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发帖数: 1996 | 1 Many hopes were disappointed because those were unrealistic hopes to begin
with. Economic and other disparities between groups have been common for
centuries, in countries around the world -- and many of those disparities
have been, and still are, larger than the disparities between blacks and
whites in America.
Even when those who lagged behind have advanced, they have not always caught
up, even after centuries, because others were advancing at the same time.
But when blacks did not catch up with whites in America, within a matter of
decades, that was treated as strange -- or even a sinister sign of crafty
and covert racism.
Full Text:
http://townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/2013/08/27/a-poigna
The 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, and of the Reverend Martin
Luther King's memorable "I have a dream" speech, is a time for reflections
— some inspiring, and some painful and ominous.
At the core of Dr. King's speech was his dream of a world in which people
would not be judged by the color of their skin, but by "the content of their
character."
Judging individuals by their individual character is at the opposite pole
from judging how groups are statistically represented among employees,
college students or political figures.
Yet many — if not most — of those who celebrate the "I have a dream"
speech today promote the directly opposite approach of group preferences,
especially those based on skin color.
How consistent Martin Luther King himself was as he confronted the various
issues of his time is a question that can be left for historians. His legacy
to us is the "I have a dream" speech.
What was historic about that speech was not only what was said but how
powerfully its message resonated among Americans of that time, across the
spectrum of race, ideology and politics. A higher percentage of Republicans
than Democrats voted in Congress for both the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and
the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
To say that that was a hopeful time would be an understatement. To say that
many of those hopes have since been disappointed would also be an
understatement.
There has been much documented racial progress since 1963. But there has
also been much retrogression, of which the disintegration of the black
family has been central, especially among those at the bottom of the social
pyramid.
Many people — especially politicians and activists — want to take credit
for the economic and other advancement of blacks, even though a larger
proportion of blacks rose out of poverty in the 20 years before 1960 than in
the 20 years afterwards.
But no one wants to take responsibility for the policies and ideologies that
led to the breakup of the black family, which had survived centuries of
slavery and generations of discrimination.
Many hopes were disappointed because those were unrealistic hopes to begin
with. Economic and other disparities between groups have been common for
centuries, in countries around the world — and many of those disparities
have been, and still are, larger than the disparities between blacks and
whites in America.
Even when those who lagged behind have advanced, they have not always caught
up, even after centuries, because others were advancing at the same time.
But when blacks did not catch up with whites in America, within a matter of
decades, that was treated as strange — or even a sinister sign of crafty
and covert racism.
Civil rights were necessary, but far from sufficient. Education and job
skills are crucial, and the government cannot give you these things. All it
can do is make them available.
Race hustlers who blame all lags on the racism of others are among the
obstacles to taking the fullest advantage of education and other
opportunities. What does that say about the content of their character? |
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