Racism in America – the white guy never wins
terribly early in the morning on Friday, the 24th of July 2009 by Katie
Yes, I said it. I am going to discuss two stories that have been in the headlines in the past month. Both have to do with racism charges.
First, I want everyone to understand that I was raised to be colorblind. Skin color differences were seen at the same level as hair color or eye color differences. It was always about the person within, and not the wrapping without.
Maybe that is one of the reasons that I can’t stand it when race comes into play. Especially when one group of people are able to throw out the racism card whenever they want and the other party is summarily shot on sight.
CASE ONE:
Harvard professor is arrested in his own home. Racism charges immediately put into play.
Click here for the original arrest report.
I say that the cop was in a no-win situation. It could have been diffused if the professor identified himself – but the professor was too busy crying that the cop was only focusing in on color. Never mind that someone had called to report a break in. Never mind that there was a possibility that the professor was being held hostage. Never mind that the officer had no proof that the professor was not the burglar. Imagine if the officer had left the property, and something terrible did happen.
And our “brilliant” president…
Obama stirs racial passions in Harvard case
BOSTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama plunged his presidency into a charged racial debate and set off a firestorm in one of America’s most liberal bastions by siding with a black Harvard scholar who accuses police of racism.
Saying he was unaware of “all the facts” but that police in Cambridge, Massachusetts, “acted stupidly” in their arrest of Henry Louis Gates, Obama whipped up emotions on both sides of an issue that threatens to open old wounds in America.
So, now the cop is being portrayed as a stupid evil racist by the media. Do the facts back that up?
CASE TWO:
This one is even more tetchy, as it regards children.
Day Camp Kids Told Minorities Not Allowed in Phila., PA Pool
What happened – a large group of non-swimming children descended on a pool. The pool asked them to leave and revoked their membership. Supposedly because the camp kids were black/Hispanic.
If the charges are true, then there should be h*** to pay. But, at this point, there is no proof. There has been no trial. Maybe some of the members used racist language (shame on them), but was the membership revoked due to race? There still has been no trial (the camp has sued, so there will be one).
I have an interesting perspective on similar situations. The pool that I go to also is open to large groups of campers. I do not complain about this – I realize that my membership is dirt cheap, because of the campers.
But, the entire atmosphere of the pool changes the moment that the campers descend. What was once quiet, and filled with supervised children, turns into a loud, obnoxious, unsupervised, thrashing pool of bodies.
I know that parents will find this hard to believe, but, once your darling angel is in camp, and when they go to the pool, with little to no supervision, they vastly resemble a Mongol horde. Councilors usually are more interested in socializing or improving their tan once they hit the poolside. Lifeguards are turned into babysitters.
So, I can see a possibility in the above situation, that race had no part in the story. If a band of 65 non-swimmers go to a pool that I’ve paid a premium for, I might be upset. I can see that it could turn into a hazardous situation, camp kids rarely stay in the shallow end, and it could quickly turn deadly….
What really raised my suspicions was all the “free stuff” that the camp has received since. They have gotten free pool memberships, free gymnastics classes, etc. And now they are all getting a free trip to Disney World.
CONCLUSION: Racism is wrong. But, both of the above situations could have had nothing to do with race, initially. The policeman could have asked the same thing (identify yourself) of any person, whatever race. The pool could have asked the camp to leave, based on their behavior, not on their race.
Both cases had people immediately throwing out the racism card, and receiving benefits from its use (either approbation of the President, or lots of free stuff). Both cases have not been reviewed by any court system, yet the “other side” has already been condemned.
Is this what we have to look forward to?
More from Michelle Malkin.
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July 24th, 2009 at 7:33 am
We have three observations about the Harvard professor incident:
1. We find it interesting that the fact that this was the professor’s home was evidently not established early on way before the dispute escalated;
2. We find it fascinating that the versions of two members of society, who most would ordinarily view as responsible and honest citizens (this obviously does not include politicians), would vary so dramatically from a factual point of view.
3. Finally, considering that the reading and viewing public were not present at the scene (and thus have no first hand knowledge), and that there is no video tape to our knowledge of the sequence of events and what was said, how so many have formed conclusions, and made assumptions, about who did what and who was wrong.
There are some things which Professor Gates might have considered upon the arrival of the police, no matter how incensed he may have been.
You may or may not also find this article to be of interest.
July 24th, 2009 at 7:55 am
Evidently, the officials are thinking about releasing the 911 tape and the officer’s response tape.
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1186764
We have all heard that the best way to treat the police is to be polite. If they pull you over for a ticket, it is best to cooperate, and not to scream bloody murder about the unfairness of your ticket….
