Many people, especially rather pale people of my complexion, don't like to talk about race and its meaning in America today. Hurricane Katrina provides ample context for recognizing this once again.
Take a moment to check out the blog entry at:
http://minorjive.typepad.com/hungryblues/2005/
09/in_new_orleans_.html.
The entry is quite, well. . ."interesting."
What you will see are two photographs.
The first is of a young black man with a garbage bag. He is making his way through chest deep water.
The caption under the photo reads, "A young man walks through chest deep flood water after looting a grocery store in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005. Flood waters continue to rise in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina did extensive damage when it made landfall on Monday (AP Photo/Dave Martin)."
The second photo captures a young white couple wading through water of similar depth.
The caption under this second photo reads, "Two residents wade through chest-deep water after finding bread and soda from a local grocery store after Hurricane Katrina came through the area in New Orleans, Louisiana (AFP/Getty Images/Chris Graythen)."
Draw your own conclusions.
I am sure there will be all sorts of "rational" explanations for this amazing contrast.
Don't kid yourself. Race still matters in this country and it matters a lot.
Yes. Race matters. There is racism and bias.
ReplyDeleteLast night rapper Kanye West said live on NBC, "President Bush doesn't care about black people." He referenced the same pictures and captions you reference in this post.
If there is to be racial healing, we need better public leadership than Kanye West.
For the record, I do not believe President Bush hates black people. I believe he is a white President in a time when a horrific storm wiped out a city populated by many poor black people. Has he done everything right? No. Does that make him the commander and chief of racism? No.
See my post today about Cleo and Wilbert (black refugees from New Orleans taking shelter here in Fort Worth). I wish you would reference these kind of Kingdom of God stories occuring right now alongside the racism and bias of the world. Then let the people choose who they will follow and what captions are best.
By the way... Many newspaper headlines Monday said, "New Orleans Spared." This was the hope and common thought for 24 hours or so. The media, like The President, did not get it all right. They still don't...
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ReplyDeleteI would like to link to an article about those photos, (http://www.snopes.com/photos/katrina/looters.asp) part of which is taken from the mouths of the actual photographers. They took the photos and they assisted in labeling them. You may argue with this response, but perhaps it was less about race than what the photographers actually SAW happen.
ReplyDeleteI do admit that we have a LONG way to go in this country in our dealing with racial differences and the poor, but lets not try to make a NATURAL disaster into a political and racial issue. That's just not fair.
The problem is that us Christians who want Kingdom of God stories shown during this horrible time should be concerned with the Kingdom of God when we are voting on public policy. Yes, there are many terrific people stepping up to the plate to help, but are we really seeking the Kingdom when we support politicians who cut funding for the very least in our nation? The very people who are suffering so much in the wake of this storm.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, it is about race. The very poorest in our society seem to be people of color. We can't ignore it. We are a classist society, and unfortunately, that makes us a very racist society at the same time.
j
I don't believe President Bush hates Black people. However, I do believe he is like most White, middle- to upper-middle class people in our society. He doesn't *know* poor people. He doesn't *know* poor Black people. Because he doesn't have relationships with people who are poor and Black (or Hispanic), he can not and does not feel their pain, their frustration, their resentment. He is comfortable and doesn't understand what it's like not to sit comfortably.
ReplyDeleteI have done quite a bit of research on "invisible" racism. It is interesting to me that, as I conduct my interviews, White people continuously say "it's not about race," yet, later on in the interview will make a prejudice comment. I don't believe their comments are intended to be ugly and mean. It's actually acceptable in our society for some of those stereotypical comments to be made--especially when we're around other people who look like us. However, even though those comments and assumptions aren't intentional, they still lack the knowledge of what is truly happening in our society with people who are poor (and Black...and Hispanic). It is one thing to go this weekend and talk to someone and hear the pain of what they are experiencing. I would suggest that we go even further and use this tragedy as a wake up call to build relationships with and get to know people within our communities who are struggling on a daily basis. Perhaps once we know them and hear what they have to say, we will begin to feel the pain of our neighbors and friends and begin to do something more than blame them.
And FYI...Kanye West actually does have some things to say to us. If you can learn to understand the slang and overlook the cursing, he speaks volumes about what is really going on in urban America today. Look at/listen to: All Falls Down, Jesus Walks, We Don't Care. The thing he raps about are real. I listen to my neighbors and see it outside my door every day.
