Racism is an insidious sickness.
Still rearing its ugly head throughout our society in subtle ways.
White people still use the N word when they think it's safe in their own circle of like-minded bigots.
American citizens are denied housing, jobs, and business opportunities because of some prehistoric decision-maker filled with prejudice.
We have laws against that sort of thing and thankfully we have courts that will enforce them.
Here's my problem.
When racially neutral behavior is punished, we dissipate the importance of destroying true racism.
Last week, Cleveland City Councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland raised a big stink over billboards placed in cities throughout Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio.
She railed against billboards that said the following words.
Voter fraud is a felony with up to 3 ½ years and $10,000 fine.
The exact words on the billboard: Voter fraud is a felony with up to 3 ½ years and $10,000 fine.
Every word on that billboard is true.
According to critics, however, it was designed to suppress voter turnout in minority communities.
I have a degree in English literature and I can tell you that the only people discouraged from voting by that advertisement are in fact a minority: a very small minority.
Fraudulent voters.
Unless you plan to vote twice or on behalf of those who populate our cemeteries, this billboard is not meant for you.
It is a great insult to the minority community to presume that deterring election fraud is synonymous with suppression of the black vote.
It presumes that African-Americans are more likely to commit electoral crimes and thus less likely to show up on November 6 if they see this outdoor ad in their neighborhood.
Perhaps what is most offensive is that this attitude presumes minorities don't understand the difference between the legal exercise of your franchise and attempts to fix an election.
Councilwoman Cleveland, your constituents are smarter than that.
They know the difference between right and wrong.
The only people staying home on election day because of the sign are those intending to skirt the law.
Amazingly, Clear Channel Advertising agreed to remove these billboards throughout the Midwest because of the uproar from Councilwoman Cleveland.
I'm stunned by all of this.
Here are examples of real racism.
Allowing abortions to destroy more African American infants in the womb than any other racial group.
Creating a culture of welfare recipiency that condemns entire generations of families to government dependency, robbing them of a sense of self achievement.
Repeating decades of failed policies in the public schools that reward teachers unions in the face of children denied the skills they need to make it in this world.
That's what I call real racism.
Councilwoman Cleveland, do something about real racism.
Leave the billboards alone.
Stop bullying those who merely want to eliminate voter fraud.
Start demanding accountability from politicians whose political success depends on the continuing decay of the smoldering remains of the inner-city.
Let's see that on a billboard.
Have a nice day.
well said mr lynch, we need to stop whining about insignificant issues and concentrate on the real ones. if obama is reelected we will lose the freedoms we now have and have always had.
ReplyDeleteAnon. What freedoms have you lost since Obama has been president?
ReplyDeleteMr. Lynch, You are saying the billboards were only to prevent voter fraud. There is a bridge in Brooklyn that needs a new owner...interested?
ReplyDeleteneutral racism? really? you're a moron. and if the only thing you get from this is angry cause i didn't use capital letters or correct grammer, then you're even dumbest. lol, idiot.
ReplyDeleteWe, as Blacks, tend to not recognize real issues. We get offended at "non-issues" while ignoring real issues like abortion, the economy. Black unemployment is way above government statements, especially with teenagers. It's like we either have a chip on out shoulder, or look for every way to "exercise our rights," to become incensed.
ReplyDeleteFor us, all is racism. Is racism real today? Absolutely! But we should stop fencing at windmills. Everything is not racism.
At some point superficiality gets old, real old. And so called leadership Black leadership should refrain from using every opportunity of a perceived insult to promote their own agenda--Black votes for higher political office.
The truth was that the Tea Party never actually had anything to be angry about. Obama didn't take their guns, or raise their taxes, or give free Cadillac's to strapping young bucks. He did continue to be black, so there's that I guess. They couldn't be mad at the Wall Street bailout, because that's who was funding them. The only thing that kinda sorta made ideological sense was the auto bailout. So, that became their thing and it's back firing on them!
Deletethe above statement, mind you, was not written by a black person. instead only a white man posing as a black man for if he were truly black he would not have written such a thing because he would know what it feels like to be black man today. racism is still very real in todays society only its looked down on and even angers many racists when you accuse them of the thing they hold so dear to their hearts. lets face it, the moment Obama was elected, that energized the republican party because they will do anything to stop a black man from saving the country whenit was a white man that brought the country to such ruine in just 8 years.
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