I think that if the prof had cooperated, the situation would have diffused. However, I understand that insulting a cop is not, necessarily, breaking the law.
I do wonder if the Prof thought that he was so important that the officer should have immediately recognized him. Basically, many of the elite (politicians, stars) believe that there is a separate legal system for the famous.
But, just because an incident involves parties of different races, doesn’t necessarily mean that there is racism involved…
July 24th, 2009 at 8:59 am
What I find interesting is that Gates is the sitting director of the WEB Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research. I think this explains his reference about not knowing who the officer was dealing with. I feel that a person in this position is on the offensive when looking for racial biases. Well he found it in his mind, and even now after the fact he doesn’t see that the officer was doing his job and not being racist. What would Gates have said if it were a black cop that answered the call? Would he have been as belligerent? Would he have accused him of racial profiling?
This sort of thing sickens me. In these instances I am reminded of a scene from the movie Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. Sidney Portier’s character is telling his father that the difference between the two is that his father see’s himself as a colored man but Portier’s character see’s himself as a man. I find this to be a very enlightening comment even decades later. African Americans will never achieve equality until they think of themselves as men and women and not black men and women. When they can do that, racism will no longer have a place to exist in the minds and hearts of us white folks.
July 24th, 2009 at 11:52 am
Obama is now apologizing – for the furor his remarks created.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=8163051&page=1
Note – he is not apologizing for his remarks…
I was also struck by the comments from Gates “do you know who you are dealing with?” Almost like a drunk Kennedy trying to get out of a breathalizer. I struck me that Gates thought that he was so important, that the cop should go away.
An fact that has flown under the radar is the bit that Gates’ house HAD been broken into, recently, while he was on vacation. If I were Gates, I would have been happy that the police were being so thorough, in ensuring the safety of myself and my “stuff”. Instead, he jumps right into racism.
Here is a link to CNN, who are blasting the police union for not listening to the news cycle, and making a determination that race is such a powerful factor that the police should figure a way to “mend” this….
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/07/24/cnn_anchor_calls_news_conference_incendiary.html
Police are being criticized for protecting their own. Too funny.
Maybe this is the reason that Obama isn’t feeling the love for the police:
“Earlier in the day, Gibbs had dismissed a suggestion that the backlash from police groups could be distressing to the White House, given that Obama has enjoyed a positive relationship with the law enforcement community.
“I think the Fraternal Order of Police endorsed McCain,” Gibbs fired back, referring to Obama’s Republican opponent in the 2008 election. “If I’m not mistaken.”
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25381.html
Hmmm, just ask the car dealerships what happens when you fail to support the obamamessiah…
July 24th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
About the second case with the children. From what I understand, the incident occurred in the most Democrat voting county of a very Democrat city. No blaming a bunch of rednecks for that one…
July 24th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Here is more on the swim/camp case.
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Campers-Complexion-No-Problem-for-New-Pool.html
Camp kids are getting a free pool and free day at the candy store, in addition to the free trip to Disney, and the free gymnastics program.
One has to ponder – who benefits from the racism charge?
From what the article said, the original pool director stated that the kids would change the complexion and the atmosphere of the pool.
Did he really mean skin color, or was it more towards an atmosphere? Did he, instead, mean that there would be hordes of loud children ruining the pool?
Some words have many meanings. Complexion is one of those words. But, then again, I’m old enough to remember when “gay” had more than one meaning, also.
I love how the “private” pool is emphasized repeatedly. Where I live, almost every pool is a private pool. Even apartment complexes have “private pools”. But, they seem to equate “private pool” with “rich and snooty”.
Don’t get me wrong – if the case is truly a case of racism, then the pool should be prosecuted to the fullest extent.
But, they have already been found guilty, and they haven’t even been served yet.
I found this bit interesting:
“Creative Steps Day Camp paid The Valley Swim Club more than $1900 for one day of swimming a week, but after the first day, the money was quickly refunded and the campers were told not to return.
“At first there was no explanation, but some of the campers recalled overhearing comments about the color of their skin while at the club.”
Later, some kids remembered comments about skin color. No one brought it to their counselors’ attention at the time? I wonder if the kids recalled the comments only after others suggested to them that the pool was racist.
And the truth is, maybe some of the members did say those horrid things. But that does not mean that the pool itself was racist – just some of the members.
July 24th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
This is a timely article.
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=6930982
NJ politician convicted of bribery and pension fraud was sentenced today.
While corrupt NJ political figures are certainly nothing new, I found his brother’s comments telling.
Yes, his brother played the racism card. Despite the politician admitting guilt, the brother says that the sentence was RACIST….
NJ – is corruption in the water at the State House?
