Column for Oct. 9, 2008

Right is right, and wrong is wrong. You have heard it for years.

Racism, according to Merriam Webster, is defined as "a belief that race
is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that
racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular
race". That is obviously an erroneous world view and obviously wrong.
I do not care who you are. Notice, however, that the definition does
not refer to cultural or behavioral superiority. There is a huge
difference between race and culture.

Merriam Webster also defines racism as "racial prejudice or
discrimination". That works two ways. It can be a particular race of
people being discriminated against or being discriminatory towards
anyone not of their race.

I despise racism. I don't care whom it is from, in what direction it is
from, or at whom it is aimed. Equally, I despise those who prostitute
race for personal gain. For years, I have watched people like Jesse
Jackson, Al Sharpton, and the NAACP deceptively act as "race pimps" that
exploit the downtrodden of their own race for their own power, for
profit, and fame. Here in North Carolina, the race pimps of the NAACP
are very active.

We heard the NAACP erroneously speak out about racism when Mayor Chucky
Hester made his now infamous lynching comment. I was there in the room,
and in the front row. I know the context and the target of the comment,
and it had nothing to do with race.

The NAACP partnered recently with a bunch of Latino advocacy groups in a
prayer vigil held on the Johnston County Courthouse steps "to pray for
healing and reconciliation in the community" over the off the cuff
remarks by Sheriff Steve Bizzell about illegal immigrants. Of course,
the pimping was done by Rev. William Barber, President of the North
Carolina NAACP. I do not know Rev. Barber, but I find it interesting
that almost all race pimps in the Black community hold the title of
Reverend. In listening to the majority of them speak, I rarely hear the
gospel. That is just an observation in general, not specificity.

One man who I know personally had the guts to stand in support of
Sheriff Bizzell. A local pastor, Leroy Hargett, participated in a
counter protest of sorts, in support of Sheriff Bizzell. I emailed
Leroy after I read the news story, having known him for years. I told
him that I was proud of him for taking a stand for what he believes. He
happens to be on the right side of the issue, and I let him know. Rev.
Hargett happens to be a Black pastor of a predominantly Black
congregation. He not only exercised discernment about right and wrong,
but stood up for what is right. For that, I congratulate him publicly.
He lives right here in Selma, and I am proud to know him as a man of
courage and conviction. It is not easy to stand against another man of
the same faith, especially when he purports to speak on behalf of an
entire race. It is even more difficult when it is the juggernaut of the
NAACP.

The NAACP was out for more power by its recent demonstration this past
Sunday about an event that happened in 1898. People, we are not talking
about the 21st Century, or even the 20th Century. We are talking about
the 19th Century. The race riots in Wilmington were an interesting yet
shameful series of events in North Carolina's history. They are
interesting and shameful, but they were 110 years ago.

The NAACP is demanding that the North Carolina General Assembly make
payments of reparations to descendants of the 14 men who were killed in
the race riots. Tragic and wrong as the deaths were, I find it
inconceivable that the taxpayers of the state should fork out money 110
years after the fact for something done in a single city, not done by
anyone still alive today, and not done to anyone that is contemporary to
our time. This is merely pimping the race issue for personal lucre. If
that is not exploitation of a race and racist issues, I do not know what is.

I have this same disgust for the Arian Nation, The World Church of the
Creator, the KKK, and the numerous Hispanic advocacy groups that have
popped up. If a group is so interested in "healing and reconciliation
in the community" then they need to stop picking at the scab and allow
the great strides against racism that have been made in this nation take
their course. In 1898, did anyone envision a Black man possibly
becoming the President of the United States, as may happen in just a
month? I think not.