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http://www.bmorenews.com/blog/tgr-open-letter-to-white-americans.shtmlTGR: Open Letter to White Americans
I write to you in the spirit of those who lived and died to build a “more perfect nation,” of those who dreamed of a better tomorrow, of those who dared to stand up for right when everybody else chose wrong.
As noted by W.E.B. DuBois at the beginning of the last century, the issue of the color line is still a challenge we face today.
Not to play victim (because I personally despise that), but the question of “when” is long overdue.
When will America grow up into a mature adult?
(BALTIMORE – April 30, 2008) – I write to you in the spirit of those who lived and died to build a “more perfect nation,” of those who dreamed of a better tomorrow, of those who dared to stand up for right when everybody else chose wrong.
As noted by W.E.B. DuBois at the beginning of the last century, the issue of the color line is still a challenge we face today.
However, this is 2008. And the “when” question needs to be answered. When are Americans going to stop being played by the media, distracted by things we all know exist, and move forward like the great democratic engine we claim to be? When are the words of Ghandi, Kennedy and King going to actually mean something?
Not to play victim (because I personally despise that), but the question of “when” is long overdue.
When will America grow up into a mature adult?
And how long will we, as a nation, allow the sins of the past to go unabsolved?
Clearly, there are a lot of good people in this country. Many of them are white or Caucasian or of European descent. Many Americans are descendants of peoples who endured struggle. Some even had to deal with conditions that were unimaginable.
The point is that African Americans are not the only ones who have been dogged in the history of mankind. Truth be told, it has happened to most people at some point in time.
However, this is 2008. And the “when” question needs to be answered. When are Americans going to stop being played by the media, distracted by things we all know exist, and move forward like the great democratic engine we claim to be? When are the words of Ghandi, Kennedy and King going to actually mean something?
A dear friend often says that “actions speak louder than words.” And for me, that holds true when it comes to whether or not this nation is going to have its first African American president.
Again, not to play victim – but instead to simply raise the question: If Barack Obama were white, would there be this barrage of hogwash blasted in the mainstream media by shock jocks and talk show hosts who obviously are intent on destroying his chances of helping to bring change to the greatest nation in the world?
How much can white America expect this black man to change? How much is he going to be asked to denounce who he is – as if he had some control over what race he was born?
With a seemingly good heart, birthed in community work, even white pundits have likened his eloquence and grasp of the issues to Cicero. A successful local white business owner told me Obama is right there with Kennedy and King.
With this being said, how can America turn its back on truth, justice, and freedom by dirtying the waters? After all, this could be the change America needs to truly mature into the nation we were meant to be.
The funny thing is that when America has gone to war, black soldiers have been willing participants – all the way back to Crispus Attucks. No people has toiled harder to help build this nation. Blacks have worked tirelessly – despite the images in rap videos – to help make this nation the economic powerhouse it is today.
And its not like the garbage being tossed around in the media is anything new. We all know the issues facing America. We should all know that the wounds and scars from centuries of black underdevelopment have not been healed. We should even know that there are some people who are still bitter.
As my pastor told me once, some people are just downright mean.
But, again, this is 2008. And if people – white, black, yellow, red, or green – are still holding on to stuff from last century, if Oprah and Dr. Phil have not yet had them on their shows, and if all of the Earth Days and Fourths of July and Christmases and King holidays and wars and recessions and depressions have not clearly suggested our oneness as a nation, we are not only lost. We, as a nation, seem more like a mistake.
“To whom much is given, much is required.” I share this thought with my children often. I strive to let them know that they have a responsibility to go to school, be respectful, and become a good human being. If they become rich with money, then that is good for them. However, as King noted: It’s the “content of their character” by which they will be judged. Not how much money they have, where they live or where they graduate from college: What is most important is whether or not they will be a blessing or a curse to the world that God has afforded us to live in.
America must take a moment to reflect on how blessed we are – black and white. America must take a minute even to ponder how this country was founded … and why: Religious freedom and avoidance of persecution. America too must remember how much we speak of God – in our Pledge of Allegiance, our churches, our synagogues, our mosques, our courts, and our political manifestos, like the Declaration of Independence.
I don’t know about you, but I think this country will miss its blessing if it does not embrace the candidacy of Barack Obama and put its pettiness to the side. After all, that is the mark of maturity. We, as a nation, will never mature until we are able to hold fast to our principles, our faith, and our for a better tomorrow for our children yet unborn.
God bless America!