CHARLOTTESVILLE – A REFLECTION

The events of Charlottesville shocked the nation, as it well should; and was roundly condemned, deservedly so too. It is reprehensible and should not happen in any decent society. The DOJ  has pledged to investigate and the POTUS has promised to prosecute the perpetrators to the full extent of the law.

However, what has consumed the larger part of the discourse has not been sober reflections about the cause or causes, but self-righteous vituperation about partisan positions and  ideologies to score political points. The media and a myriad league of critics of the POTUS across the political spectrum exploded in a frenzy of a bizarre narrative  about what the POTUS said about the incident, when he said it and how he said it rather than the substance of what happened! They felt he could only guide the nation to healing if he reacted the way they think and says what they want to hear.

However, for real healing to occur, the nation has to first correctly diagnose the problem. Many believe that condemnation, specifically by name is the right thing to do. That would probably have saved POTUS a lot of anguish and placated most of his critics, but it would have been only a band aid on a growing cancer the nation seems to be unaware of. For real healing, the nation must be ready for a wider and deeper investigation of why Charlottesville weekend happened; including distant and immediate causes as well as the various reactions with their implications. So, what are the origins of the tragic events at Charlottesville?

Distant Causes – The Reality of History

The distant cause is the nation’s history of slavery; the denials and distortions of history and false assumptions and deductions from history all mingled in the educational systems and political development over time.

Slavery is not an American history; slavery is, sadly the history of the human race. There is no continent or race in the whole world that is free from the blight and stain of slavery at one time or another in their history. In fact, in some places today, some vestiges of this heinous man’s inhumanity to man still exists.

To her credit, America is probably the only nation in modern times to:

• Fight a civil war in order to free slaves and end slavery.
• Later took concrete legislative steps to integrate slaves by desegregation
• Took legislative steps to accelerate the integration through education and employment – Affirmative Action.

These were well intentioned steps at the time they were made, but some are questionable as open ended policy in a country whose constitution is based on the equality of all peoples.

I do not agree with A.G. Holder, (the former Attorney General in the Obama Administration) on pretty much anything, but on one thing, I am in total agreement with him. A.G. Holder famously said: “Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot; in things racial, we have always been, and I believe continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards”.

A.G. Holder is right about national cowardice in racial issues. The first thing an outside observer would notice is the reticence of the white people to talk frankly about race issues especially about issues affecting the blacks. They keep the proverbial British stiff upper lips. It soon became obvious why they do so; they are scared of being labelled “racists”.  This attitude seeped into education and politics across the country and gave rise to a culture of political and cultural correctness. In this P.C. culture, truth is often sacrificed on the altar of “fake politeness”. Political and racial issues are not honestly discussed and making people feel good trumped telling the truth.

In Universities across the nations, wild Race Theories were developed and used for indoctrination of young minds. Disregarding all of human history across the globe, white people in America are portrayed as inherently racist and that minorities, especially the blacks cannot be racist because they are underdogs. Critical Race Theory (CRT) holds that racism is ingrained in the fabric and systems of the American society; that racism is systemic, institutional and pervasive in the dominant culture (1). CRT challenges the notion of value neutrality or color blindness of meritocracy and liberalism and identified racism as the main thread in the fabrics of American foundation. It is also taught that whiteness confers “special privilege”  (dubbed “White Privilege”), the exercise of which is responsible for all the problems of the blacks and minorities in America. To this end, there is now  a course  in some Ivy League Universities, the “White Identity Politics”, the purpose of which is the “abolition of whiteness” which is perceived as the root of all racism and bigotry (2)”! This course actually proposes to re-educate white people to achieve the renunciation of whiteness! Furthermore, an important component of CRT is social justice which promotes the use of narratives in legal studies as opposed to time tested analysis, logical arguments,and empirical data. The agenda of CRT is activism to right perceived wrongs to minorities. CRT has evolved to include Latino and Asian CRT.