Maybe there is racial bias in the photo captions you cite. I doubt it though. When you read the comments of the photographers it seems that the subject described as "looting" was seen going into the store without the bag but leaving with it. The photographer didn't see the couple go into a store but did see bags of bread and bottles of soft drinks floating around them - thus the word "find". As an example of racism that is a pretty thin thread.
ReplyDeleteA better example of racism might be better found in the local and state government. Governor Kathleen Blanco admitted that she ordered the mandatory evacuation only after the president called to "urge" her to do so. Those are her words. Not mine. What about a local evacuation plan that consisted of more than the Chief of Police telling residents to "haul ass"? You're on your own. If you can't get out of town then get to the Superdome. If you can't get there then get on your roof. To the overwhelmingly poor and black residents of New Orleans that sounds alot more racist to me.
I am one Christian concerned with The Kingodm of God all the time.
ReplyDeleteSo much so that when voting I intentionally avoid candidates who promise better results while relying on the same failed policies that have failed a generation of poor Americans.
There are many colors in God's prism of social concern. It is not black and white.
Today I most likely will not be able to respond to every comment. But to be clear, my intention was not at all to say that the President is a racist.
ReplyDeleteThe point is in the assumptions or the interpretations of the captions. How did the photographer know that the couple had been able to "find" the items they had in a local grocery store? Did he see them picking up the items in the store and then call that "finding"? Did he ask them and then did he take their word for it? How did these photos get posted by an internet service without edit until protest forced it to remove the photo of the white couple? The symbolism of the entire affair is most curious to me.
My only point here was to raise the issue that is very real in our cities.
Monty, I agree with you completely. The systemic racism embedded in New Orleans and in every other major American city stand back of many of the terrible results we have seen played out on our television screens.
Our institutions favor those who are not black or brown. The "your own your own" attitude you reference is an apt summation of our current national public policy regarding the poor in this naiton across the broad--in housing, education, health care, employment training, child care, transportation, environmental concerns and obviously emergency preparedness.
These everyday matters are directly connected to the incredible deficiencies we have discovered in this terrible and unpreventable event.
Tens of thousands did not leave because they could not--they had no way to leave and their governments did not have the resources or the materials to assist them. Part of the very same lack that every mayor in every major city faces this morning across the wide range of issues I listed above.
Racism is much more than personal bias--that part is easy by comparison to the institutional racism that is very alive and well today in our society.
And, Danny, you are also correct to bring positive stories to our attention. I know there are countless stories like the one you reference. All day yesterday we had individuals wanting to help and families so grateful for our help. Inspirational stuff. I will share those stories often in the days ahead. I love sweet, uplifting stories. And, I am made better by them.
Just one problem. If that is all the spiritual and thought leaders of America do in the face of suffering and injustice today and going forward, nothing whatsoever will change for the better in this nation.
On a parting note, read Newt Gingrich's comments in today's papers about his opinion on the nation's response time to Katrina. Apparently, he shares a few of my concerns.
Thanks, as always, for your comments and opinions.
Race matters.
ReplyDeleteIt matters when a black man is in a store and somebody's looking over his shoulder.
It matters when you hear otherwise good Christian white people STILL say they are uncomfortable with interracial dating.
It matters when you still hear n-word jokes tolerated in white Christian circles.
And most of all, it matters when we forget a simple fact--our white ancestors owned black people and spent over 200 years dehumanizing them . Just because slavery has been abolished doesn't mean its impact isn't real. We'll be dealing with the aftermath of that "human" hurricane for centuries.
If you're white, ask yourself this--have we really come to grips with our legacy on matters of race? We still want our schools named after confederate generals and our confederate flag held high. And not one bit of outrage from white pulpits anywhere.
I don't see myself as a conservative or a liberal, so please don't devalue what I say by chalking it up as political gamesmanship. I just think that we as white people need to have a better perspective on where this outrage is coming from. Tensions in the black community simmer below the surface all the time. Something like an unjust verdict (Rodney King) or negligence from our government in providing aid to a poor black city just sends it to a boil. We've screwed them over for hundreds of years, and believe it or not, they might have a hard feeling or two.
