Let me suggest that we get on top of our black/white differences before they take our country down the drain.
At the outset let me assure you that my qualifications for writing on the subject are slight. However, I am an old person and have worked in most areas of this country. In areas of the eastern U.S. where if you couldn't communicate in Yiddish you couldn't communicate at all. In the lower part of Texas where a Mexican person coming in for an interview brings a small child to interpret his faulty English and then, relaxed, continues the interview in mellifluous English. In Louisiana where crawfish (and creatures which may be found under rocks) are considered delicacies.
I love all the good things about our country. I am also very aware of its shortcomings. Corny as it may sound, I love it in all its aspects and with all its shortcomings, and will take any possible action I am capable of to preserve it.
Let's note that most citizens of the U.S., both black and white, are decent individuals. Then let's note that most police officers, black and white, are also decent people who take their jobs seriously, act professionally, and lay their lives on the line to protect the rest of us.
The keyword is "most." Most people, black and white, are decent, as are most police officers.
Sadly, there are other people in each group who are far from decent, who violate the laws of the land, the laws of decency, of religion, who like to maim and kill and believe they can continue doing it with impunity.
Great difficulty comes when large numbers of people believe that most whites are in the second group because they hate blacks, and that most blacks are in the second group because they hate whites.
Erase that thought--go back to acknowledging that most people, white and black, may have problems but are decent and don't hate people in the other group, that the naysayers must be controlled and most of the negativity in race relations will disappear.
Where to start? Well, let's start with the Declaration of Independence, which holds that all men are created equal. Most assuredly, this simple declaration is a statement more of philosophy than of law, and hasn't been followed during much of our country's history.
However, it says how things are intended to be, so there's no reason not to follow it.
If the Declaration of Independence isn't definitive on the matter, the U.S. Constitution most assuredly is. Just read the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments (or study the whole document) and know forever that under the law, all men are indeed created equal. Keep in mind that that means they are equal under the law, not that they have equal abilities.
That said, the question becomes: "What are the problems, and what can we do to set things right?" It isn't enough to just articulate what the problems are; solutions must be discussed, accepted, rejected. In short, participants must agree not just on what is wrong, but must consider and agree on the actions that must be taken to fix it.
It follows that discussions must follow, discussions where both blacks and whites can say (or write) what they feel, without restriction, penalty or adverse comment. Anonymously if they care to go that way. Black leaders and officials and other citizens. White leaders, officials and other citizens. Then there must be discussion by the leaders on each side, stating what may be wrong and, most importantly, how to remedy the shortcomings.
Continue from there.
Then, how about those blacks and whites who have no interest in working things out, who just want to kill, loot and inflict pain? The remedy is easy.
Take an example: If little Johnny at dinner says that the gravy tastes like [expletive] and everybody thinks it's cute, be assured he will do it again, possibly when the family religious adviser is there. However, if a parent takes Johnny outside, swats his bottom and tells him that if it happens again ...
Regardless of how it's said, when Johnny realizes it hurts more to do it than it does to not do it, Johnny will quit doing it.
So will the looters. When the trouble starts, let the mayor (or governor) set an immediate curfew and announce that anyone on the street after 30 minutes or so will be Tasered and taken to jail. Then do it. Looting will stop.
But the discussions and interactions between black and white must continue.
Well, there you have it: sincere comment from an old person who loves his country and who thinks the good guys, white and black, should be in firm control, not the hoodlums.
Your thoughts?
------------v------------
Ken Forrester lives in Maumelle.
Editorial on 05/28/2015