While all of these was taking root in the educational system, it is difficult to know what the white people really think because very few ever speak honestly and openly about race issues; but that didn’t mean nothing was happening. The white people did not complain out loud or the few that wanted to were denied a platform and were not heeded. Ironically, Prof. Carol Swain, a perceptive black lady in the academia saw the stirrings of discontent among her white intellectual colleagues in the ivory towers. She observed and documented the rise of identity politics involving minorities, political correctness and multiculturalism that recognizes everybody’s right to celebrate their cultural heritage except the white people. She wrote a book  – “The New White Nationalism”, now deemed prophetic in the light of Charlottesville, but which, in 2002 when it was published, didn’t make any ripple, probably because it was politically  incorrect. Professor Swain noted that these new white nationalists were non-violent intellectuals and definitely not Neo-Nazis or the KKK; just people who are aggrieved by the pervasive double standards in the society against the whites in America. For example:

• Actions that would be widely condemned if perpetrated by whites are generally tolerated if perpetrators are blacks or other minorities. For example, blacks openly form associations like Black Panthers, Nation of Islam and Black Lives Matter and Hispanics have there own groups like La Raza; all of which operate and celebrate openly.
• An alarming trend in colleges in recent years among blacks is a fascination, ironically, with segregation. Students in colleges, even the ivy league ones request for “all black hostels, all black frats, events, or even all black  graduation ceremonies and the authorities oblige them! And I wonder, how would the authorities treat a request by white students for such things as “All White Day, “All White Clubs, “All White Matriculation or Graduation”?
• Politicians have responded to the pervasive distortions of history to introduce laws and policies that magnify Identity Politics and  created “Protected Groups”– blacks, gays, women etc. whom they deem need protection from discrimination. These policies and laws, meant to benefit minorities, sometimes turn out to the detriment of the constitutional rights of the majority. The result is tension within the polity as more and more feel marginalized.

Revisionism and Distortion of History

Another problem that has contributed to the current state of affairs is the revisionism and distortion that has happened in the study of the American history and ignorance of world history. An independent observer would wonder how Republicans get tied to racist groups like the KKK and Neo-Nazis because historically these were leftist and Democrats, so at what point did the swap occur? President Lincoln who prosecuted the American Civil War that freed the slaves and ended slavery in America was a Republican, why does this fact get lost in transmission in contemporary discourse on race? Another revisionism has it that desegregation and the Civil Rights Acts were not about benefiting the people of color but merely because it politically suited the purpose of those in power at the time. So it is amazing that the GOP accept the media’s association  of the GOP to the KKK and feel obliged to constantly disavow and denounce the group while the real historical base of the group, the Democrats are never called upon to do so! Many have also pointed out that the late Senator Byrd who was a high a high ranking Klansman was, until his death a few years ago, a notable Democrat. Therefore, an outsider without the knowledge of the real history will falsely associate Republicans with racist groups and racism.

The Immediate Causes – The Protest and Counter-Protest

The immediate cause is the protest by the combined White Nationalists, Neo-Nazis and the KKK with past history of  physical violence but mainly verbal violence in recent times by uttering racial slurs. Considered fringe groups and despicable by the majority, but constitutional and allowed to associate like any other. So, constitutionally, they had the right and had the permission to hold the rally at Charlottesville on Saturday, August 12, 2017. They were in Charlottesville to protest the proposed removal of the statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee, a Virginian Confederate general. Statues of Confederate soldiers and other symbols like the flag have been under assault since the Charleston church shooting by alleged white supremacist Dylann Roof. It seems the local authority wanted to block the rally, but the ACLU intervened and got a Federal court order for the rally to proceed. A counter protest was organized by groups with recent history of violent protests like Black Lives Matter, Antifa and others. Eyewitness accounts, confirmed by the police chief, reported that both groups were armed and that both groups were violent. (The counter-protest did not have a permit for their protest). At some point, fights broke out between the two groups and one irate or frightened member of  white supremacist group drove his car into the crowd of counter-protesters and killed a young woman (The death of the young lady is sad, the details of how that unfolded has not been ascertained, and premeditation has not been proven). Until the car incident, it must be noted that although they carried touches and said hurtful words, no buildings  or any public or private property was destroyed as opposed to typical Antifa and BLM protests in places like Ferguson and Berkeley where they were “given space to destroy”! Eye-witness videos showed that assaults were mutual and same confirmed by the police chief and a reporter on ground. Yet, weaselly politicians were quick to do the politically correct and blame the side that had the permit to protest while giving the interlopers a pass.

The handling of the situation by the local authorities is also suspect. Why were the two groups allowed to come so close to each other especially with the known violent history of Antifa and BLM? There were also questions if the police could not have done more once the clash started. Hopefully a thorough investigation will provide answers.

Reactions to the Violence – Hysteria, Hypocrisy and Cowardice

Soon after the protest turned violent, the POTUS made comments calling for the nation to unite and condemned the violence on both sides. The media response to the comments were hysterical and savage. He was criticized for acknowledging (truly) that both sides were violent. According to them, that sort of made moral equivalency between White supremacists and BLM & Antifa. Efforts were made to imply that he must therefore, share the values of the white supremacists. (Apparently, when opportunity presents to bash Trump, reason goes out the door). Strident calls were made for him to condemn by name the white supremacist. These were the same people (media and politicians) who were mum when twelve were killed in Ft. Hood and the then President called the carnage work place violence for years! These were the moral champions who said nothing when the POTUS then was giving a shout out to a native Indian chief even as the dead were still being processed and more concern was being expressed for possible backlash against a particular group rather than the safety of the citizenry.

