Columns & Editorials
DON'T WEAR A HOOD AND CALL IT A CHURCH
HAT
September 5, 2009
On Thursday night, my son called me from his home in Union, Kentucky near
Cincinnati.
He told me that he had received notice from my grandchildren's school that
the parents had the option of keeping their children from hearing
President Barack Obama's speech to be
aired to the school children next week. Worse, the school was not going
to show it live, they would show it the day after. They told my son that
they couldn't get a preview copy of the President's speech.
Since that time, the President has agreed to provide a public preview of
his speech to our children.
This is the most disrespectful thing I have ever heard. Disrespectful to
the people, certainly disrespectful to our President. Disrespectful to
God. And country.
I am white. My son and grandchildren are black. My son was outraged. He
knows that this has never before happened in history. He is particularly
outraged because his children's school does not teach much black history,
and because it is predominantly white, the children don't get much
diversity and black history information at
their homes.
My son told the assistant principle that as a little boy he accepted being
an American, but that as he grew older he saw things in our country, and
he had experiences that made him wonder whether America wanted him, and if
he really counted.
He never displayed the American Flag
because of these feelings. When Barack Obama got elected a year ago, my
son felt that America had made a big move towards diversity, and in his
joy he proudly displayed the American Flag at his home.
Now, he told the Assistant Principal, he feels ashamed. And I join him
wholeheartedly in that shame. I really thought we had grown as a
country. I still believe that the majority of decent people are trying to
do the right thing.
I have seen the people on television railing about the President's
upcoming speech. I am appalled. This is just like the
Civil Rights Struggle....not in the
sixties, but in the fifties. I really believe that all this is racially
motivated. The hate that fills these people's faces is very familiar.
It's the same way they looked at me and my son.
My son's assistant principle said that "it wasn't meant that way". That,
my friends, does not matter. Perception is everything. Perhaps if the
school leaders had any relationships with black people they would know how
offensive this is. better. I refuse to give up hope.
I admit I am disappointed in President Obama
that he has this day agreed to provide a preview. And now I read in the
Montgomery Advertiser that the our
Alabama School Superintendent has allowed
Alabama schools to use “their discretion” in showing the speech, and even
Montgomery’s new …and black…School Superintendent said, “If you choose to
show the speech, I would strongly recommend that you are prepared to
document how it supports content, specific
curricular goals and objectives”. Give me a break. I remember
George Bush Senior and
Ronald Reagan giving speeches to our kids
in schools and I never heard anything like this.
I urge you to read Judge Vanzetta McPherson’s column that appeared in
Thursday’s Montgomery Advertiser. She’s so right. The problem is that
whites refuse to accept black leadership. We can intermarry. We can live
next door. But black leadership……oh no!
The thinly dormant racism that infects our society is being watered and
fertilized by the talk show hosts on local radio AM stations 1170 and
1440. FOX TV is working hard to push an agenda of hate and division.
Make a note of the sponsors, write them and tell them you will not use
their products while they push their hateful words.
As my son says, “At least the hoods are off”. The question is, will the
same people who voted for President Obama now stand and support him? I
don’t mean supporting each and every thing he does, what I mean is support
our American right to diversity and civil conversation. Will YOU stand up
and say what’s going on wrong, or will all those folks wearing the Obama
T-shirts let OUR president take the heat alone? Will YOU have the courage
to protest the obvious racism in a civil and intelligent manner?
I am proud of my son for going to his kids’ school and fighting for their
right to hear their President. That school committed to showing the
speech, without preview, live. The kids who don’t want to see it can
still opt out. Absences from school due to the speech will be unexcused.
And the school has agreed to expand their black history program.
It’s time to stand up for our country and our alleged values. And it’s
time to stop disguising your hood as a church hat. Come on, people,
aren’t we better than this?
Barbara Evans lives in Lowndes
County and can be reached at 334-324-7222 or at
editor@estherstrumpet.com
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