Today's federal holiday has inspired me to post a column about one of greatest minds and indeed one of the greatest human beings ever to grace this nation’s history, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. To say that I admire him is an understatement. Dr. King came along at a time when this nation needed him most, until today. His courage and commitment to his beliefs is something that should be studied until the end of time. His ability to solve problems is a lesson this country badly needs. He recognized that something was wrong in America and he set out to make a change. His success is overwhelming. He not only made changes politically by getting laws passed, but he also made changes socially by giving us a new concept of freedom. He was the finest orator who ever gave a speech, and anyone who does not enjoy listening to him talk should re-evaluate his principles. If you know your history, then you know his doctrine. If not, then you need to put your computer away and read his biography. To sum it up, he believed in one thing…equality. Say what you want about Abraham Lincoln, but it was Martin Luther King who freed the slaves.
He believed in equality. That is equal rights across the board. He never spoke strictly about blacks. He fought for all. He believed that a human being deserves the same rights and opportunity as the next without exception. His message was of unity and it was powerful. The civil rights movement of the sixties was extraordinary and it was because of his leadership. Oh how I wish we had that today. His death was a dark day in our history and the loss has been felt ever since and will continue to be felt until we cure the illness of racism.
The illness of which I speak is rooted in a common ailment that this country suffers from, the ailment of politics. Dr. King’s death was viewed by some politicians as opportunity. That sounds preposterous, but it is the simple, cold truth. Because of his work there was a very large and unified voting populous and a great void that needed filling. The minority vote was viewed as a potential election winner, if it could be acquired in its entirety. These politicians knew there was a way to acquire that vote and to do it in a manner that garnered trust. Thus began the layering of a lie. They told minorities the same thing that had been told to them for many years, the same thing that Dr. King fought against and, indeed, died fighting. They said, "You aren’t good enough." They introduced new ideas and concepts that would have previously been viewed as an insult. Terms like affirmative action, welfare , government entitlements and quotas became common talk. They used these ideas to entice minorities hoping that the lies that had been told before had somehow found an ounce of belief in the minds of each. It was quite a gamble and, as it turned out, highly lucrative. The plan worked. People did believe the lie and have believed it ever since, "You aren’t good enough."
It did not stop there. The next step was adding yet another layer to the lie. Next they said, "You need us to get what you deserve." The ideas became legislation and the meager fruits of that legislation acted as a trail to trust. Minorities, lacking in respectable leadership, were led astray by a hidden agenda that had one thing in mind, winning elections. These politicians were viewed as heroes continuing the cause that Dr. King spoke so passionately about. Minorities became unified and that unified vote became a powerful ally. And it all came about from a lie. That is the root of the problem that we often lable as racism.
The truth is, Dr. King would have viewed affirmative action and quotas as an insult. "We don’t need your handouts because we can get there on our own!" I can almost hear the words booming from his voice. "Just give us freedom, and we’ll take it from there." I wonder how different this world would be if he were still alive. I think the minority population has lost touch with his ideals and that makes me sad.
I blame the leadership. The fact is minority leadership has simply been lacking since Dr. King’s death. Like typical politicians, they have been sucked into special interest groups whose ravenous greed have left little time for problem solving. Many have turned to Jesse Jackson for hope. This is a man who is respected by such a large percentage of minorities and who had an opportunity to fill the void of leadership left by Dr. King. Unfortunately, he failed. He too was led astray and lost touch with priority. He founded an organization that, ideally, would have been the beginning of the end of racism. But, truth be told, racism is the fuel that keeps the Rainbow Coalition burning. Jesse Jackson doesn’t want to end racism, there’s simply too much money to be made off of it. Instead, he parades around the country heaving accusations and breeding hate and resentment. He tells the same lie the politicians tell, only it carries much more weight coming from his voice. Minorities view him as a leader. They should view him as a traitor.
Malcolm X had the same opportunity. He had a similar passion as Dr. King and a true flare for leadership, but hate and resentment overcame him. Instead of learning from his past and using it to grow into a better man, he allowed himself to give into destructive means of problem solving. He encouraged violence as a means to progress. He needed guidance, and there was none available.
This country is so thirsty for quality minority leadership that it can see it on the horizon, like a desert oasis that glimmers of hope only to reveal itself as the same hot, dry sand that has been surrounding us for years. If one man of Dr King’s quality were to come along, he could help us see the politics of race for what they really are…one lie layered atop another. Until then, we must do this together. Is affirmative action right for this country? The answer is a resounding "NO". It does not give pride to those who benefit. There is no sense of accomplishment. It does, however, breed spite and resentment from those who are shut out due to its policies. Should there be quotas for college admission or management level positions? Absolutely not. The mere implication that minorities need to have positions set aside to ensure that they are fairly represented based solely on race and not merit is an idea that should be treated like the moronic bigot, with our hands covering our ears until the noise stops. Wake up. America is free. Each man born an American citizen comes into this world with the same thing…freedom. How you choose to take advantage of that is up to you. I don’t want to hear the liberal cascade of garbage that says some people have more opportunity than others because they grew up in better environments, had loving families and weren’t exposed to failure like others. I can show you many examples of men that grew up in white suburban neighborhoods exposed to success, only to squander opportunity and fail miserably in life; and I can show you many examples of men who grew up in the ghetto surrounded by failure only to find success and make a respectable living and a quality life for himself. It works both ways. The difference is desire. One man had it, the other didn’t and the result shows. If you have the will and the strength to overcome adversity, you will succeed. That’s the opportunity each American has, to build something of his own from his own hard work and to reap the benefits. That’s what makes this country truly unique. The only way to fail is to give up…period. In every example of failure there is a point of surrender, and in every example of success there is a point that is overcome.
Some may read this column and immediately conclude that I am a racist. That’s a cop-out. It’s so much easier to dismiss my opinion as short-sided and shallow than it is to entertain the notion that it might be true. It is difficult to accept that so much of what you have been told is a simple lie, and that you can do things without the help of the government or certain politicians. That’s why conservatives are labeled as cold and unsympathetic to minorities and liberals viewed as tender-hearted and friend to all. It’s easier to believe a lie when the truth is hard. Because if you believe the truth, then your failure to gain admission to a certain college or get that coveted promotion is your failure alone. You can’t blame racism. You should learn from your shortcomings, as Dr. King would have you do, and use them to become a better person, but often it is simply easier to blame something or someone else. There are some that want us to think that rich, old, white businessman gather in dark corners to conspire ways to repress minorities. It sounds like a good excuse, but it simply isn’t true. This is a capitalist society and money is all that matters to the rich, old, white businessman. If you can help him get more money, then he’ll hire you or promote you regardless of race. Until we realize this notion, racism will continue to live not as a symbol of repression but as a reason to fail. That’s all racism is today, any belief to the contrary is a lie. It’s a lie that the liberals have told to the minorities of America, and it was bought free and clear. Here's hoping that Dr. King's dream will one day be realized. God Bless you, sir. How I wish you were still with us today.
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