Holocaust, Black Slavery And Hypersensitivity

Someone once posted a picture in which there was a photograph of the Holocaust with sign “Never Forget,” a photograph of 9-11 with sign “Never Forget,” and a photograph of slavery with sign “Get Over It.”

The Holocaust card has been over-played. It was over 70 years ago, and most people who were a part of it are now dead. Using the Holocaust to excuse such things as Israel's policy toward its neighbors has discredited the real wrongs that the Jews suffered under the Holocaust. So now we see many people claiming that Holocaust is some kind of a hoax perpetrated by Jewish media. All completely wrong; the Soviet media was not Jewish and it carried extensive accounts of the Holocaust as well as the Nazi invasion into Soviet Union that cost 20 million Soviet lives.

However if you over-rely on victimhood, eventually people will get sick of it and ask such things as “Well what are you now doing to improve your lot in life?”

Concerning the black people, the correct response is that equality means accountability. Most of their leaders are not victims of anything and live posh lives. They treat their own black people terribly. This is not the fault of the white man. This is the fault of these people themselves. It is necessary to confront them on their behavior.

Now some people would see the criticism of any black person as being racist; but that is a complete misinterpretation of the concept of racism. A racist is someone who thinks that one race is better than another. I am saying no such thing. I am saying that with equality comes accountability. And a person who is actually not a racist will just as readily confront black people who are doing wrong things as he would confront white people who are doing wrong things.

One trend that I have seen recently in Northern Virginia is integrated gangs. The white people who appeared to be from the country were hanging out with people who looked like gangsters. These types of white people appear to have more in common with inner city residents than do the white liberals who embrace political correctness. Both sets are very masculine and not necessarily in favor of education. Washington Times called the inner city blacks “black rednecks” and said that they got their culture from Southern whites. So we have the paradox of the white city liberals being prevailed upon to be hyper-sensitive while people who in many cases have genuinely racist attitudes are hanging out with inner city African Americans.

Hypersensitivity is not what the leaders of Civil Rights movement were after. Martin Luther King said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Relying on historical victimization to practice asinine behavior oneself does not achieve good character. It is a cop-out and a blame game. Whatever someone's grandfather did to your grandfather, you have the ability to choose something else.

Should black slavery be remembered? I would say that it is important to remember every significant event. Slavery should be remembered; but so should achievements by black people. There have been any number of black people who have done impressive things. I would like to see more mention of Toussant L'Overture, George Washington Carver, Richard Wright, Louis Armstrong, Jimi Hendrix, Oprah Winfrey, Nelson Mandela, and any number of others. Black people do not need to rely for identity on a sense of victimization. They should rely for identity on great things that black people themselves have achieved.

I have any number of good friends who are black, and in no way do I treat them as anything less than myself. I want to see black people fix what is wrong in their culture. Do by all means remember slavery, but do not remember it only. Remember also the achievements done by black people. And then do more to encourage your own children toward similar accomplishments.