July 28th, 2009 at 5:16 am
I read your post and I do like what your saying but at the same time have you ever been prejudice against in your lifetime ,If so how did it effect you,The reason why I state this everyone alway see a different side of thing: but these two cases are questionable, here my side: the first one, this cop was a sergeant right? meaning he is not a rooky and they do know everyone who live in those houses, I’m pretty sure it a tight knitted community, I just think the cop was bored and hey wanted to give someone a hard time because he can , he knew who live there no question about it. check this link out:http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/07/28/2009-07-28_911_tapes_in_gates_case_are_colorblind.html
second case: if these where white kids 64 of them being bad and loud, would they been thrown out and been rejected their membership? return of their money I mean come on, would that had happen to them? and yes they were excepting all school camper. they were not the only school that wen there to swim
All school have a list who are going to that swimming place, look into it please so it easy to blame a race card when it is no other explaination for it? can you give me one other then the race card, please I would like to know
July 28th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Misunderstood – the thing that kills me about throwing the race card of is the “boy cried wolf” scenario. There are instances of racism, that should be investigated and prosecuted. However, it is hard to see which times are the real times, and which ones are not. The problem is, it is thrown out way too often, and used as an excuse or a cover. (another instance of overusing “cards” would be the rape charge. Each time that someone falsely accuses someone of rape, it makes it that much harder for those who have truly suffered the crime).
My guess is that Crowley had no idea who Gates was. The last person that an officer would “pick on” would be a highly regarded professor who is also close friends of the President. I question which party was truly the racist, and in my opinion, Gates is the loser.
Second case – I look at who is profitting from the allegation. The camp is making out in spades. Free trip to Disney. Free pool memberships. Free visits to candy stores, gymnastics places, etc. The pool might close if they do not have funds to defend themselves. They are also seen as racist pigs. All this, and there has been no trial…. If they are found guilty, than they deserve what they get.
As far as who would get kicked out – if the club did not know how many kids would descend, or that the kids could not swim, there might be a problem. In addition, if the children were poorly supervised, that is a whole other problem. I go to a pool that has camps in every day. Some are fine. Some are the most horrid creatures, with no supervision, who push, pull, hold kids under, run, spit, jump in the pool on top of younger kids…. They are a menace. And if the pool was not equipped with enough lifeguards and such to maintain a safe environment, then there could be serious complications. (Earlier this summer, one 6 year old girl from a Boys and Girls Club camp drowned.)
Sometimes, race has nothing to do with outcomes. The police officer could have arrested a white professor that behaved outrageously – it just would not have made the news. Race might not have had anything to do with Gates’ arrest – it might have been because he was behaving criminally. The kids could have been kicked out of the pool because of their behavior or for safety reasons – again race might not have had anything to do with it.
Not every person in the US views things along racial lines.
July 29th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
I find it interesting that you claim to be colorblind, but the post immediately before this one references BHO as “half black,” obviously a play on Aflack Insurance.
Just doesn’t quite line-up, i mean how can you find that cartoon so humorous and non-offensive if you are colorblind. Indeed, if you were truly colorblind, arguably you wouldn’t understand the joke at all.
Instead, it is just one more crass attempt to separate the President from the Real (White) Americans.
July 29th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Jimbo – actually, I did not write the post that you are referring to. Gypsy did. This site has numerous writers, with varied opinions.
I do not judge people by the wrapping. I look to what is within.
August 2nd, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Jimbo.. I posted the previous cartoon..
I grew up repulsed by racial issues.. but the tossing out of the race card has definitely given me a different attitude about it all.
Obama’s campaign was charged with race-card garbage.. if you did not support him you were considered racists.. and since, if you object to anything he says or does.. you are considered racist.. so yes, I have long been a person who would be the 1st person to defend someone who was being attacked for race.. but how much the race card has been played over the years has changed my view so dramatically.
I know I am not the only one affected that way.. black people had come a long way but then they started crying race on everything that occured in their lives.. jobs (hiring/firing/promotions), police interactions (calling for assistance or being the problem).. when it comes to school (grade, college, scholarships,etc)..
like Katie mentioned.. crying wolf, if something is over played it becomes part of the problem. If black people did not make their race such an issue they would be men & women.. not black vs white.. they have made that situation.. and making it progressively worse.
the police situation.. if a cop did not respond to the call, they would have cried racist for cops not responding to a complaint of a black owned home.. just as they complained the cops came to the home of a black person.. this was a lose-lose for the cops..
add the president attacking the police on this issue then not apologizing for his comments.. yet has no issue with apologizing to our enemies.. I too make no apologies for my comments or my previous cartoon post.