Irresponsible Nature of Today's Racism

In Virginia 1655, the legal system of the US (or the colonies that formed the US) was exposed to the first case, Johnson v. Parker, in which it acknowledged the legitimacy of slavery.  The case involved two farmers, Robert Parker (white plantation owner) suing his neighbor Anthony Johnson (black landowner), and a black indentured servant, John Casor.  Parker was attempting to grant the release of Casor, who Parker felt was being unjustly held.

John Casor had began working for Anthony Johnson in order to earn his freedom, the assumption was that seven years of indentured servitude would fulfill Casor’s obligation.  However, after fourteen years Johnson determined that an agreement had not truly be reached and decided that Casor would not be granted freedom.  At this point Parker interceded on Casor’s behalf by taking Johnson to Court.  Unfortunately, the court sided with Johnson on the grounds that being illiterate, Johnson could not have formally signed a contract and thus in a case of he said/he said, the servant (or in this case Parker) had the burden of proof and failed.  What makes this case stunning is that Johnson, born in Africa as Casor, earned his freedom through the process of seven years of indentured servitude.  Hence, the first court challenge to slavery in the US was won by an African American slave owner.

I bring this case up, not because I believe it was the case that instituted slavery in the US, as Massachusetts had already legalized slavery several years earlier (with no court case brought to challenge it).  Nor do I wish to absolve the white man for his action over the next 200 years until slavery was abolished in the US.  Rather, I point to this case as a representation of the US failing to hold blacks responsible for their own actions.

Throughout the history of the US, there are many African Americans that deserve the national recognition, as we recently did for MLK’s march on Washington; not unlike how we recognize great leaders of the other races.  However, unlike white history, in which the evils are scrutinized from every possible angle; black history tends to lack the same examination.  As the story above indicates, US history includes stories that show African American’s are complicit in many of the actions whites are condemned.  Yet, we historically refuse to hold them responsible.  This should not nullify any actions that negatively impacted the lives of African Americans by the whites of those eras past.  Instead, we must start judging the actions of today's generations without first running it through the filter of what has become US history.  It is time that the Black Community stop blaming dead whites (of which few current white Americans share any allegiance) and begin looking inward.

Many of the worst urban areas within the US are in places with high populations of minorities.  Within the government structure of those urban areas we find most of the elected offices are held by members of that same minority community.  It stands to reason then, if members of their own community are unable or unwilling to address the problems when they are elected to public service, why is the blame then laid at the feet of those not within the community.   

The claim is usually made that poverty is an animal all its own, consuming its populace and reducing the available options to success either within the realm of criminal activity or government dependence.  While I am sympathetic to those in high crime areas and how easy it is to be drawn into underworld behavior; that fails to address the larger issue of family disintegration.  The culture of anti-family conduct is what the leaders of these minority areas refuse to hold their constituents responsible.  The family is not a habit the lives or dies based on wealth, it is one that decays only when the culture allows.  Hence, when generations, raised in this dysfunctional family atmosphere, enter society as adults; is it any surprise the attitudes and mannerisms learned under a broken culture are not accepted by the rest of the country.

As I have pointed out a couple of times within this blog, the hideousness of racism did exist, the aftermath of segregation did exist and, however, there are a few that attempt to hold on to those sins.  It is time that the African American community take stock of its own sins and begin rebuilding their culture and communities.  Therefore, as assistance passes from outside these blighted urban areas to the inside, it should be understood that those receiving assistance do so with the expectations of responsible behavior and being judged accordingly.

The picture of racism today has more to do with white aversion to the corrupt makeup of African American lifestyles; rather than a concept based solely on skin color and race superiority.  Each community must work at maintaining the family dynamic in such a way as to prevent a meltdown in society.  Money can’t buy love and it can’t buy cultural stability of the community that refuses.  As the African American leaders of today march the streets to demand the rights of hoodie wearers, they ignore the absence of responsibility being bred by fraudulent family environments.  Not unlike Johnson’s desire to enslave his own for personal gain, Black leadership supports the current ghetto culture for personal gain rather than cultural stability.  It is the condemnation of this broken value system by those outside inner city black culture that is irresponsibly labeled as racism.