Watch This Video Before Proceeding
Go back and watch the video if you didn't because it really sets up this blog.
I read an article by Joseph Williams, a freelance writer
penned an article titled, Why Kids of Color Don’t Need “White Hero”
Teachers. Williams contends that
white teachers cannot effectively teach black students because black students
are different and white teachers do not understand them.
Williams goes on to suggest that white teachers try to teach
black students like they were white, imposing the same expectations on the
black students as they would on white students. He quotes Christopher Emdin, author
of the book, For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood….and the Rest of Y’all Too who
wrote, “It’s unrealistic, however, to expect kids from poor neighborhoods in
crumbling schools with metal detectors at the doors and bars on the windows to
sit down and shut up like their peer in the suburbs.”
My first reaction to the article was outrage. How dare this person attack white teachers
who go into black neighborhoods where they have to pass through metal detectors
to teach? He should be praising them for
committing their lives to educating poor students. But then I did what everyone needs to do
today. I walked away from being
offended, sat down and opened my mind to ponder what he wrote.
I came away with the conclusion that he is right. America is not a homogeneous society. We are a mix of varying cultures. We seemed to have forgotten this as we have
been made to bow to the god of political correctness or feel its wrath. There was a time when we recognized
differences of culture, often with humor.
What was funny is now offensive.
It was great material for comedians to make fun of the differences
between white people and black people.
White people can’t dance; white people are stiff with no rhythm and so
on. Was it true of all whites? Of course not. Was it disparaging of whites? It was only if you wanted to be
offended (I laughed out loud at the video I posted). I choose to laugh because
there was a lot of truth to it. The
same, by both white and black comedians was done in regards to the
idiosyncrasies of black culture.
I really thought our country was on the path to being color
blind and realizing Martin Luther King’s dream, but I have seen race relations
deteriorate in the last seven years. We
are a powder keg of racial tension and it is exploding across the country. This tension is fueled by race-baiters,
movements like #BLM and organizations like the New Black Panthers and the
Nation of Islam who are the flip side of the KKK who I condemn. These movements and orgainzations promote hate and violence towards
whites which in turn creates an equal and opposite reaction - hating blacks. Everyone needs to reject hate
groups and the evil they promote.
Instead of attacking one another we need to recognize that
despite cultural difference we are Americans all riding on the same bus. We can fight and let the bus careen out of
control or we can work together to drive it to a better place.
We need to acknowledge that not all behavior is acceptable
nor does it lead to success in America. Not
being quiet in the classroom and focusing on what the teacher is teaching will
not lead to learning. But as Williams
pointed out these kids come from a different culture, it is unrealistic to
expect them to conform to these standards no matter how important the standards are. We have to admit that people,
especially those who live in abject poverty, have a different set of values and
lack the skills and resources many of us take for granted. We have to slowly transition those living in
poverty and a culture that requires metal detectors and bars on the windows at
their school to a culture where that is not the norm.
I have said this before and will say it again and
again. Attacking white people, blaming
white people for the problems facing many blacks today and acting violently
will not solve any problems. They will
divide us further and cause our country to be weak.
Stop being offended; stop blaming racism for your failure to
be successful in a country that allows uneducated illegal immigrants to be
successful. This is America and anyone
can be successful if they work hard. The
government is not your friend. They feed
you scraps to keep you dependent on them.
We the people need to work together to eliminate poverty and
violence in our country. It is in all
our best interest to raise the quality of life for every American. When I look at my fellow American the only colors I see are red, white and blue until they decide to bring race into the picture. Let's all wrap ourselves in being American and work together to make America great again.
