This Makes Me Sad

An article in today's Washington Post. The article was ostensibly about the Black Family Reunion, a positive annual event held on the National Mall in Washington where African American families gather to celebrate their shared culture, values, goals, hopes and dreams. It occurred this past Sunday. Today's article was about the view of some who were interviewed who believe that the people who protested against the President's policies were motivated by racism. Nothing else. Racism.

Yes, it was a reaction to the angry protest that occurred on Saturday. Many conservatives were demonstrating against the President's policies. I can understand why many people of all colors were unhappy about that demonstration. Like most public demonstrations (from all political spectra), this was loud, angry and unpleasant. These people are really unhappy. But it wasn't about race!

What's sad too is the attitude that disagreement with the President is solely based on racism. This attitude stifles dissent within the African American community. And pressure to conform is a huge impediment to progress for any community.

This linking "criticism of President Obama = racism" is just as unpleasant as "conservative Christian = Limbaugh fan." Or how about this one -- "Christian = Patriot". The clear implication of that would be "Non-Christian = Unpatriotic." Not only are these things bad logic, they're hurtful, untrue and destructive.

There's a quote from a 97 year old woman who said, "I've never heard anyone say that they wished the other presidents would fail." Well apparently she wasn't listening. For eight years after the "stolen" election, many of the people I know in the D.C. region folded their arms and resolutely refused to do ANYTHING positive to support the former president. There was an attitude of "if I can't have what I want, I just won't play until the game changes." They trashed him publicly, privately, and in our schools. They acted like spoiled children. So now the candidate they worked to elect is in office. Should conservatives take the same tack they took for 8 years? Of course not! If we all continue to do so, this country is doomed.

The whole business of painting with a broad brush is distasteful and unfair. It vilifies entire groups of people and prevents movement forward. We spend way too much time in this country focusing on what divides us, not what unites us. If we didn't learn anything else from the attacks on 9-11, we should have learned that.

So now, in addition to giving up TV (we did that a long time ago), and minimizing my audio intake from talk radio, I may just give up reading the Post. If their goal in journalism is to highlight what divides us, that's just hate-mongering.

/kw