Sorry, You're Not Minority Enough By Tom David - Editorial Columnist
From the "Focus on Diversity" Website / February 25,2003
It’s troubling that in the year 2003, at a time when we’ve made more technological advances in the last 100 years than in the previous 1000 years, people are still judged by their race, and not their character, intellect, or personality. People who don’t think the same as others like them are labeled and slandered. We’ve seen this happen recently on the national level and even in our own city. You’re probably thinking that I’m referring to minorities not conforming to the beliefs of the majority. Actually, I’m referring to minorities being labeled and slandered because they dare to not conform to the orthodox ideologies of people of their same race or ethnicity.
In December, The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission, in an open meeting, ordered Police Chief Arthur Jones to come up with a plan to cut gun violence in Milwaukee. Instead of Jones criticizing this mandate as an affront to his professionalism and his record as police chief, he went straight for the proverbial race card. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “He also called the commission's two African-American members "Uncle Toms," adding that "Massa Norquist called them up to say this is how you should vote."
What did the two African-American members do to deserve being called "Uncle Toms?” They didn’t agree with the police chief and sided with the mayor. Couldn’t they be trusted enough to have independent thought and not be required to tow the line just because they’re black and Jones is black? Guess not.
On the other side of the spectrum is Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke. Here’s a man who’s had the audacity to publicly chastise Milwaukee’s black leaders for their lack of accountability to and responsibility for the black community. He accused other black elected officials of practicing a "cult of victimology". Sheriff Clarke recently caught flack for the way his deputies conducted themselves during a high-speed freeway chase. In order to stop a stolen vehicle driven by a young black male, deputies asked for and received permission to ram the vehicle to force it to crash. In the process of apprehending the suspect, a deputy briefly placed his foot on the suspect’s neck. This was certainly not Rodney King-esque, but the outrage from some black “leaders” would have you think it was. Sheriff Clarke supported his deputy’s actions, as did prosecutors from two different counties who agreed that in the chase and subsequent apprehension, the deputies did not break any laws. By the way, the racist deputy who put his foot on the suspect’s neck… he’s black too.
Sheriff Clarke’s independence of thought relating to race relations in Milwaukee has his detractors accusing him of pandering to Milwaukee’s white population. It always falls back to that. Blacks who don’t follow the obligatory black talking points are serving the whims of, and seeking the approval of their white “massa”.
This same mentality is echoed on the national level as well. Recently, singer Harry Belafonte verbally attacked Security of State, and former 4-star General Colin Powell and National Security Advisor Dr. Condoleezza Rice for being Republicans, and generally not being “real blacks”. Of course “real blacks” only belong to the Democratic Party. He stated that Colin Powell’s ancestors must have been house slaves and not field slaves. Huh? Of course, a man with an MBA from George Washington University, a Four Star General, and the Secretary of State of the United States of America couldn’t possibly think for himself and determine his own ideology. He’s just kneeling at the feet of “massa”. Same goes for Condoleezza Rice. Earned her PhD, speaks multiple languages, concert pianist, and the list goes on – and I’ll bet she did this all for “massa”? Daayyyoooo. Daylight come and Mr. Belafonte ought to go home.
I recently read a great article by Mike Green for The National Center for Public Policy Research. He wrote of some of the responses he received to his position on reparations. He states,
“I received an e-mail that read: "You are the type of Negro who has sold out your people. You are a Tom. You do everything possible to agree with your master. You hate being black."
I was likened to the fictional character in Harriet Beecher Stowe's book Uncle Tom's Cabin. Stowe based the character on real-life black overseer Josiah Henson (1789-1883). Henson was so trusted by his slave master that he was allowed to transport slaves to Kentucky. His position and influence ensured slaves remained under control.
But that's only half the story. Josiah Henson eventually escaped, taking other slaves with him. He joined the Underground Railroad and worked to free other slaves. He became a businessman, and used his resources to continue to help bring slaves to freedom.
So, am I the Uncle Tom preventing slaves from escaping the control of the slave master or am I the Uncle Tom working to free them?”
I once spoke with a man who was so sure we were different because of our skin color and ideology. I asked him questions about things like taxes, school choice and the education system, and various government policies. Upon hearing his responses, I told him that he actually sounded pretty conservative and we were more alike than he thought. Sure, we had different cultures and backgrounds, but our core beliefs were very similar.
Unfortunately, if a black person does not agree with the ideology of the majority of black leaders, they are labeled Uncle Toms, sell-outs, and traitors. However, I believe the tide is turning. I believe that many minority leaders, local and national, are losing credibility because for them, it’s all race. Recent national news stories give account to the fact that Democrats are quaking in their boots because they’re losing support of their voter base – minorities. More minorities are switching to the Republican Party every election. They are seeing beyond the race baiting, class warfare tactics of the past and are using what they have in abundance: independent thought.
