Trent Lott found himself the focus of a racial and political maelstrom over his notorious comments during Strom Thurmond’s birthday celebration. He’s been denounced as a racist and mocked on “Saturday Night Live.”
As is in our legal system, the accused should remain innocent until proven guilty. Labeling someone a racist destroys his character, and it often heightens still smoldering racial tensions.
Lott’s comments hardly constitute proof of racism. Stupidity and indiscretion, yes-but not racism. Furthermore, at least some of Lott’s actions belie the charge of racism. A representative of the North Mississippi Herald, a local black-oriented paper, spoke up in Lott’s defense. Lott’s support, she said, was instrumental in the early success of the paper.
Lott’s political opponents used his comments to instigate a witch-hunt that destroyed him in the public eye. Many groups, the Democrats, the Bush-brand Republicans and others, used the unfounded cry of racism to further their own interests.
In response to Lott’s comments and later apology, Kweisi Mfume, national president of the NAACP, criticized Lott for “dredging up this nation’s poor, polarizing performance of the past,” while demanding that Lott resign as Senate majority leader. Mfume is right in that making something a race issue breaks the nation into black and white camps and creates an “us versus them” scenario where fear and racism flourish.
However, he’s pointing his finger in the wrong direction. Lott’s comments could be construed as segregationist (and therefore racist), but they were not clearly so. Instead, it was the reaction of the media and special interest groups like Mfume’s NAACP and the Congressional Black Caucus that poured salt into old wounds that nobody should want to open.
Accusing someone of racism and prejudice often leads prejudice against that person or group. Shouting “racist!” invokes fear and loathing for the racist in nearly everyone, especially those who have been harmed by actual racism.
Once the label has been applied, the accused’s every action is interpreted in racial terms. Their own humanity is ignored and they are instead demonized by the stigma of racism. Nothing is gained by such accusation, as prejudice and misunderstanding only increase. The supposed victims of his racism respond naturally with fear and its brothers-prejudice, resentment and hate. The accused senses this and, in turn, responds with the same. Both sides view the other as racist and prejudice and to some extent, both sides are correct.
The fact that nearly everyone is at least somewhat racially discriminate or prejudiced to begin with only exasperates the problem. Lifetimes of teaching and habit do not vanish in days or even years. Our society is ripe with racial stereotypes, from “white men can’t jump” to “black people are better athletes.” Those familiar with prejudice may become quick to see it where it does not exist, not realizing their own prejudices.
Others go through life with good intentions, but ignorant assumptions, often inadvertently offending someone. Add in those who actually do hate someone because of race, and the result is the powder keg known as “racial tension.” Lighting the fuse with the cry of racism only leads to more fear and prejudice, exactly the opposite of what such a charge is supposed to do.
The Lott incident is a perfect example. Whatever his actual beliefs on the matter, Lott has been labeled a racist, and his character has suffered accordingly. Not only has he suffered, but so has the state he represents. The idea of Lott being a racist fits perfectly with much of the nation’s prejudiced and uninformed views of Mississippi. Thus, Mississippians now have to deal with even more people who assume that everyone from Mississippi is a racist.
Whites and blacks once again find themselves being viewed not as friends and neighbors, but as opposing forces in some perverse racial battle, held there by fear and hatred rooted deep in the past.
Racism is a crime in our society, if not in law. Furthermore, the charge of racism brings up old fears and hatreds that are nothing but destructive and can perversely lead to more racism, especially if the charge is unfounded. People are not perfect. They make mistakes, sometimes because of their own prejudices. These prejudices cannot be overcome by name-calling or petty political maneuvers but by understanding, tolerance and forgiveness.
The cry “racist” should be carefully considered and only used in the most extreme circumstances.
Nathan Alday is a junior aerospace engineering major.