White Guilt

I am not guilty. I am not a racist. I treat others regardless of race as I want to be treated. I don’t own any slaves. My parents did not own any slaves. My grandparents did not own any slaves. My great grandparents did not own any slaves. And as near as I can tell even my great, great grandparents did not own any slaves. And if your family came to the US after 1866 you have no leg to stand on when you talk about 450  years or the sins of slavery. And don’t try to tell me that every black American is a descendant of the 4,000,000 slaves in the US in 1865. What about the almost half a million men who died defending the Union and trying to end slavery? And certainly let’s not talk about the approximate 3,500 black American families that owned black slaves (and supported the rebellious Confederacy). No, there is no white guilt because most white Americans are like me.

I have paid for the sins of oppression of black Americans already. The civil rights movement; the war on poverty (or redistribution of wealth); affirmative action; racial quotas; the striking of Jim Crow laws; the passing of laws that make discrimination illegal; housing; welfare; money poured into predominantly black schools; and community investments just to name a few of the efforts which passed or were instituted and predominantly paid for by white Americans.

I have bent over backwards. And people keep saying there has to be more? They want to burn the system? They threaten me while they make Al Sharpton rich? What, another handout?

I will go with Shelby Steele and talk about the elephant in the room. I judge every American, as Martin Luther King wanted, by the content of their character. Too many black Americans have children out of wedlock and raised without fathers. School is not a priority in too many families. Personal responsibility? No, easier to screw up, break the law and blame the system and others. It’s not my fault that I shot that guy or killed the little kid or robbed that store or I sold those drugs or did not raise my kids or I did not stay in school or did not take advantage of training opportunities or I avoid work? The system gives me a chance but I want to burn it down anyway? After all the opportunities provided?

So wake up white America. We ain’t guilty. We are doing our best. Why are we kowtowing to a mob? Why are we responding to demands for more handouts? Remember, when someone says you don’t understand because you haven’t walked in their shoes – they haven’t walked in yours either. I grew up pretty poor. We are providing a fair chance to black Americans to get ahead. That should be all they need – a chance. That was all I asked for. And it didn’t come as a privilege or on a silver platter. I busted my butt. I worked hard. I went to school. I served my country. I got married before having my kids and I stuck around and raised them. I didn’t commit crimes.

And wake up black America. Every handout makes you more dependent and Rev Al richer. You have opportunity now. What have your local democrat leaders, and Rev Al, actually done for you? And remember: dependence may be another form of slavery except you willingly went into it so don’t complain. Nothing is truly free. And like it or not ALL lives matter not just those of one color.

I’m an old guy and I don’t get it