Twisted Musings

“As a white man, it makes me confident to see someone who is representing
my gender and race in such a powerful position.”

“Other white men say they agree”.

John Smith, a barber, said he didn’t know the governor’s running mate was
a white man.  “Hopefully, he won’t forget his people”, Smith said.

“I think it’s great for young men, especially white boys, to see what can be
achieved”.

“As someone who looks for whites first, if you stay committed to what
you’re about, anything can be accomplished”.

****

Do any of these comments seem sort of racist to you?  They were in the
lead story of the local newspaper today.  Except, instead of the word ‘white’
substitute the word black.  And instead of men, insert the word woman.

The article was describing the excitement of blacks with the election of
Jennifer Carroll as the new lieutenant governor of Florida.

I like Jennifer Carrol, and I have no qualms about her new position.  But
what aggravates me is that every time a person of color achieves some
success, it is ballyhooed about in such a manner as to suggest that the
lives of those of that race are going to suddenly get better, as though
they expect to get some type of preferential treatment.

That’s no way to build a color-blind society.  Which is what we’ve
been told is the goal of America’s minorities.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.  Most Americans today don’t really
care what color your skin is.  The election of Obama is a great example
of that.  There are successful people of all races in all levels of society.
What matters is who YOU are.  If you’re a candidate and you get up
and give a speech, and I need an interpreter, I’m not going to vote for
you.  If you apply for a job and I can’t read your application, I’m not
going to hire you.  It’s that simple.

I didn’t like Martin Luther King when he was alive.  I thought he was
a trouble maker.  But with age, hopefully, comes wisdom.  I have come
full circle and now not only agree with Mr. King’s “I have a dream” speech,
but adhere to it.  I’m reminded of a song we used to sing in Sunday School….
“Jesus loves the little children.  Red and Yellow Black and White.  We are
precious in his sight.”

But, still, when a minority get elected and the minorities get all hyper it’s
as if they’re saying…..”hey, you whities ain’t been treating us right, but now
things are going to change”……well, it raises the hackles on my neck.

You know what I mean, Vern?