Politicians from both sides, predictably and cowardly did what was expected of them, condemned the “white protesters”.  They also used the occasion to take their pound of flesh off the POTUS and score cheap political points. The pundits across the board also had a field day excoriating him. Then the hypocritical corporate leaders in two key committees the POTUS had set up for the benefit of the people scurried out like cockroaches as soon as the media put the heat on. In their faux cultural purity and un-reasoned self-righteousness, they felt the POTUS was too toxic to be associated with.

The critics of POTUS, conditioned and indoctrinated by the culture of political correctness were so reflexive in their condemnation of him that the irony of their accusations was totally lost on them. How could a man, who on record denounced Duke, the head of the KKK almost two decades ago, and gazillion times since; and whose beloved daughter and son-in-law are Jews, sympathize with avowed anti-Semites? Rather, they upped the ante by asserting that he is so evil he won’t even defend his own daughter! Simply insane.

So, what is the solution?

There was a clarion call for the POTUS to lead the nation in the process of healing after the tragedy of Charlottesville. However, the popular recommendations of mouthing the politically correct condemnation or platitudes will not achieve healing.

A nation cannot survive for long without real justice.There can be no justice without truth and equity. The culture of political correctness suppresses truth and stifles honest debates about crucial racial and national issues. The following issues require honest appraisal ASAP.

• History.

As noted earlier, slavery is not an American history, it is the history of the human race everywhere; a fact of life which thankfully is over globally, for the most part. The poet, Alexander Pope posited that:

“Vicious and virtuous every man must be; few in the extreme, but all to some degree”

• Therefore, the history of slavery in America should not confer on any group the right to perpetual grievance; nor should it confer perpetual guilt on another.
• Teaching of history to be overhauled to reflect reality and an appreciation of the positive efforts that have been made by well intentioned, albeit, imperfect people.
• The idea of ridding the nation of statues that some now deem offensive would have been funny were it not so tragic. If there is a proper understanding of history as well as proper education in other areas, people should not be “triggered ” by statues to the extent of trying to erase history as it were.

Policies and Laws

• Have honest discussion about policies and laws that amplify identity politics and double standards. For example, Affirmative Action was well intentioned, but after fifty years, it is is becoming a seed of discontent among the young. Recently, Asian students denied admission in an ivy league university are suing because, other ethnic groups with lower grades were admitted. It was well intentioned and it has served a laudable purpose, but can it be justified in perpetuity?
• Intellectual response to CRT and the various components and offspring like Social justice, identity politics and political correctness. The fallacies of these intellectual and social constructs should be exposed for what they are and policies that are identified as causing social tension should be reviewed.
• Double standards should be honestly discussed and repudiated. If the idea of  “All White” anything is deemed repugnant and discriminatory; then, “All Black” or “All Latino” should be judged by the same standard. The adage says: “Those who come to equity must come with clean hands”.
• CRT and its components are not promoting equality, they are amplifying division. They do not promote cultural sensitivity, they infantilize and engender cowardice; producing adults that require “safe spaces” and “play dough” because they cannot cope with reality as innocuous as a different opinion!

The snowflakes, who cannot bear to see anything Confederate or as some are now saying, union and even founding fathers statues; and the politicians who tend to humor them, they need to realize that life is a tapestry of good and bad, rough and smooth and dark and light. Any attempt to remove the thread considered unpleasant may simply unravel everything. Therefore, they should take a deep breath, spend less time in those safe spaces and grow up.

Charlottesville is a wake up call for the nation, it is hoped that media hysteria, political cowardice and personal and corporate hypocrisy will be put aside, issues honestly discussed and sane and equitable solutions found for problems.

 

 

 

References

1.) UCLA School of Public Affairs / Critical Race Studies. https//:spacrs.wordpress.com/what-is-critical-race-theory/

2.) Stanford U Introduces Course On Abolishing White Culture. http://www.conservativezone.com/articles/stanford-u-introduces-course-on-abolishing-white-culture/

3.) Critical Race Theory. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_race_theory

4.) The Cassandra of Vanderbilt. https://www.weeklystandard.com/print/the-cassandra-of-vanderbilt/article/2007929