If some good comes of this, maybe we'll somehow realize that we
we as white Christians should be actively bridging the racial divide.
I've seen posts elsewhere talk about the fact that Satan is somehow behind the strong disagrements that have come to light on this blog in the past couple of days. To me the evil is the fact that we haven't had these frank discussions sooner.
Brandon Bob Toombs
Mr. Simms, don't want to get into an argument, but I hear what you say all the time. Frankly, the idea that the policies of the past have "failed a generation of poor people" is inaccurate. If you read reliable historical accounts (not political, but historical and statistical) of say the Eisenhower or Johnson years (last 1950s-late 1960s) what you see is the rising of a significant black middle class--complete with higher education, rising wages, professional jobs and improved housing. The poverty rates were driven down dramatically in a very short period of time. The successful efforts were halted and compromised by Vietnam. What was left was dealt a death blow by Mr. Reagan's "welfare Cadillac" urban myth.
ReplyDeleteThe history of blacks in the USA and their move from slavery to freedom into Jim Crow through the Civil Rights Movement and onto integration is important to keep in mind. The efforts of the 1950s and 1960s were designed to address the unique stress and challenge of that era for all of the naiton's poor from Appalachia to Harlem. Unfortunately, those efforts were cut short and not followed through on to what might have been a much better conclusion.
Moving to the opposite extreme over the past 25 years by touting tax cuts for the top at the expense of the bottom has resulted in a genuine, fully entrenched underclass.
If you believe, as I guess you do, that the policies of the 1950s and 1960s failed, you must be really unhappy with the current state of affiars, if you are concerned about the poor.
Chad T.
When Jesus said, "The poor you will always have with you..." he must have been an upity rich guy who doesn't care about the poor.
ReplyDeleteAnd how about all those times he told the government of Rome it was their job to help the poor!
And when He told the rich guy to sell all he had and give to the poor, there's just one problem:
"If that is all the spiritual and thought leaders of Heaven do in the face of suffering and injustice in those days and going forward, nothing whatsoever will change for the better in this world."
Larry: You need to speak to both sides of these issues in your repsonses. You're letting some mean spiritied people slide by while taking the others (who yes I tend to agree with) to task.
Larry, Thank you for being bold about our lack of compassion for the poor of any race. I am praying for you as you aa a leader in helping the poor. Now for those of us who think we have "Jesus like" compassion, we must "act" upon our beliefs or we certainly won't be "Jesus like."
ReplyDeleteMac speaks, thanks for commenting. I guess I try to overlook the "mean spirit" of anyone who comments. I really do regard this whole process as a place to air points of view for the good of community and the growth of democracy.
ReplyDeleteI guess we fail here some. But I bear no ill will toward any "poster."
If you would like to read my thoughts on Jesus' use of Deut. 15:11, take a look at what I posted on January 18, 2005 at this site.
Of course, Jesus didn't live in a time when the government was of, by and for the people. Our day affords us a great opportunity to attempt bold and wonderful things together for the most people possible. So, thank God we are not living in the Roman Empire. And thank God we can actually build a better society.
I also believe that if rich Christians, usually so intent on living a "book chapter and verse" life, decided to apply the words of Jesus to the rich young man, you would see a radical change on this earth--think about it. It would be so dramatic a "witness" (much like Acts 2, 4) that heaven would pretty much take care of itself. But, we/I don't do that.
Thanks again for taking the time to express yourself.
This is not so much about the tragedy in New Orleans.
ReplyDeleteWhy is asking someone to work a bad thing? The poor who want a job ought to have one. The poor who want a handout ought to learn how to want a job. They probably won't learn this until the government quits giving them money for doing nothing. Maybe I'm missing something since I'm hard at work and living in the real world.
I run a company that uses day laborers. We usually hire between 2 and 8 a day depending on the weather. I have actually had people (white people) call me all sorts of things for hiring these guys who want to work. Use your imagination for what a white guy hiring a Mexican or black man might be called.
This is backwards.
Jep Smith, Royce City, Texas
Larry, I have learned so much from you over the past few months - since we both started blogging. I have tremendous respect for you and hope we can talk face to face one of these days. I'm having a hard time with your posts this week.
