News and Commentary on Politics, Media and Culture

I’m writing this on the heels of some very high-profile racially-based events that have occurred: the Don Imus firing, the Duke Lacrosse rape scandal and the Barack Obama presidential campaign. All three of these news-dominating events have put race on the front pages of virtually every news and opinion source out there. And it raises some old, yet rejuvenated discussions about where racial divides are really heading in this country. And it’s not necessarily being accurately portrayed.

Being the epitome of rational conservatism that I am, I believe that the American experience and it’s opportunities are available to anyone who wishes to embrace it. Of course there are still roadblocks. But that blockage is becoming the exception to the rule, rather than the rule that it was just a few decades ago. Perhaps, however, the pendulum has swung to the point where it’s not society putting up most of the roadblocks, but rather it’s people putting up their own roadblocks with elements of society affirming and excusing that approach.

The racial element and the focus of these kinds of divisions that have brought these high-profile news events to our televisions and newspapers is what I refer to as the Urban Black Culture (UBC). It’s fair to say that it’s not even necessarily race-driven, but rather culturally driven and community-inspired.

With each generation that passes, we should logically be drifting further and further from the tensions of the pre-Civil Rights movement. Unfortunately, many black Americans are being raised in a vicious cycle of self-imposed failure, resentment and external blame for the limitations they often set upon themselves. It’s perpetuated by the glorification of anti-social behavior, disastrous out-of-wedlock births, fatherless homes and black ‘leadership’ in the form of civil-rights leaders who are really nothing more than a caricature of what made the past civil-rights movement so necessary and successful.

“Black is beautiful” is a phrase that originated in the mid 19th century and became a social-slogan in the 1960s. From what I can tell, the term was about the physical features of black people. But what about the other elements that make up an identity – the mental, the psychological, the feeling of self-worth? When UBC, along with it’s perpetuation of anti-social self-loathing, violent, demeaning introspective on black life, becomes the dominating representative of the larger black culture…who finds that beautiful?

The hip-hop inspired UBC has become an enemy to everything that black Americans have fought and died throughout this country’s history. Culture warriors like Martin Luther King Jr. have given their everything to advance the black cause in America. What would they think of today’s UBC?

We can’t entirely blame those who perpetuate negative and devastating stereotypes. Who is going to turn down an opportunity to make millions and become a notorious celebrity? Especially in a culture where degrading women seems to lead to women throwing themselves at you? When exporting hate and violence earns you accolades such as political party endorsements and Academy Awards? When what should be an underground subculture is really the contemporary voice of black America?

Racism and bigotry, of course, isn’t limited to the perceived relationship between white and black Americans. But there is a unique quality to this relationship because of all of the races, ethnicities and religious backgrounds (with perhaps the exception of how moderate Muslims react to the radicals in it’s mist) of Americans, only the UBC treats it’s own in a way that they demand others not to treat them. Sure, there is an element of self-defecating lingo and attitudes among all cultural divides in America. But we don’t see Irish-Americans becoming wealthy and creating generations of parrots by calling each other ‘Mick’s’ – and then demanding retaliation when someone outside of their group uses the same language or comments on the same stereotypes and cliches.

Racism has become a game employed by would-be victims as a politically correct tool. With the years of diversity training thrust upon us, starting in grade school, how do we reconcile those attempts with the culturally dominating, gang-tainted UBC that dominates Billboard and on occasion, Hollywood? Racism has been greatly numbed among white Americans; meanwhile racism has become a weapon of the politically correct, used by opportunists (like Jesse Jackson). This does nothing to advance racial harmony.

Three white men were viciously attacked and publicly convicted based on false accusations that were given credence by the phony racism brigade. Don Imus loses his job for uttering three words that are exported by the UBC on a daily basis. Senator Obama’s race has become a joke in political circles, thanks to op/ed writers in left-wing newspapers and fellow Democrats like Joe Biden, representing the supposed champions of diversity and racial tolerance. A radio talk show host is fired after being hammered for three days over his comments; a liberal Senator, however, isn’t even given a slap on the wrist for something that seems to me to be far more offensive.

Racism has become twisted and convoluted in this society. Targets of racist accusations are selective – some people are punished for putting forth racist views (or racial views misconstrued as racist); others are immensely rewarded, either monetarily and/or through public acceptance. We will never abolish racial division in this country as long as this public perception is the rule. When presidential candidates swoop in to make declarations against some cultural offenses and simultaneously use others to further their bankrolls, we have a serious problem in this country, and they are not the same problems this nation faced fifty years ago.

If “black is beautiful” is still an expression of substance and worth, then when will society stop rewarding the ugliness of the UBC and when will black America clean it’s own house?

[Discuss this post over at the Otto Show...]

 Send this post a Friend  

2 Comments »

Trackback URI |