Charleston and Racism

The shooting of 9 innocent people. Cynthia Hurd, 54; Susie Jackson, 87; Ethel Lance, 70; Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor, 49; Hon. Rev. Clementa Pinckney, 41; Tywanza Sanders, 26; Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr., 74; Rev. Sharonda Singleton, 45; Myra Thompson, 59. Stop for a moment and think of them, and of their families.

They are the victims of hate crime, of a terror attack. Killed in a church, by a racist, in a state where the Stars and Bars (Confederate Flag) flies at the capitol. The flag of the confederacy represents racism and treason. What the hell is it doing flying over the South Carolina capitol, one of the United States of America? Shouldn’t the American flag be flying instead? Do people not realize that by flying a confederate flag at the capitol, the state is condoning racism?

The shooter (who does not deserve to be named here) had the confederate flag, the Rhodesian flag, and the Apartheid South African flag. What do these flags have in common? They represent racism, oppression, hatred, and murder. Do you wonder why it is illegal to fly the Nazi flag in Germany, Hungary and France? It is also illegal to wear Nazi uniforms or to display Nazi symbols. Why? Because those symbols represent racism, oppression, hatred and murder.

I think Jon Stewart said it best, at least, I will let his words speak for me.

“I have nothing other than just sadness, once again, that we have to peer into the abyss of the depraved violence that we do to each other in the nexus of a just gaping racial wound that will not heal — yet we pretend doesn’t exist.”

“If this had been what we thought was Islamic terrorism…it’s ‘we’ve got to do whatever we can — we’ll torture people! — we’ve got to do whatever we can to keep Americans safe.’ Nine people shot in a church, what about that? ‘Hey, what are you gonna do, crazy is as crazy does.’ That’s the part that I cannot for the life of me wrap my head around.”

On saying this white shooter has “mental illness”:  “You know it — you know — that it’s going to go down the same path. They’re already using the nuanced language of lack of effort for this. This is a terrorist attack. This is a violent attack on the Emmanuel Church in South Carolina which is a symbol for the black community.”

“I heard someone on the news say, well ‘tragedy has visited this church.’ This wasn’t a tornado. This was racist. This was a guy with a Rhodesia badge on his sweater.”

“In South Carolina, the roads that black people drive on are named for Confederate generals who fought to keep black people from being able to drive freely on that road. That’s insanity. That’s racial wallpaper. That’s — you can’t allow that.”

“The Confederate flag flies over South Carolina. And the roads are named for Confederate generals, and the white guy is the one who feels like his country is being taken away from him.” Many white people believe that this country belongs to them. It’s sickening. I watched Ann Coulter on Bill Maher last night talking about immigrant trash, Mexican rapists and criminals, etc. Whatever happened to “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” Conservative Ann Coulter only wants the creme de la creme coming into America. When asked by Bill Maher if Jesus would approve of her rants, she said, ““Yes, of course. You don’t need to take homeless people to bed to prove you’re a Christian. This is our home.” Oh boy. She needs to go read the New Testament again.

Maybe people will finally realize what has been the truth since the first African slave stepped onto the continent of North America: this is a racist country, with racist institutions and symbols, and as the news has finally demonstrated, it has been open season on black males for hundreds of years. It is time to rid ourselves of the trappings of our racist past.

For now, remember Cynthia Hurd, 54; Susie Jackson, 87; Ethel Lance, 70; Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor, 49; Hon. Rev. Clementa Pinckney, 41; Tywanza Sanders, 26; Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr., 74; Rev. Sharonda Singleton, 45; Myra Thompson, 59. Remember their families, and their communities. The pain and suffering is unimaginable.

I love the city of Charleston, and South Carolina. Let us hope they will do the right thing.