ReplyDeleteI understand that race is still an issue, and we as a society haven't come as far as we should have by now. But Larry, I am so tired of the cries of racism everytime a person of color doesn't get what they want or need. I too work with the poor and needy and most of those with that label in my area are White or Hispanic. I'm also tired of being blamed for what white people before me did to blacks for a few hundred years. I wasn't even alive then, and if I had been I would have done what I could to bring about change and definitely protection!
The media is biased! Why should I be surprised that a black rapper would say our white president doesn't care about black people?
I grew up eating government cheese and buying everything with food stamps. I had a disabled mother and an absent father. If we had been one of those living in NO then we probably wouldn't have been able to leave either. I'm white, but poverty is colorblind!
As for the comment before mine... Is this guy actually saying that poor people don't want to work and that the government shouldn't help them until they do??? What real world is he living in?
Mr. Smith, how many people do you know that would hire a man or woman that is dirty, smelly, has no ID or address, and no phone? Some people don't CHOOSE homelessness. Come and visit some of us who do live in the real world and work with people who TRY to get jobs and can't!
Niki, would love to talk to you at some point. Every time I hear the frustration of white folks about the issues of race and poverty, I just ask them to talk to a person who is black of any class strata. Listen carefully to what they tell you--both black folks and Latino/Latina folk. I won't belabor the point, nor do I want to continually argue about this. Still, to ignore the continuing reality of white privilege is a huge mistake.
ReplyDeletei typically don't buy the race card; but the response to this disaster was simply too slow, too mismanaged, frankly too WEIRD...the class and race of most of those stranded had some part to play in this; the only shimmer of a silver lining that i can see in all of this is that the despair of the lower class citizen in the united states has been highlighted and perhaps more of middle and upper class white america will think about ways to help just a little bit more.
ReplyDeleteCathy
I thought Peggy Noonan had some interesting comments on this matter:
ReplyDelete"As for the tragic piggism that is taking place on the streets of New Orleans, it is not unbelievable but it is unforgivable, and I hope the looters are shot. A hurricane cannot rob a great city of its spirit, but a vicious citizenry can. A bad time with Mother Nature can leave you digging out for a long time, but a bad turn in human behavior frays and tears all the ties that truly bind human beings--trust, confidence, mutual regard, belief in the essential goodness of one's fellow citizens.
There seems to be some confusion in terms of terminology on TV. People with no food and water who are walking into supermarkets and taking food and water off the shelves are not criminal, they are sane. They are not looters, they are people who are attempting to survive; they are taking the basics of survival off shelves in stores where there isn't even anyone at the cash register.
Looters are not looking to survive; they're looking to take advantage of the weakness of others. They are predators. They're taking not what they need but what they want. They are breaking into stores in New Orleans and elsewhere and stealing flat screen TVs and jewelry, guns and CD players. They are breaking into homes and taking what those who have fled trustingly left behind. In Biloxi, Miss., looters went from shop to shop. "People are just casually walking in and filling up garbage bags and walking off like they're Santa Claus," the owner of a Super 8 Motel told the London Times. On CNN, producer Kim Siegel reported in the middle of the afternoon from Canal Street in New Orleans that looters were taking "everything they can."
All I can ask is, "What color are the looters?" That's all that matters, right?!
ReplyDeleteAs I recall, I have seen people of every race represented doing some form of looting in this time of hardship. Even the Police force, of whatever races, were involved to some degree. "Desperate times, desperate measures" crosses all racial and societal structures. Everyone needed something and just about everyone took what they needed.
ReplyDeleteTo try and point out looting was more by one race than another is simply ignorant. The only reason that might be true is the percentage of the population of NO to begin with. More of one race equals more of one race looting. But EVERYONE was involved to one degree or another.
First of all, judging state of racism in America by judging ONE person's labeling of two pictures on Yahoo is, in my opinion, assuming a lot. Even looking at one city or local area and declaring the state of national racism is still assuming too much.
ReplyDeleteSecond, I find it insulting that some, like you, feel that people with black skin cannot help themselves. That they can't work to make not just theirs, but everyone's lives better in this country. That they should be put on a pedistal for everyone to say "oh poor you, too bad you can't do anything...you need me, the self-righteous do-good smart white man, to make sure we do everything for you." Poverty is an issue for just about every city and town in this country. Don't tell me there are no poor white folks that need help just as badly, hispanics, asian or any other race/color for that matter. Is there racism around? Sure, I've seen plenty, mostly from isolated, ignorant individuals. But the real problem, poverty, is certainly not limited to any race, gender, nationality.
