of the most prosperous white neighborhoods. Some black schools provided graduates whose academic achievements rivaled and exceeded those of some of the very best white schools. But for wanting to be accepted by whites by trying to be like whites, they lowered their standards and ultimately achieved a level of equality with whites.

But, at what cost? While many blacks have reached successful levels that I, as an educated white man, will never achieve, for many it seems to not be enough. The election of Obama was supposed to forever put to rest the argument that America was a racist country and will never elect a black president. Unfortunately, America elected the wrong black president who has done more damage to race relations in America than if he had never been elected. Instead of a hard working, industrious and innovative individual, we have a president who appears to be lazy, more interested in leisure than the job he was elected to perform, and acts more like the stereotypical African potentate than someone imbued with American exceptionalism.

So, who is to blame for racism today? Most whites recognize that their days of being a majority power in America are probably done and are much more willing to work with people of ALL races on an equal footing. But too many blacks, such as those who follow Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Louis Farrakhan, the Congressional Black Caucus and various and sundry other race-baiters and racist organizations are trapped in a world of racism that, from what I have observed, is of their own making. Will they accept the responsibility for themselves and their own lives and move on? Not likely. And, therein, is a sad documentary and prediction for their future.

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