Welcome to Ellis County,Tx-Commentary on Rev Lowery's speech

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http://www.thedailylight.com/articles/2009/01/26/opinion/doc497cb28ba623d815527058.txt
Why re-open old wounds?
Published: Sunday, January 25, 2009 1:04 PM CST
Paul Perry
Guest columnist

I don’t know what I expected. I am proud of my nation, proud that in a time of national stress, the forms of our government were observed. The inauguration went smoothly in spite of a slight verbal bobble by our chief justice during the administration of the oath.

We are a republic, a nation of laws with a written constitution. We have democratic mechanisms in that we vote for our leaders, but our leaders and our people’s most grievous excesses are limited by law – at least that is the way it is supposed to be.

For many in our republic, the ceremonies are important. They remind us of our duties as citizens: We vote, we participate, by law we have a right to make our opinions, however popular or unpopular, known. In our nation, the ownership of property is supposed to be protected by law, including our right to own property – that is our own means of self-defense. As underlined by our constitution, we participate by right of law. Ultimately in our system, the people are supposed to be the bosses.

From Washington to Adams, the founders pointed out that our form of government would only work if guarded and upheld by a moral people. I would venture a guess that public civility would have been part of what was meant by a moral people. Civility does not really need to be defined. You know what it is. The people who jeered and booed our outgoing president near the WW II memorial also know what civility is. Suffice it to say that harassing a departing president at the inauguration was and is not proper.

Neither is opening old wounds in our nation, especially at a celebration.

Eighty-seven-year-old Rev. Joseph Lowery was selected to give the benediction. These are his words: “Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen ... say Amen ...”

Judging from his words, the good reverend spoke to us from where his mind is – 1955. Bringing the worst of our past into the present – similar to plopping fecal matter into a punch bowl – the reverend warned those who are largely descended from Europeans to be fair – perhaps even to watch ourselves. We must “embrace what is right,” while people who share in other heritages must get their due, excepting those of Asian descent, who evidently need to be less hard working in his mind. In Joseph Lowery’s words, which somehow made it through the time and resentment warp into a celebration of national unity in 2009, “black will not be asked to get back.” Those and other words were very instructive of his point of view

Bluntly, there is nothing wrong with a gentle admonishment from anyone for us to be respectful of each other’s right to pursue happiness. And for the record, I’m in favor of all citizens being able to get ahead and hang around, even Norwegians.

Seriously, there is also no denying that racism, though moderating, is still evident in our society. But I would ask the Rev. Lowery, is all racism initiated by “whites,” as you more than hinted? That was your message and appeared to be the point of your goading. And we all know that Louis Farrakhan is no racist, right? No more than David Duke, anyway. ...

I reserve the right to oppose this president’s policies, as I sometimes opposed the former president’s. No propagandistic benedictory is going to intimidate me from my opinion. This “white” with more than a dash of Cherokee and Chickasaw for seasoning thinks opposing socialism is “right,” regardless of the race of the advocate.

Our new president has been declared a bridge between races and cultures. A very large number of whites voted for Barack Hussein Obama, or he would not be president. I hope in the selection of the Rev. Lowery to give the benediction that President Obama was merely attempting to acknowledge the sacrifice of many who have helped our nation to overcome issues of our past. A tip of the presidential hat to a generation, as it were. As it was, the reverend chose to get his digs in, to evidence his own resentment and bigotry.

I hope President Obama will be successful in serving as an example for those who need to be reminded (white and black) that people of African-American descent can be successful in America, especially if they respect the law and the constitution. I also hope our new president and family will be effective in reminding all Americans who need to be reminded that family is extremely important. These are messages that are needed in our current era – in contrast to the reverend’s message, which was clearly designed to re-open wounds that while not fully healed have not busted the stitches. The resentment of the reverend, however, is standing by like a pair of old, rusty but very sharp scissors.

Paul D. Perry is a contributing columnist for the Daily Light. He is a local businessman and mediator and a former Ellis County justice of the peace.





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Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of thedailylight.com.
stan4d wrote on Jan 25, 2009 6:34 PM:

" Good article. I agree with the point of view. It is a shame that you will get hatefull responses. "



w8liftinglady wrote on Jan 25, 2009 9:04 PM:

" Paul,
While I agree that we need to lose the old labels associated with racism,as the number of blended families increases,it is difficult for people like you and I to understand what Rev. Lowery and his generation suffered through to acheive what we have in a few short generations.I was talking to an elderly African-American patient of mine who,like the rest of us,was taken aback by the election of President Obama.He reflected on the times he had to sit at the back of the bus,eat in the kitchen of the restaurant,and pretty much fight for every single thing he had as he tried to provide for his family.People of our generation and beyond have no concept of this kind of hatred,and I think people like Reverend Lowery just don't want us to forget the damage hate can do in a relatively short period of time.
Beth "



owlnwaxa wrote on Jan 26, 2009 2:08 PM:

" Although the tree has been cut down,the roots run deep.Deep under all of us,Just because you can't see them from the surface, does'nt mean they don't exist..Even old wounds need to be treated so they will heal properly.Let us all help in our own respectful way. Good article ,Paul. "



riskt8ker wrote on Jan 26, 2009 2:47 PM:

" w8liftinglady

"People like me" are aware of all kinds of things..........including reverse racism and guilt manipulation motivated by whatever......

Mr Perry does business regularly with people of all ethnic stripes as a mediator. Citizenship requires civil behavior of all of us, I beleive. Telling "white" to do right without qualifying the good behavior of others falls only a little short of telling people to board the train and head to the camps at gunpoint.... "