The United States has a tremendous problem. This problem has torn apart the American people for most of American history; dividing the nation North and South, Republican and Democrat, white and black. That issue is race. Nearly 50 years after the American Civil Rights movement achieved most of its objectives in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech, race still remains a central topic in the American political process. While race remains a hot topic in political discussion in 2010, the nature of the discussion has changed dramatically. No longer does the discussion seem to be centered on issues of equality under the law, or even of opportunity and outcome. In contemporary political discussion, the issue of race is only raised in order to accuse someone of the great sin of American political life: racism.
Unfortunately, before going further it is necessary to state that this is not a denial of the existence of racism. Racism remains a horrible reality in the United States, often rearing its head in unexpected ways. However, genuine examples of racism like those seen in the 1950s and 1960s are few and far between. There are ever fewer Americans who were alive and politically active during the Civil Rights era on either side of the issue. American political society is largely made up of the children and grandchildren of those who oppressed the blacks and those who marched in opposition. Overt racism still exists, but it is far from prevalent. As mentioned previously, racism is the great sin in American political discourse. It is hidden and shameful. Even those who are in fact racist do not openly broadcast that fact any longer. It is political and social suicide. In fact, a majority of the American voting public elected the first black President of the United States in 2008.
That being said, accusations of racism seem to be at an all-time high. One cannot be party to political debate without having to confront the issue. Everyday when one turns on the news, accusations of racism are leveled at anyone who dares oppose the liberal and Progressive agenda, no matter the validity of the argument presented in opposition. Never mind that at least some of these people who oppose the Progressive project are some of the very same people who voted to elect President Obama and other black politicians to some of the highest political offices in the nation. Why is this the case? The answer is simple; the American public is so concerned with being labeled ‘racist’ that the mere accusation is often enough to silence debate. Effectively, the word “racist” has become a weapon used to bludgeon opposition into silence.
The ramifications of this are quite serious. Not only has it allowed the Progressives to advance their destructive agenda further than many ever dreamt possible in less than two years, but it has destroyed American political discourse. Many in the American public are unwilling to voice opposition to the Progressive project, fearing to be labeled as a racist and taking a tremendous hit socially and politically. This reduces discourse and prevents those who are least politically active from hearing both sides of an issue. However, what is perhaps the most insidious effect of these accusations is that real instances and allegations of genuine racism lose credibility in the public’s eyes.
While political discussion is largely silenced by these accusations – politicians don’t like to be labeled as racists – the public is beginning to tire of the accusations. The situation has become largely analogous to the “Boy Who Cried Wolf”. He falsely sounded the alarm so many times that when the wolf really was in the pasture his warnings were no longer heeded. The American people are increasingly unwilling to grant credibility to those who cry “racism!” and eventually they’ll cease to listen altogether. The issue is compounded by the reports that surface every election cycle of racist vandalism of Democrat and liberal campaign headquarters. Initially the Republicans are labeled as being the racists at fault, but invariably the perpetrator is a liberal campaign staffer.
An additional likely consequence is that by increasingly leveling charges of racism, the Left will only succeed in inflaming racial tensions. There is no better way to cause resentment than to falsely accuse someone of wrongdoing. If it happens enough, many whites may simply begin to resent blacks as they will see them as the source of these false accusations. This will only serve to set back the American Civil Rights movement decades. The simple reality is that the vast majority of white Americans don’t care what color someone’s skin is anymore. In the American conscious, most people are effectively color blind. But every time the issue of racism is brought up, the American people are once again forced to take notice of a person’s skin in order to prevent offense, or in the case of affirmative action, to ensure that they are given preferential treatment. As long as the American public is forced to take notice of “race”, there will be racial tension and prejudice.
The political rhetoric of the time is increasingly setting up what may become a perfect storm. Resentment on both sides of the racial divide is reaching a fever pitch due to the rhetorical machinations of the Progressives. Whites resent the false accusations, and blacks often seem to be taken in by them (perhaps understandably so – it hasn’t been too long since state-sponsored racism was a real concern). This fuels resentment on both sides. Unfortunately, there are many who will use this in a cynical ploy for either power or wealth. There are individuals who have intentionally put themselves in a position to benefit from racial tensions, and it is in their personal interests to foster them. Individuals like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Nancy Pelosi have all cynically put themselves in a position to profit from racial rhetoric. So long as these people are able to benefit from this resentment, they will work to divide rather than unite the American people.
Make no mistake, racism is a very real problem in the United States. However, the problem seems to be less genuine racism, and more the accusations of racism anytime one voices opposition to the Progressive project. The Left has successfully managed to paint a picture of the opposition where the opposition to the President’s schemes is not based on actual opposition to policies, but simply to the man because he’s black. Nothing good can come from silencing political discourse, and so far, nothing good has. Unless the American people begin to speak up despite the possibility of being labeled racist, the Left will be able to continue their unhindered work of destroying the foundations of the American Republic to replace it with American socialism.