You look at the New Orleans, a city in one of the country's poorest states with a black majority, and see poor black people suffering and trying to survive. Don't insult my intelligence and tell me that people would not be suffering like that, and help would come quicker if it happened anywhere else...if there was a catostophic earthquake in Califonia, a massive terrorist attack in the northeast or a city-wide flood in any city.
Have you ever seen an American city wiped out, a whole city have to be evacuated? No one has, and people are suffering. But you can't see past the color of their skin, and I feel that is racist in its own way. You want to talk about poverty, look at the big picture. The global picture affecting every continent, every race. If all I did was read your recent posts, I would swear that the the only poor people in the country are black. That I must be poor because of my skin color.
I hope that the people working to end poverty don't just help and worry about the poor of my race (I bet you thought I wasn't an african american), but poor whites, asians, hispanics, arabs...everyone and anyone suffering from poverty. I just don't know how much you really are helping things.
Thank you, Robert for pointing out what I have been thinking. I wonder just how much you want to help the poor, black people, when all you can do is focus on their color?
ReplyDeleteYou are supremely racist just by pointing out the black/white issues. There will always be racism, on both sides. I am sick and tired of being accused of something that was done long before I was born or even thought of. I had nothing to do with slavery and until the black race gets past this part of history, we will not be able to move forward in our fight against racism.
Poverty is the issue here. Not racism. Let's focus on the proverty and forget the color of the skin. Afterall, in front of a white sheet, we are all some color, just varying degrees of brown and black!
I defer to Danny and Adam, who nailed it spot on.
ReplyDelete"Don't kid yourself. Race still matters in this country and it matters a lot."
ReplyDeleteThis is an insulting shot you've taken here. Who's kidding about this? You?! It isn't me, I promise you that.
Wow Larry! Looks like you stirred quite a hornet's nest with this one! I, for one, have been trying to find a context for what has happened in New Orleans and how it speaks to what we are becoming as a society.
ReplyDeleteAs a black man, let me say that I definately see one of the major issues in this tragedy as one of race. In this country race ALWAYS matters. It may matter to varying degrees, but it always matters.
It is also a matter of class. Those who left were left behind (for whatever reason) were overwhelmingly black, poor, elderly and ill. It is interesting though, that no matter their ethnicity, or class, after days of suffering in the searing hot sun, deprived of food, water, comfort and housing they all looked the same! There is a democracy associated with suffering that is shocking and real.
It is also interesting that the slow response to the suffering of those in New Orleans spoke volumes to what we have come to value in this country. The public and fiscal policies of this country that did not reiforce the levees, or invest in the replenishing of the marshlands, in order to give tax cuts to the wealthy and invest in nation building abroad; which placed FEMA under "homeland security", ultimately left our own countrymen desperately insecure at the time of their greatest need. The insensitivity of media and politicians to the plight of these citizens - to the point of insisting on calling the "refugees" in order to provide safe emotional and political distance, so that we see them not as one of us but as "other", and the refusal to engage in any talk of accountability or responsibility, all of this was appalling! In the face of families, seperated from one another for days, and possibly weeks or longer: mothers not knowing where their infant children were, wives and husbands separated from one another, children wandering alone. And elected officials talking safely and insultingly about "understanding their frustration" left me angry and incensed. While people watched others literally dying in the streets, committing suicide in the Superdome and their way of life permanantly altered because of the loss of everything they owned, because government broke down at the most basic point of responsibility: the protection of its citizens, helped me to understand that we are desperately in need of a serious examination of our social ethos.
We CANNOT avoid asking the question: why are we blaming people for their condition in the face of a natural disaster? Why did we not tell the victims of the tsunami to help themselves? Why did we not tell the people of Iraq to overthrow their own dictator? Why are we not calling the people who hiked gas prices almost 50 cents in a less than a day (or more) "looters". Is it so hard for those of us who have a "boot strap" philosophy to see that people who only have the clothes on their back and no apparent hope of rescue will do desperate and ugly things? Does that make all of them worthy of being "shot"? Would we feel the same if this were New York, or Minneapolis? I don't believe that it is inicidental that our most negative visceral response is reserved for a city that is 67% black and overwhelmingly poor.
