By Ronald Court
And so, ‘Black History Month’ begins. To me, it’s a bit patronizing to say, “give” blacks due recognition for a month but then… back to normal.
However this year, we may be on the cusp of a defining moment in our Nation’s history. A moment akin to shortly after the War Between the States: these United States began to be referred to as the United States. Sectional differences certainly weren’t erased, but a stronger sense of shared identity began to be forged.
This year, a person of color may become a major nominee for the very office that Lincoln held while waging the “Civil” War. This time, race wasn’t… rightfully… a big deal until s/he who professed to “feel your pain” made it so.
But it really isn’t about race. It is politics in its pure, simple and ugly form. Politics is about power. Now, race is being used as a tool by people without good character to pit one group against another. This time, the nation saw it for what it was: mean-spirited, immoral and disgusting.
Whether or not Sen. Obama becomes a Presidential nominee will not alter the fact that the public response to his candidacy,at least up to this point, demonstrates that our nation is, more resoundingly and strongly than ever before, firmly and finally affirming that race does not … and should not… define or limit the ability of any American to pursue success in any endeavor. Drs. Washington and King must surely be smiling right now.
Maclin Horton’s blog, Light On Dark Water respectfully shows us that ‘We Got to Live together’ … which does not mean giving up our identity, but does show how we — together — can be all the richer for it.
Here we go again
Tuesday, August 26th, 2008By Reggie Jones (Opinion expressed are not necessarily those of the BTWS).
Rick Warren, pastor of California’s Saddleback mega-Church, asked Barak Obama which US Supreme Court Justice was his least favorite. The senator unhesitatingly replied, “Clarence Thomas.” It appeared to me as if, rather than ponder the question, he pandered for votes.
He said Justice Thomas was not “a strong enough jurist or legal thinker” to warrant a seat on the Court. This, despite the fact that Judge Thomas endured very intense, public scrutiny by the US Senate three times before ascending to the Supreme Court.
Weigh that opinion with his comments on other Supreme Court conservatives, Scalia and Roberts. He said Justice Scalia was “brilliant” and that Chief Justice Roberts was “a compelling person,” while acknowledging that he probably wouldn’t have nominated either.
Why did Sen. Obama single out Justice Thomas for such damning criticism, yet without rationale? OK, so Justice Thomas is a conservative, but so too are Scalia and Roberts. The conclusion I draw is that Justice Thomas is not only conservative, but – gasp – black too.
A conservative black man is, ipso facto, one who thinks for himself. To the left, this is heresy, for it alone considers itself solely and morally qualified to speak for – hence, assumes – minorities will adhere to its collectivist agenda. Independent thinkers like Clarence Thomas are not to be tolerated when straying from this perspective. Worse, Justice Thomas refuses to provide legal cover for a racial spoils tithing system.
Perhaps lawyer and ‘community organizer’ Obama would have fared better had he learned to appreciate the wisdom of another, earlier and far more accomplished ‘community organizer,’ Booker T. Washington: “The Negro has the right to study law, but success will come to the race sooner if it produces intelligent, thrifty farmers, mechanics, to support the lawyers.”
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