Racist systems?

I don’t like writing about racism. It makes my gut ache, but sometimes one must speak out.

I had the honor of working with Newt Gingrich on a video back in the late eighties, and have been a disciple ever since. I was just a snot-nosed college kid working on a state senate campaign at the time and was told to show up at a given place on a given date. I honestly didn’t know what I was there for, but it really influenced the trajectory of my life.

The video was shot like an infomercial. Before Newt took the stage they had us do several “cutaway” shots where we would either laugh, nod, shake our heads or look thoughtful. These were all captured before the fact in the case that Newt had to scratch his nose or look at his notes. It was stock footage. Filler.

I met and shook hands with Newt that day on the set. I met him again later at the State Convention, but haven’t had direct contact with him since. I did, however, contribute a few bucks to his Presidential campaign in 2012 and continue to listen to his podcasts weekly. Newt is like Paul Harvey. I always walk away feeling like I know more than I did before I listened to him. He is first and foremost, a history teacher.

The reason that I link Newt (My President) to the topic of “Systemic Racism” is this: Long ago, (again, late 1980s) he told us that the complexion of America was turning from pale to brown. He warned that if the Republicans didn’t court that vote, they would be in a world of hurt at the voting booth. Unless your head is in a warm, moist place, I think Newt called it.

So flash forward to contemporary America, and anyone who disagrees with the left is accused of racism. It comes in two flavors. We have the dueling theories of critical race theory and systemic racism. I cant do much to address critical race theory because I can’t understand it. I guess it’s good that we had to redefine racism. We don’t lynch African American men for leering at white women anymore, so we’re taking it up a notch. I’m glad for that, but it’s also being taught in schools and is divisive. The theory seems not to be conducive to what what Martin Luther King taught us: Judge folks by the content ot their character and not by the color of their skin.

I am willing, however, to comment on “Systemic Racism.” So what are the systems involved? We had a bloody civil war that took the lives of 600,000 young Americans and resulted in the assassination of our 16th President, but that eliminated slavery. Slavery was a system. Segregation (AKA Jim Crowe) was a system. We got rid of that. We passed the voting rights act of 1965 and the Civil rights Act of 1964 and 1968. Those involved systems as well.

We are by no means perfect. There is still much to be done, but before we accuse everyone with whom we disagree of systemic racism, let’s put a name to those systems. I will personally roll up my sleeves and get down on my hands and knees to help you fix it. Most folks on the right will do so, but before we start slinging accusations at each other because some of us want smaller government and more liberty, let’s identify the systems that need to be fixed. You have more friends on the right than you know.