Race does matter...still, Larry. And it does not matter less because some of our countrymen, still obsessed with the red/blue, black/white divisions of our nation, its politics or policies are so in denial that we are unwilling to extend compassion and sympathy even in a moment of catastrophe and disaster...
Mr. Britt, It didn't happen in New York or Minneapolis, it happened in New Orleans. Do you think nature decided to hit that city because of its racial population ratio? Maybe we should be mad at the slow federal response, but here's a reality check, this natural disaster struck New Orleans and caused horrible hurt and damage without predjudice. If you want to blame something/someone, why not blame local authorities who neglected the levees for decades, blame the mayor for ordering an evacuation and not providing the poor, old and disabled with buses to get out(there were many in the city, now they are under water). Blame the governor for not requesting the national guard (like Florida does beforehand), until it was way too late. Blame corrupt local officials who for years bankrupted schools and, along with the economy, made the poverty gap much worse.
ReplyDeleteWhat you and so many are doing is generalizing this tradgedy to fit your beliefs and agendas, whatever they may be, instead of finding out what really went wrong and focusing on what we can all do to help.
I find it hurtful when you assume that as an anglo man, everytime I encounter an african american, I factor race into my perceptions and actions toward them. How insulting to those, especially followers of Christ, who do their best to love and treat others in the best ways possible...without regard for race, class, lifestyle.
I'm sorry you feel that race ALWAYS matters. There will always be stupid, isolated biggotry to deal with...and it doesn't always affect just african americans. So many people target our government for slow response not just in this tradgedy, but also in the way it handles poverty as being racist. That's way too easy a scapegoat. I say if anyone and I mean anyone of any race, looks to rely soley on the government they will be dissapointed everytime. That's just the way it is.
It is especially sad when intellegent people, black and white, fuel the fires of racism and division through building up walls, assumptions, accusations and stereotypes against each other. I for one do not distingish the way I treat people based on race, so maybe you can at least stop saying race is a factor for everyone.
I'm sure when it all dries out they'll bring back all those TV's and stuff.
ReplyDeleteMarkS...
ReplyDeleteWho doesn't get it? You infer in your comment that a man who hires someone is doing a bad thing if he does not pay them enough.
Here is how our system works. If you have a job and I need a job and you offer me x amount to do that job, I can choose to do the job or not. If I choose not to do it maybe someone else will, maybe they won't. If no one else will do the job for the offered amount, you might offer more money and then I have exactly the same choice: Do I do your job for that amount or not?
This is a basic tenet of the free market system.
It is a wild and irresponsible leap to conclude, as you evidently do, that Mr. Smith has a lack of knowledge and sensitivity to racism and only 'claims' to be Jesus follower. Read that comment again: He never claims to be a follower at all.
Larry... You made this mess. Clean it up, please.
Larry,
ReplyDeleteHad some thoughts that might help at least some of this discord. The biggest obstacle to people helping others is our definition of "Us" and "Them." Even in churches, I've heard prayers along the lines of "help everyone, especially the believers, ..." (For those currently caught up with race, that was not from a white person.) Most people I've run into born in the 70s or later don't seem to use race as an Us vs. Them factor, not even unconsciously. We do use all kinds of other factors - geographic distance, social/political/economic differences, beliefs, etc. Would I be wrong to say that the use of race as The Primary Us-Them differentiator for so long has caused minority races to end up on the wrong end of many Us-Them differentiators now? In other words, people aren't being racist, but past racism causes our current biases to fall disproportionately on minorities?
And while overall I respect the backgrounds and opinions of everyone on this site, for an 18-year-old blogging about hot chicks to call the CEO of an urban ministry naive probably sums up most people's distrust of Internet conversations.
Thanks as always, Larry, for eliciting people's true opinions on this site!
Anonymous, nice job of explaining the concept of unchecked "free markets."
ReplyDeleteYour assumption here seems to be that a free market economy is by definition just--I assume you do care about equity and fairness here.
Of course, it is simply not true that free markets remain concerned for fairness.
Many people on this site, informed by their faith, believe that "fair markets" should be our goal--including a fair wage for honest labor.
