Re: Is white racism nec. all bad?

Travis C. Porco (porco@pathos.Berkeley.EDU)
27 Apr 1995 08:25:34 GMT

In article <yejcc-2504952042200001@vern.cct.ccny.cuny.edu>,
youssef <yejcc@cunyvm.cuny.edu> wrote:

> Good grief, I think a major problem with people in this country is
>that don't haven't had a real *accurate* history lesson. I think every
>American should be obligated to take a class in Non-White American History
>101 -- and it should be a multi-media class using the latest in technology
>to make it as dramatic as possible.

Everyone should take a history class; an accurate history
class would be the history of all Americans, including those
Americans who were not White. I don't think all Americans
should be forced to take special classes that emphasize the
differences, tragedies, plights, and so on. We ought to
remember what happened (those who don't remember history being
doomed to repeat it and all that). But we should not dwell often
on these open wounds, lest the effort to honor the dead divide the
living.

...deletia...

> I keep reading these pro- and anti-affirmative action
>arguments which seem to entrall the American media and people.
>They seem to forget that affirmative actions was not implemented
>as a logical or even moral thing to do-- it was the right thing
>to do, and it will be the right thing to do
>until equal opportunity is achieved.

I agree that it was not a logical or moral thing to do, but
what do you mean it was the right thing? Actually, it
probably was justified for the first five to ten years, but
it's become a way of life. If someone wants to voluntarily
set up programs to help minorities compete fully, that's
great...but tearing down others to establish quotas is evil.

> Ohh, and I don't condone, encourage, engage in, or support "black
>violence", in fact I don't condone any violence.

Glad to hear it.

>But as a black man in America, when one of my brothers goes
>wrong a part of me respectfully understands.

I will NEVER grant any "understanding", respectfully or
otherwise, to "black violence" as you put it, or to "white
violence" that grinds down the innocent. The sacrifice of the
future of the innocent and living is NEVER "understandable";
it reflects an inability to forgive and to move forward into
the future. Are you shackled by the past..."the Mind-Forg'd
manacles I hear."

> Vernon Ballard vcbcc@cunyvm.cuny.edu

Kind regards,

--Travis

(opinions don't reflect UCBerkeley)