In A Word – Bigotry – Bigotry is popping up everywhere and here is the black and white of it.
Gerald Eisman
August 19, 2006
Bigotry: The attitude, state of mind, or behavior characteristic of a bigot; intolerance. Irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group
Bigotry used to be rampant early in our nation’s history, a scourge that lasted until the 1960’s when civil rights won out over bigot’s rights. Everything was going to be better after the civil rights act was enacted during Lyndon Johnson’s era, right? Not quite. Is seems there were many hold-outs in the country who wanted nothing less than returning to the then status quo.
Those individuals and groups remained unabashedly bigoted and, it would appear, there are more bigoted groups and individuals in the country today than existed back then. This time, however, they are not all white or southern.
Take Andrew Young, for instance, to illustrate this point. Young was hired in February by working families in Wal-Mart to help the chain improve its public image. This week, in an interview with the Los Angeles Sentinel, Mr. Young, (A former ambassador to the U. N. representing the United States) made the following remark in answer to his opinion regarding the accusation that Wal-Mart was putting mom and pop stores out of business.
I think they’ve ripped off our communities enough. First it was the Jews, then the Koreans, and now it’s the Arabs. Very few black people own these stores.”
That is not a smart comment no matter for whom one might work, but when your wages are paid by a company that wants productive results any you pass comments like that, hell is about to break loose. Mr. Young has already been under fire for his association with the chain as is seen from this excerpt of the letter.
We are a group of religious leaders who have endured one civil rights struggle after another faced by brothers and sisters home and abroad. We are united in our concern about a new organization, which we believe serves no other purpose other than to act as a front for Wal-Mart and its unethical business practices. Regrettably, this organization is now headed by one of our own, Reverend Andrew Young.”
Now comes the follow up, Young’s comments to the Sentinal. In my opinion it is sad that a man of such stature can be so bigoted. So much for black bigotry, and on to the white.
On Saturday, August 12, Republican senator George Allen also displayed his bigotry at a campaign stop. During his speech, Senator Allen (running for reelection) directed a remark at the only non-white member of the audience. The man’s name is S.R. Sidarth, an American born citizen of Indian-American descent who volunteered to work for Allen’s opponent. In this upcoming election. Allen called Mr. Sidarth a Macaca (Monkey). He went on to say, through his ignorance, welcome to America. There was a decided malice and vicious intent backing those words. It would have been nice to hear of Allen’s peers to censure his remark and apologize for the indescression, but none were forthcoming.
Not only did the Senators not speak out against the slur, one in particulat, Senator John McCain (R-Az) stood with hiimat a town hall meeting on the 16th.
It is unfortunate, but this isn’t the first incident of bigotry evidenced by the good Senator. Point; Allen used to display a noose hanging from a tree in his law offices. Point; when running for governor in his home state, admitted displaying a Confederate flag in his home. Point; While governor he proclaimes April as “Confederate Heritage and History Month” and issued a proclamation naming the civil war a struggle for independence and soverig rights. Point; Allen opposed the creation of the “Martin Luther King Jr.” holiday.
This latest Senate election coming up is a race between a man and a bigot and, unfortunately, the bigot is winning. And to hear others speak one might think bigotry is a thing of the past. It’s time to take back the country before there is no hope of salvation in the U.S. It is not! It still exists, but now it is more pervasive than inversive.
Bigotry used to be rampant early in our nation’s history, a scourge that lasted until the 1960’s when civil rights won out over bigot’s rights. Everything was going to be better after the civil rights act was enacted during Lyndon Johnson’s era, right? Not quite. Is seems there were many hold-outs in the country who wanted nothing less than returning to the then status quo.
Those individuals and groups remained unabashedly bigoted and, it would appear, there are more bigoted groups and individuals in the country today than existed back then. This time, however, they are not all white or southern.
Take Andrew Young, for instance, to illustrate this point. Young was hired in February by working families in Wal-Mart to help the chain improve its public image. This week, in an interview with the Los Angeles Sentinel, Mr. Young, (A former ambassador to the U. N. representing the United States) made the following remark in answer to his opinion regarding the accusation that Wal-Mart was putting mom and pop stores out of business.
I think they’ve ripped off our communities enough. First it was the Jews, then the Koreans, and now it’s the Arabs. Very few black people own these stores.”
That is not a smart comment no matter for whom one might work, but when your wages are paid by a company that wants productive results any you pass comments like that, hell is about to break loose. Mr. Young has already been under fire for his association with the chain as is seen from this excerpt of the letter.
We are a group of religious leaders who have endured one civil rights struggle after another faced by brothers and sisters home and abroad. We are united in our concern about a new organization, which we believe serves no other purpose other than to act as a front for Wal-Mart and its unethical business practices. Regrettably, this organization is now headed by one of our own, Reverend Andrew Young.”
Now comes the follow up, Young’s comments to the Sentinal. In my opinion it is sad that a man of such stature can be so bigoted. So much for black bigotry, and on to the white.
On Saturday, August 12, Republican senator George Allen also displayed his bigotry at a campaign stop. During his speech, Senator Allen (running for reelection) directed a remark at the only non-white member of the audience. The man’s name is S.R. Sidarth, an American born citizen of Indian-American descent who volunteered to work for Allen’s opponent. In this upcoming election. Allen called Mr. Sidarth a Macaca (Monkey). He went on to say, through his ignorance, welcome to America. There was a decided malice and vicious intent backing those words. It would have been nice to hear of Allen’s peers to censure his remark and apologize for the indescression, but none were forthcoming.
Not only did the Senators not speak out against the slur, one in particulat, Senator John McCain (R-Az) stood with hiimat a town hall meeting on the 16th.
It is unfortunate, but this isn’t the first incident of bigotry evidenced by the good Senator. Point; Allen used to display a noose hanging from a tree in his law offices. Point; when running for governor in his home state, admitted displaying a Confederate flag in his home. Point; While governor he proclaimes April as “Confederate Heritage and History Month” and issued a proclamation naming the civil war a struggle for independence and soverig rights. Point; Allen opposed the creation of the “Martin Luther King Jr.” holiday.
This latest Senate election coming up is a race between a man and a bigot and, unfortunately, the bigot is winning. And to hear others speak one might think bigotry is a thing of the past. It’s time to take back the country before there is no hope of salvation in the U.S. It is not! It still exists, but now it is more pervasive than inversive.
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