It is not fair to complain about the poor not being able to pull their weight, etc. when, working full time, millions of our fellow citizens cannot earn a wage that lifts them or their families above the poverty line in this nation.
You may not agree with this point of view, but it is held by millions who believe that justice is a value that should shape free markets.
For those who care about a biblical perspective, please see James 5:1-6; Isaiah 58:3-4.
One last note: in my opinion it is not necessarily "a mess" for people who enjoy honest, respectful conversation on subjects about which they do not agree at present. This is how we arrive at new understandings, I hope.
I don't mean to give myself props, but I have discussed at length the issue of racism on my blog. Racism still exists in our society, whether we acknowledge it or not or whether we claim to be racist or not. Racism is systemic, meaning it is intertwined in the very fabric of our society. We can deny that racism exists all day, but such denial only fuels our racist society.
ReplyDeleteI have recently reviewed (in three parts) a book on my blog called "Disrupting White Supremacy from Within: White People on What We Need to Do" that speaks specifically to the discussion Larry has started here. If you'd like to read and comment on my review, see part 1, part 2, and part 3.
Sorry, I messed up the links.
ReplyDeleteHere they are again:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Like many here, I too am TIRED of being blamed for slavery. I am TIRED of people acting like the Confederate flag is bad. My family is Southern and views that flag as a Southern symbol with absolutely nothing at all to do with slavery, blacks or anything of that nature. People MADE that flag a negative symbol. Just like some terrible people used the cross in a negative way.
ReplyDeleteIf a black person says something like "President Bush doesn't care about black people", it's excused. If the table was turned, there would be HECK to pay. It's getting to the point of constant reverse discrimination. You would think by watching the news and listening to this ridiculous propaganda that white people CAUSED this destruction. I'm very very concerned that all of this is going to create serious race issues in our country.
I also had no idea that CDM was so politically outspoken, that disappoints me. Jeremy with his Bush and $2000 comment and Larry, you've made several negative comments, as well. Tell me how you want to help people help themselves, tell me how you love the Lord but please don't slip in your political digs in the middle of it. I had hoped CDM was different.
I hesitate to submit my comments on this issue. I do so primarily at the urging of my dear friend Larry James.
ReplyDeleteI am a 37 year old black man, born and raised here in Texas. I hesitate to comment on the issue of race simply because I am beginning to get a little weary - perhaps not TIRED - but weary. I am weary of attitudes that suggests that when people of my skin color call a "foul" regarding matters of race that we are merely being lazy, refusing to accept responsibility, or are nursing a "victim" mentality. Sometimes these attitudes come from folks of my own skin color.
Moreover, you could pretty much say that I am a "house-broken" black man. That is to say that I live with a certain level of resignation regarding racial equality here in America. For example, I have resigned that in my life time that there will NOT be a black or brown president, speaker of the house, chief justice, or pope. Perhaps here I should ask myself, "Well, what does it matter, as long as the person is qualified and discharges the responsibilty with the utmost integrity? Why should it matter if the individual is white?" My conscience responds, "Then why does it matter if the individual is not white?" Our history testifies that race does matter - still.
As I close I also want to mention that issues of race are obviously not limited to folks of my skin color. A vast majority of those of Mexican decent are consistently being exploited in our labor market because of their desire to create a better life for themselves and their families.
Billy
where are these pictures so frequently referred to? judging from Larry's quotes, race would seem to be very important to one or both of the writer/photographers and/or their editors. Until I see the photos and captions, there seems to be an urban legend aspect. I have not read all Larry's comments (first day on blog) but I have never known him to generalize about predjudice and he is certainly one of the top experts in America (surely one of the to 5 WHITE people with his level of familiarity with racial isssues.)
ReplyDeleteI have now found the original photographs along with the original context and explanations of photographers and editors. No one should pass judgment wtihout reading this on http://www.snopes.com/photos/katrina/looters.asp
ReplyDeleteAs a person who attempted to teach English at North Texas State in the 50's, I can assure you that anyone taking stuff from a store without paying can legitametely be called a looter, no matter how hungry . . plus anyone literally finding bread floating in the water NEAR a store but who did not break in anywhere can be called a finder. I have known Larry for many years and am surprised at his finding otherwise. I attribute it to his unending passion for ALL THE POOR to which he has dedicated his life. Mark Rednick