Rage-Outrage & Eric Holder
My last post among other issues indicated my irritation with Eric Holder’s comment that America is a nation of cowards when it comes to discussing race. I indicated that we may be many things but not cowards.
The inevitable knee jerk politically correct response to my Post came with a series of comments and questions from someone using the title Opuleeze. (cute) The following comment and question sent to my posting is an example of why there is little discussion about race between the races. If a white person criticizes a black person, racism is thrown out immediately as the reason behind the criticism. If a black person reasonably comments on the views of the white populace, Uncle Tom is labeled on him for his comments.
My critic alluded to my softness on race because I failed to exhibit outrage over a stupid ditty “Barack the Magic Negro” Here is (his/her) Observation and the question of my racial bias
Observation #2 - Without a doubt, the recent accomplishments made by black politicians are encouraging and inspiring. But to think that race is no longer an issue for many people is naive. One need only look several weeks back at the incredibly racist ‘Barack the Magic Negro’ tune being shared by the guy who wanted to be the Chairman of the Republican Party.
Question #2 - where was the blog author’s outrage at that particular incident? ( the Blog author referred to is of course me)
My tendency with comments such as this is to ignore them. I gave an answer to the criticism that had some obscure references to my past. At the urging of my Blog advisor(my Grandson) I am going to share an experience that defined for me what level of activity deserved outrage and what might be a better tactic than rage. Opuleese obviously does not understand and has never faced true rage. I have!
I the early 1960s’ I was driving with 3 friends along a secondary road in South Carolina. We had left MCAS Beaufort to go over to Parris Island to the base movie. We were riding in a new red Thunderbird convertible with the top down. Cruising at the speed limit I heard a siren and saw the flashing lights of a police vehicle. We pulled over and I got out of the car commenting to my buddies that I’ll handle this. As the officer approached I said with my most friendly smile ,”what’s the problem officer” He replied while pulling his service revolver “the problem is you GD Freedom Riders coming down here with your *%#*!@ ideas. You not going to get away with it down here” .
By the time he finished his tirade he was directly in front of me with his revolver pointed several inches from my nose. It is curious how the mind works sometimes. I had several parallel thoughts working at once. I wondered what the caliber of the pistol was, the barrel looked like a cannon this close , I thought about the Pennsylvania license plate on the T- Bird as the generator of this situation and I was thinking that I should have paid more attention in the Judo moves I was taught several years before in basic training.
A voice from my left barked with authority “we’re not Freedom Riders.” My buddies when they saw the gun drawn had jumped out of the car and spread out in an assault formation supporting me. Art barked the informational comment and I woke up and said “We’re Marines”. The pistol went away with the comment that we should know better to be riding around here with that “nigger” in your car as he pointed to Bob. Tommy responded immediately ”that nigger happens to be our brother”. The comment by Tommy was made with intensity and the rage behind it was apparent. The officer decided that discretion was the better part of valor and seemed to understand that this brotherhood was beyond questions of race.
That incident was my generator starting serious thought about the inequities of race in America and the rage that was just below the surface. It was then I started on a path of understanding that rage needed to be saved for outrageous situations. I thought hard about the rage of that police officer and how changing times was such a problem for him to understand.
The campaign song “Barack The Magic Negro” designed, unsuccessfully, to generate votes based on remaining elements of racism really was too petty and stupid to give much thought, no less outrage. I really don’t have enough time to deal with outrage. I’ll deal with issues using other tools
Opuleez needs to find another tactic to support the point (if there is one) than immediately pulling the race card. Isn’t it time to move beyond that time worn move.
PS We were going to see a little known movie called the Invisible Man in which Vito DiSabbato, an old friend from South Philly, had a one line part. We got to the movie on time and Vito’s part was as a policeman. His one line while pointing up was’ “There he is, up on the ledge” Maybe that was two lines? Vito, I don’t want to minimize the part.
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