"A Monk's Dream": An Open Letter About Race
Posted: Saturday, October 11, 2008
by Walter Rhett
Charleston Perlo
I blog on the Clarion Ledger website; Mississippi's number one website, operated by the Jackson, MS daily paper. Everyday last week (Oct. 5 -12), their home page featured my blog. My thumbnail picture identifies my race, but my words identify my ideas. I have spent most of my life trying to break the boundaries tied to race by putting forth ideas. Yet I still find many readers take comfort in smugly believing that my ideas are reflect my race and are actually determined by my outward complexion! As they are smug about race, I am saddened and bewildered, angry, depressed, and frustrated that after all these years, people mark and judge by stereotypes. I share an exchange of comments from a recent blog, and appeal to any who have differing points of view to remember these differences are based on our hearts and souls--not on race! I would never believe that someone would hold a point of certain because of their race--and neither do I! (The blog is also posted on SearchWrap: "It's My Party': Is John McCain Embracing Socialism? It actually addresses the economic crisis and McCain's response, without bashing.)
Wow, a black man writing negative things about McCain and supporting O-BAMA. How original. How boring. How predictable. How racist.
And here's my reply:
GoldenEl: Elsewhere on comments I have supported black Republicans in MS, and I proudly proclaim to all who listen I voted multiple times for Strom Thurmond. Being black doesn't mean I check my American heritage or citizenship at the d oor: I am bigger than the barrel of race. Also, being black doesn't mean I can't think: read carefully, the piece contains and cites economic figures and conditions. Do you agree--or disagree--that a takeover of the economy is socialism? That's the point of the piece--not the criticism of McCain! 700 billions dollars--and you still can't see beyond race?!? Come on, man, wake up, stand up, get in the fight to save America. Whoever is president must be held accountable for reclaiming the country from those stealing its assets! Are you blind? Or just plain lazy?
Please let me know what you think.
This Article has been viewed 119 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)You go Walter! Great article--tell it like it is. Some people just feel like they have to read things in to what's not there. I know the feeling; it has happened to me. Keep up the good work.SandraThanks Sandra, thanks so much!
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.