It’s troubling that in the year 2003, at a time when we’ve made more technological advances in the last 100 years than in the previous 1000 years, people are still judged by their race, and not their character, intellect, or personality. People who don’t think the same as others like them are labeled and slandered. We’ve seen this happen recently on the national level and even in our own city. You’re probably thinking that I’m referring to minorities not conforming to the beliefs of the majority. Actually, I’m referring to minorities being labeled and slandered because they dare to not conform to the orthodox ideologies of people of their same race or ethnicity.
In December, The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission, in an open meeting, ordered Police Chief Arthur Jones to come up with a plan to cut gun violence in Milwaukee. Instead of Jones criticizing this mandate as an affront to his professionalism and his record as police chief, he went straight for the proverbial race card. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “He also called the commission's two African-American members "Uncle Toms," adding that "Massa Norquist called them up to say this is how you should vote."
What did the two African-American members do to deserve being called "Uncle Toms?” They didn’t agree with the police chief and sided with the mayor. Couldn’t they be trusted enough to have independent thought and not be required to tow the line just because they’re black and Jones is black? Guess not.
On the other side of the spectrum is Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke. Here’s a man who’s had the audacity to publicly chastise Milwaukee’s black leaders for their lack of accountability to and responsibility for the black community. He accused other black elected officials of practicing a "cult of victimology". Sheriff Clarke recently caught flack for the way his deputies conducted themselves during a high-speed freeway chase. In order to stop a stolen vehicle driven by a young black male, deputies asked for and received permission to ram the vehicle to force it to crash. In the process of apprehending the suspect, a deputy briefly placed his foot on the suspect’s neck. This was certainly not Rodney King-esque, but the outrage from some black “leaders” would have you think it was. Sheriff Clarke supported his deputy’s actions, as did prosecutors from two different counties who agreed that in the chase and subsequent apprehension, the deputies did not break any laws. By the way, the racist deputy who put his foot on the suspect’s neck… he’s black too.
Sheriff Clarke’s independence of thought relating to race relations in Milwaukee has his detractors accusing him of pandering to Milwaukee’s white population. It always falls back to that. Blacks who don’t follow the obligatory black talking points are serving the whims of, and seeking the approval of their white “massa”.
This same mentality is echoed on the national level as well. Recently, singer Harry Belafonte verbally attacked Security of State, and former 4-star General Colin Powell and National Security Advisor Dr. Condoleezza Rice for being Republicans, and generally not being “real blacks”. Of course “real blacks” only belong to the Democratic Party. He stated that Colin Powell’s ancestors must have been house slaves and not field slaves. Huh? Of course, a man with an MBA from George Washington University, a Four Star General, and the Secretary of State of the United States of America couldn’t possibly think for himself and determine his own ideology. He’s just kneeling at the feet of “massa”. Same goes for Condoleezza Rice. Earned her PhD, speaks multiple languages, concert pianist, and the list goes on – and I’ll bet she did this all for “massa”? Daayyyoooo. Daylight come and Mr. Belafonte ought to go home.
I recently read a great article by Mike Green for The National Center for Public Policy Research. He wrote of some of the responses he received to his position on reparations. He states,
“I received an e-mail that read: "You are the type of Negro who has sold out your people. You are a Tom. You do everything possible to agree with your master. You hate being black."
I was likened to the fictional character in Harriet Beecher Stowe's book Uncle Tom's Cabin. Stowe based the character on real-life black overseer Josiah Henson (1789-1883). Henson was so trusted by his slave master that he was allowed to transport slaves to Kentucky. His position and influence ensured slaves remained under control.
But that's only half the story. Josiah Henson eventually escaped, taking other slaves with him. He joined the Underground Railroad and worked to free other slaves. He became a businessman, and used his resources to continue to help bring slaves to freedom.
So, am I the Uncle Tom preventing slaves from escaping the control of the slave master or am I the Uncle Tom working to free them?”
I once spoke with a man who was so sure we were different because of our skin color and ideology. I asked him questions about things like taxes, school choice and the education system, and various government policies. Upon hearing his responses, I told him that he actually sounded pretty conservative and we were more alike than he thought. Sure, we had different cultures and backgrounds, but our core beliefs were very similar.
Unfortunately, if a black person does not agree with the ideology of the majority of black leaders, they are labeled Uncle Toms, sell-outs, and traitors. However, I believe the tide is turning. I believe that many minority leaders, local and national, are losing credibility because for them, it’s all race. Recent national news stories give account to the fact that Democrats are quaking in their boots because they’re losing support of their voter base – minorities. More minorities are switching to the Republican Party every election. They are seeing beyond the race baiting, class warfare tactics of the past and are using what they have in abundance: independent thought.
