Community stood firm against racist symbols
The following is a Counterpoint:
By Susan Feit
Four nooses were hung at Andrews High School almost 50 years to the day after nine black schoolchildren integrated their high school in Little Rock, Ark. Ironic, isn't it? This latest incident is a powerful reminder that the quest to build inclusive, tolerant, successful schools and communities that allow all children to succeed both academically and socially is not over.
Fortunately, today in Guilford County there is nearly unanimous consensus that racial intimidation and exclusion cannot be tolerated in our schools or in our communities. Accordingly, immediate action was taken to address the noose incident. School faculty, parents, student leaders and the High Point Human Relations Department worked together to take an emphatic stance against displays of racism on the Andrews campus. The High Point Human Relations Commission also held a news conference calling on the entire High Point community to engage in a collaborative effort to eradicate racism, hate and intolerance. I was one of numerous community leaders who attended the news conference and a subsequent assembly at Andrews. The National Conference for Community and Justice of the Piedmont-Triad (NCCJ) will always take action when symbols of racial intolerance and hate are used in our community.
I am proud to live in an era when outrageous public displays of racism are not tolerated. However, today's world brings a different set of challenges. It is easier to recognize blatant racism. It is more difficult to identify the more subtle forms of bias, bigotry and racism that maintain inequality in our society.
At NCCJ, we know that we need to stand up to both overt and more subtle racism. That is why organizations and initiatives that address racism as an everyday issue and bridge divides in our community are vital. Our strength as a community depends on our ability to guarantee that Guilford County is a better place for all of us and not just some of us.
The writer is executive director, Piedmont Triad Region, the National Conference for Community and Justice.
Comments (5)
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Racism, racism, and more racism. There have been laws, laws and then more laws written into federal, state and local law, than there's paper to print in on.
The issue is not how many laws and statutes you come up with. Dad-gum, they have all been written. The issue is not more laws. The issue is the racist, themselves. Racism is a matter of individual belief and thinking.
Racist are insecure tiny minded creatures. They have no self worth about who they are. So, they focus on the genetics of other person as a point of hatred and discord.
The racist will always focus their hate on something about the target that can not be changed. Everything about your life can be changed, except for your family genetics. Racist are generally very stupid. Even those that earn degrees of education. Education and intellegence have no relationship. There are gobs of educated people that are as stupid as mindless bacteria.
The only thing the laws do is tell the mean ass racist to be quite. They do nothing to change the hearts and minds of the racist. The racist continues to promote their brand of racism and hatred.
I've met more racist than I care to remember. Everyone of them were snively, stupid cowards. Not one of them could do anything without their fellow racist with a mob mentality.
And, when a racist is prosecuted and even imprisoned for a racist related crime, do you think they will change? Not on their life! The first thing they do in prison? They gravitate to other racist that believe like they do. And, everyone of them will blame the victim of their act of hatred.
Wake up!! The world will never run out of insecure, cowardly stupid humans. "There is no cure for stupid!" (Ron White - Stage Comedian) The world will always have racist. The Dog's outa here.
Crime Dog
Posted on October 9, 2007 10:18 AM
Well said/stated Crime Dog!
Shalom
Posted on October 9, 2007 11:50 AM
I agree with the above letters. The litmus test for me however is what happens behind closed social doors such as meetings, social gatherings, at church and so forth. When ethnic slurs or comments are made, do we do nothing, do we smile and say nothing, do we mumbo jumbo or "do we confront one another"? The latter takes more guts but it puts our positions where our mouths are. The article by Ms. Feit is truly laudable and necessary. We do need to make a noble visible message. We, however, the citizenry, need to take this a step further and not only internalize the spirit of what Ms. Feit has written but also we "must" live it out as I mentioned above. I'm more concerned about how we live out what we profess to believe than seeing some obnoxious display of nonsense which would ultimately mean nothing if everyone lived decently.
Posted on October 9, 2007 4:33 PM
I agree with the above letters. The litmus test for me however is what happens behind closed social doors such as meetings, social gatherings, at church and so forth. When ethnic slurs or comments are made, do we do nothing, do we smile and say nothing, do we mumbo jumbo or "do we confront one another"? The latter takes more guts but it puts our positions where our mouths are. The article by Ms. Feit is truly laudable and necessary. We do need to make a noble visible message. We, however, the citizenry, need to take this a step further and not only internalize the spirit of what Ms. Feit has written but also we "must" live it out as I mentioned above. I'm more concerned about how we live out what we profess to believe than seeing some obnoxious display of nonsense which would ultimately mean nothing if everyone lived decently.
Posted on October 9, 2007 4:34 PM
Well said all !!!
Posted on October 9, 2007 8:20 PM