With all the talk about "white privilege" and "critical race theory" too many remain silent about a growing new racism: the justification for "black privilege." Racism is racism no matter which race chooses to foster its application and wield it as a cultural weapon. Whites, driven into silence out of a false "racial guilt," are seeing more and more special benefits being created to right past wrongs against black Americans.
President Biden's new infrastructure bill has funds for black universities; diverse universities committed to equal rights for all races need not apply. In San Francisco, Lowell High School, one of the top public high schools in
California, is switching from a merit-based admission system to a lottery. Known for its academic excellence, the school's merit-based admission process has resulted in nearly 60 percent of the student body being Asian,
18 percent white, and only 1.8 percent black. It seems "Asian privilege" based on merit is not acceptable either. Forget merit; start a lottery system to increase black admissions.
Local governments seem to be competing for the woke award for supporting blacks. In order to shrink the "racial wealth gap," the Democratic mayor of Oakland has a plan. Mayor Libby Schaaf of Oakland, California, has announced a new program that provides $500 a month, no-strings-attached, to 600 randomly selected families of color for at least a year and a half. This gift will only be available to families making less than $30,000 annually and have at least one child. Struggling white families need not apply. The new racism rules.
Even in the farm country, we are told that black farmers deserve special treatment. President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill provides $5 billion in funds earmarked for black farmers. Why? According to Washington, in addition to facing the same challenges white farmers face, black farmers face racial bias and less access to needed credit. "Equity" requires special race-based privileges for black farmers.
Ever since Jesse Jackson and other black activists asserted it, the notion that "blacks can't be racist" has been used by the media to justify never even mentioning "racism' as a reason for black-on-white attacks. It is true
that physical attacks on whites are done predominately by other white Americans. But DOJ Statistics on Race and Violent Crime reveals troubling statistics: "Using figures for the 2013 racial mix of the population – 62.2
percent white, 17.1 percent Hispanic, 13.2 percent black – we can calculate the average likelihood of a person of each race attacking the other. A black is 27 times more likely to attack a white and 8 times more likely to attack a Hispanic than the other way around." As to white-on-black attacks, whites are far more likely to attack another white than a black or Hispanic.
Even liberal comedian Bill Maher has expressed concerns: "We seem to be entering an era of resegregation that's coming from the Left. I mean, on many college campuses, there are separate dorms, separate black dorms, graduation ceremonies, stuff like that." White Americans have come to support diversity on college campuses. They have embraced the hiring of minorities, and they have even helped elect a black president. This is not a racist country. Unfortunately, many black Americans can't seem to let go of having a white enemy to justify their lack of success.
Writer Damon Young, author of the memoir "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker," recently posted a piece titled "Whiteness Is a Pandemic." His opening assessment about white America sums it up: "Whiteness is a public health crisis. It shortens life expectancies, it pollutes air, it constricts equilibrium, it devastates forests, it melts ice caps, it sparks (and funds) wars, it flattens dialects, it infests consciousnesses, and it kills people - white people and people who are not white, my mom included. There will be people who die, in 2050, because of white supremacy-induced decisions from 1850."
Such blatant racist statements against white Americans and the deluge of special programs and funds for black Americans will have a dangerous but predictable outcome. Those not subsidized can easily turn growing resentment into racial animus. Black Americans may have found their "sugar daddy" in President Biden, but there is danger behind the sugar being offered.
In no way can America discount past wrongs, but that does not justify new wrongs. These added benefits should come with a warning label. Government largesse provides a slippery slope into a deeper dependence on government support. The Democrats have bet their future on identity politics. If they can provide enough special programs for blacks, they believe they can lock in their votes.
The message is clear. Democratic politicians imply that blacks are incapable of securing their own future. They can't get into college on their own; they need affirmative action quotas. Black farmers can't manage on their own; they need government interventions and funds. Democratic politicians seem to think blacks are incapable of finding a DMV to get an ID card; that is insulting. Thankfully, some blacks are refusing to accept such "race-based" benefits and the dependency hooks and resentment such programs are sure to create.
Contrary to what Democrats will tell you, America is not a racist country. The vast majority of Americans want to keep the American Dream possible for every citizen and for generations to come. Conservatives do not believe in race-based entitlements. They want smaller government, fewer regulations, lower taxes, and fewer entitlements so that all are free to keep more of what they earn in the pursuit of their own American dream.
There are millions of successful black Americans who have made this country work for them and their families. We have and should celebrate their accomplishments and encourage others to join them.
Terry Paulson is PhD psychologist, author, and professional speaker on Earned Optimism, Making Change Work, Claiming Your American Dream, and Becoming a Conservative Values Voter. Contact him to speak before your group at terry@terrypaulson.com