To the Editor:
A few blacks have always thanked liberal whites' for the extremely important roles they played in helping America become a more civilized, more moral, indeed, a less racist country. However, far too few of us blacks have properly acknowledged that liberal whites joined with many great black leader and common black folk to wage war against racism. Because liberal whites are under unrelenting criticism today, it is time for all blacks to salute and thank them for their contributions.
Before the sixties, it was the conservative whites who did not allow many blacks to vote, they kept schools racially segregated, and those whited forbade blacks from living in most white neighborhoods. But the liberal whites fought against racism and won. The conservative whites reserved the hotels and motels for whites only, they maintained the seats on buses and trains for whites only, and those whites prevented blacks from serving on juries. But the liberal whites stood their ground and rejected such blatant racism.
The conservative whites saw to it that the best jobs went to whites, that all the slots in their colleges were open only to whites, and that even our armed services were openly racist. But the liberal whites challenged that undiluted racism and prevailed. Throughout the 20th century, as well as before, liberal whites fought gallantly against the evils of racism, against man's inhumanity against man, and against human degradation. Presidents FDR, Kennedy, Johnson and others epitomized all the millions of liberal whites who supported black Americans and decried racism. Certainly, they were sometimes aided by a few conservatives, and they themselves did not always do the right thing. Yet, everything considered, liberal whites deserve blacks' eternal gratitude. Without their struggle against racism, American's violations of human rights would have been unsurpassed in its cruelty and meanness.
My reference to liberal versus conservative whites pertains exclusively to who participated in the fight for justice for blacks during the era when segregation was rampant. Of course, few of us Americans are always liberal or conservative, and in regard to other issues conservatives have contributed so much to America. But in the field of justice for blacks over the long haul, liberal whites were entirely on the right side of humanity, while white conservatives of the past were clearly on the wrong side. Were it not for the liberal whites, we would today be a nation under the domain of the KKK without hoods and robes. WE would be bereft of all moral persuasion that we currently exert throughout the world. Without doubt if the conservative whites of the early part of this century had had their way we would have been a nation a lot more racially pure because all interracial marriages would have been banned. More tragically, if conservative whites had succeeded, America's resemblance to Hitler's Germany would not have been limited to racial purity.
In spite of the best efforts of liberal whites, racism persists. America never was a color-blind nation. Quite the contrary! America was throughout history a very color-conscious country. Nevertheless, if today's white liberals and even a few conservatives join with blacks, as was done in the past, there is hope. Regardless of political affiliation and irrespective of whether they are liberals or conservatives, whites today can be on the right side of humanity by supporting vigorously the "mend it, don't end it" position of affirmative action and actively helping blacks get into and through college. To do less would be unconscionable! The assault upon liberals is shameful; they deserve so much better. They tried and are trying to save America. Sometime in the 21st century, they will be properly appreciated by all Americans. Until then, white liberals may be comforted by the fact that growing numbers of African-Americans are profoundly appreciative of their contributions, goodwill and friendship.
Copyright © 1996, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 125, Number 7; November 1, 1996
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