Will The Real Race Hustlers Please Stand Up? by Andy J. Solages

Among American Conservatives, of any race, it has become a common practice to make derisive reference to so-called "race hustlers", "racial arsonists", "shakedown artists", and "professional victicrats." The usual targets include Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and Louis Farrakhan. I find their fixation on African-American leaders, and the aforementioned three in particular, to be unhealthy, but I guess it is a pillar of their school of thought. Someone has to fight against the bad Black Men who oppress cuddly innocent White folk and exploit "White guilt."

I try not to uncritically dismiss everything these individuals have to say on the basis of their orientations alone. I believe that our worldviews color our evaluation of information and help determine which sources we find credible. Though we might think that we objectively perceive reality there are always elements of reality that we do not see or consider because of our limits. Another party might be able to see what is in our blind spot. By becoming acquainted with the perspectives and ideas of others we might find criticisms and even supplements that we can consider as we continually evaluate ourselves and grow. We do not have to try and convince the opposition of our ideas or even engage in consistent dialogue with them. We can observe them and process their ideas without taking part in too much direct discussion with them.

When processing the literature and works of friends, allies, or enemies, we sift through the useless and disagreeable while keeping our minds open to anything of value. Tolerance is required for this activity, and unfortunately we don't always have the stomach for it. In those moments it is difficult to resist demonizing and dismissing an opposing party. Maybe this is how the Conservatives feel as they repeatedly return to the problem of the "race hustler."

When White Conservatives spend an excessive amount of time whining about "racial arsonists" I feel like I am witnessing an old predator who is trying to avenge a grudge from the Civil Rights movement or a sad frustrated Massa Jefferson who has been scorned by Sally Hemmings ("They're supposed to love me; why won't they do as I say?"). Those mental images make the positions and apparent thoughts of certain Non-White Conservatives particularly unpalatable. Though it might come as a surprise to some people who know me, sometimes I think that a few of these individuals raise valid points and might mean well (I won't name names). But still, I often have to ask, what is going on with these people?

I wonder if they know how difficult it is not to demonize them and dismiss their work when we read pieces like Dinesh D'Souza's "Two Cheers for Colonialism." We almost have to pity them when we hear statements like "There was no need for a Civil Rights Movement; things were getting better on their own" or "I am glad slavery happened; without it we wouldn't have the benefits of (Western) Civilization."

I hope that my loved ones would hospitalize me if, while running around proclaiming the virtues of Western Civilization, I decided to repeatedly tell Israelis "Without the Third Reich, another product of Western Civilization, there never would have been a modern state of Israel. Yeah, the Nazis did a few objectionable things, but two cheers for the Nazis!" I am aware that reference to The Holocaust is a bit hackneyed at this date, but I hope it communicates the point.

Giving any cheers for colonialism, slavery, or Apartheid is the equivalent of shouting about "a silver lining" to the violence of the Nazis. Though it is now politically incorrect to be viewed as politically correct, people who are concerned about "divisive rhetoric" do not need to take these leaps. Legitimate criticisms and ideas are smothered when accompanied by such offensive statements. When they spend a great deal of time attacking the personalities and movements of the Dark World while serving as apologists and fans of the Light World, the Non-White Conservatives paint themselves as family pets of the White Right. They might dust off an occasional quote from Martin Luther King Jr. circa 1963, but some of us still might wonder why they have such blind love for one side and such vitriol for others. We might wonder if their love for the West has made them unable to see that African People, for example, have always had the capability to thrive independent of Europeans.

It is acceptable for someone to criticize politics, policies, ideas and individuals within our movements and our organizations. But no one has any business telling us that a given assault was "good for us" while also complaining about the "Balkanization of America" and "racial arsonists." It seems that these people will use any means to do public relations for anything done by the West and the White Right in particular. They feed and entertain their fan base, but no matter their true intentions, they paint themselves as open enemies to the rest of us. Anyone who is so misguided in a public persona is more than worthy of the "race hustler" and "arsonist" slurs.

Andy J. Solages is a freelance writer and can be contacted via e-mail at: omo-obatala@internetjer.com

Andy J. Solages

Wednesday, May 29, 2002