August 18, 2017

Of Racism, Intolerance, and Symbolism

By Jim Culp

 

Yesterday marked yet another day that there were solemn reminders of events in our streets that were as horrible, mind shattering, and heart breaking as they can possibly be. The evening news was full of stories of persons plowing through crowds with cars, and statues of American Civil War military leaders being pulled to the ground as crowds cheered on.

As I always do, I thought about the implications of the actions of persons that reacted to those acts of violence, but also the immediate reactions of the public.
I've talked with several people on these matters in the past few days, and heard opinions and beliefs that were supportive, outright condemning, or like me, somewhat concerned about where we stand as a nation.
Sorry if the following is lengthy; but stick with me.

I want to visit the issue of terrorism first.
It's absolutely horrible that anyone, at any time, drives a car through a crowd and kills or seriously injures people. The same can be said about someone arming themselves with rifles and pistols, and shooting one, two, or twenty persons. These are all heinous acts of morbid brutality, and can never be dismissed or excused as anything but morally wrong and worthy of the highest punishment. The next major issue is hate, a mental illness spread through ignorance, then the proliferation of ignorance, and finally, the insane idea that brutality and isolationism will bring about peace and prosperity.
Nazis and groups of their kinds marching in our streets is a disgrace, just the same as a citizen of this country desecrating or destroying the flag of the United States if America. The very institution of Nazism was founded on hatred, and the persons that believe its' tenets are people that just don't belong in a society of racial, religious, and personal tolerance.
However, let me be candid. If you from an organization that has the word "Nazi" in its title, I would condemn that immediately. If you form an organization called "White People's Free Lunch Society", I'd condemn that immediately also.

But I say to you without any hesitation, that I believe the same thing about the NAACP, the United Negro College Fund, and "Black Lives Matter." Why is the word "colored", or the word "Black" used in an organization formed in a free and supposedly tolerant society? It's just as wrong to proliferate "black" agendas as it is to promote "white" agendas. Why aren't they "all citizens" agendas? The very use of "black" is a group's name is inherently racist. I propose the "National Association for the Advancement of Poor People," The United Low Income Education Fund," and the best one "All Lives Matter."

Please...don't insult me by saying that if I started an organization called "White People Matter," or "The United White Boy Education Fund", that there would not be blatant or outright violent outcries of racism and fascism. There would be; history proves it time and time again. I don't give a damn what color you are, or what country your ancestors came from two hundred years ago. If you want to help a society, you'll abide by its laws. I served in the Army, in two wars...with every creed and color of person you can think of. We lived as brothers, and went to less than desirable countries to fight your wars. When mortars fell, bullets flew, and we pushed on through it all, we were all one color; Army Green.

Our nation needs to take a lesson from that. I grew up in a town where kids of different races fought all the time. We don't do that now...do you know why? We grew up and became honorable men...

Then there is the issue of statues..

There are cries all over the country for statues of men like Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and many others to be dismantled, removed, or destroyed.
Statues are symbolism, and our country is full of symbolism that millions pass by every day and do not even begin to understand. A statue of Robert E. Lee is no different than a statue of George Washington. They were both prominent men of their times, and rose to the rank of General, and were competent soldiers who stood for honor and valor. The issue at hand is the subject of slavery, and the idea that all Confederate soldiers and statesmen were proponents of slavery.
They weren't. Was the Confederacy an institution of slavery? Maybe.
But consider these facts (not conspiracy theories).
Many of the Founding Fathers owned slaves. Many "Northerners" owned slaves prior to, during, and after the Civil War. Many slaves were integrated into families and lived happy lives until they were released, and became wanderers and vagabonds because they had nowhere to go. Union Generals and Senators issued many grave orders during the Civil War. The formation of the "Red Legs" in Kansas was a particularly brutal example.
Sherman's "March to the Sea" was indiscriminate as to whether Southerners were combatants or not; their homes and farms were destroyed nonetheless.
So be careful about who you pick out of a war and name a racist or a "advocate of slavery" that should be disgraced. I assure you, US Army Officers of post-Civil War times committed far more atrocities in the Indian Wars than Confederate soldiers did in the Civil War.

Because I have traveled the world many times, I have often been asked questions about countries that I have visited.

"Are there statues of Adolph Hitler in Germany?"
The answer is no. The Nazis signed an Unconditional Surrender in 1945, and agreed to things such as this.
"Are there Nazi groups in Germany?" Yes; it is a Democratic Republic, with personal freedoms similar to ours (USA). But Nazis are forbidden to form political parties; also part of the Treaty.
It is also a fair to point out that in many places in Poland and Germany, there are signs or markers outside homes where persons were abducted or arrested based solely on their race. These are stern reminders of dark times.
There are many Holocaust Museums across the world, including the USA, Macedonia, and Russia. I wonder, should these be torn down too , because they show us a dark chapter in history?

In my travels of England, my tour guides Gary and Albert took us to Hadrian's Wall. That massive, deteriorating landmark is a daunting reminder that the Roman Empire once reached into what is now the area of England and Scotland that was Britannia, a province of the Empire of AD 122. I wonder, should the United Kingdom tear the rest of that down, so that no one understands that they world was once a very different place?

Wars and Slaves have been factors in our existence for thousands of years, and many people in our society today think it is just an American idiom.
Irish were slaves for centuries, North and South Americans were slaves to enemy tribes, and negroes from 54 countries on the continent of Africa were slaves to some kingdom or government for over a  two thousand years.

This also brings about the subject of immigration. I won't "beat a dead horse."

Immigration is ok with me. Do it right; do it legal. But as we stand right now, let's fix the issue where it lies as we speak.
I propose a three check/step system:
Are you willing to work? Check
Are you willing to learn English? Check
Will you pay taxes like the other citizens do? Check
Welcome to the USA.
I think that's pretty simple.

There is never going to be peace in our society until everyone understands that there is no color in our goal of being one union. The United States of America is a "melting pot" where hundreds of races and creeds come together to make a great nation. It shouldn't matter what color you are, and it sure as hell shouldn't matter how many guns you have, or what religious belief you follow. If I were to form a political party, I'd start the "Stop Ignorance Party." To become a member, you'd have to demonstrate to the existing membership that you have opened your mind to facts, not beliefs or personal opinions.

I think starting from there just might make a difference...