I used to work at a major university medical center. One of my most respected colleagues was a pediatric hematologist. She was an expert on sickle-cell disease, which afflicts mainly blacks. It causes repeated painful episodes, chronic anemia, and premature death. She established a clinic for these patients.
One day a liberal activist wandered in, looking for trouble. That’s what activists do. The activist noted that almost all the patients in the clinic were black children, teenagers, and young adults. The obvious conclusion: racism!
Why else would a white doctor be taking care of black patients? Because she had devoted years to studying their illness? Because she had a deep desire to help them? No, because she wanted to segregate the clinics according to race. Of course. What else could it be? Indeed, whites are all racists, even if − no, especially if − they don’t know they are racists. The elite learn that at the university.
The activist filed a complaint. As a result, the doctor had to take time away from caring for her patients and doing research on their disease, in order to defend herself. Eventually, the doctor was exonerated, but do you think that this episode raised her morale? Do you believe that suspicion was ever completely removed from her or her clinic? Do you imagine that the health of African Americans was improved? Do you suppose that the treatment of sickle-cell disease was advanced?
But there were people who benefitted from this episode − the activists. Their power was increased, and everyone at the hospital and the university was reminded of the danger of offending them. True, the activists’ complaint was rejected, but it had the intended effect: intimidation.
This sad tale has a moral: Don’t try to remedy problems affecting minorities. Don’t even identify these problems, much less talk about them in public. It’s far safer to ignore the problems. That way, the problems will never be solved, but at least you won’t be falsely accused of racism.
You see, the real objective is not to solve the problems. If they were solved, minorities wouldn’t need liberal activists to help them. And then, minorities wouldn’t believe they need to vote for the Democratic Party all their lives. No, the real objective is to pretend to do something about the problems, and to demonize Republicans as racists − and thereby to perpetuate the problems, and perpetuate the power of the liberal establishment.
There are many examples. Recently Newt Gingrich was accused of racism for answering a question from Juan Williams by addressing him as “Juan.” No matter that he and other politicians − including President Obama − address other journalists by their first names. No, “Juan” is a code word for “black.” This far-fetched accusation was echoed by the New York Times editorial page and by MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, an honor graduate of the Keith Olbermann School of Ranting.
Revealingly, Matthews himself referred to Williams as “Juan.” Apparently whether a word is code for “black” depends not on the word itself, but on who says it − proving that the code exists only in the minds of liberals.
The question Williams asked Gingrich was itself an accusation of racism. Gingrich had stated that it would be better for teenagers − not black teenagers, just teenagers − to be paid for helping school janitors than to receive food stamps. Williams claimed that this was a racist insult to minorities, especially blacks.
The unspoken subtext to Williams’ assertion was that it is quite all right for black teenagers to receive food stamps, but it would be demeaning for them to work even part-time as janitors. That is, receiving aid from the government is not demeaning, but cleaning their own school is demeaning. Taking a handout from taxpayers, many of whom are hardly better off than they are, is not demeaning, but honest work is demeaning? Really?
If there is a value system better designed to keep minorities in poverty, I have yet to hear of it. But according to Williams, who should do the janitorial work at schools − Latinos? Then who is the real racist, Gingrich or Williams? Oh wait, Democrats can’t be racists, only Republicans can. I almost forgot, sorry.
Then we have Rick Santorum. Talking heads accused him of racism because he spoke about the disproportionately high abortion rate of black babies. The disproportion is indisputable. The abortion rate for blacks is higher than that for Latinos, so poverty cannot be the only factor involved, and the rate for whites is lower still. If complaining about this racial disparity is racist, was complaining about slavery also racist? Using this inverted logic, the abolitionists were racists, but the slave owners were not.
Santorum was also accused of talking about “black families” on welfare. But in fact, Santorum had talked about the unsustainability of the welfare state, and the indignity of multi-generational welfare dependency. He had not singled out African Americans, as the NPR reporter claimed he did.
Did the reporter lie? Or did the reporter hear what he expected to hear because of leftist indoctrination? I don’t know, and I don’t care. The function of a reporter is to report. The function of a commentator is to comment. Apparently, journalism schools no longer teach this fundamental distinction, and both are called “journalists.” Even more sadly, many reporters now believe their role is to advance the liberal agenda. Similarly, many judges and educators believe the same thing.
If you want to take over a nation, you don’t have to subvert the army and stage a coup. You don’t have to convince the voters to back your plan. You don’t have to persuade legislators to enact your agenda. All you need to do is infiltrate the schools of journalism, law, and education, and wait a generation or two. The journalists, educators, and judges you indoctrinate will do the job for you.
Report the facts? Teach the truth? Rule according to the Constitution? What outmoded ideas! Use your power not to carry out the duties of your profession, but to advance your agenda.
And in an election year, feel free to misquote and insult politicians with whom you disagree. Whatever words your opponents use, claim they are code words for racist slurs. Whatever point they make, report it in the worst possible light. And if all else fails, just make things up and fabricate a “news” story. If you throw enough mud, some will stick.
But who are the real racists? They are the ones who block attempts to solve problems affecting minorities. They do so by making false accusations of racism against those who point out the problems and propose solutions. Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum are no more racists than was my colleague who devoted herself to treating sickle-cell disease. But they are accused of racism by activists who remain in power by making sure that the problems remain unsolved.
Dr. Stolinsky writes on political and social issues. Contact: dstol@prodigy.net. You are welcome to publish or post these articles, provided that you cite the author and website.
www.stolinsky.com