Tag: racism

This Church

Posted on by Dr. Bacon, PhD in Freedom & Responsibility

I must precede this by pointing out that this is not an argument against the LDS Church, nor any other. It is a look into the clutches of power and human abuse. Temptations to which no particular faith is likely to protect one from. I’ve long struggled with the concepts of religion. Having been born into one of only two non-LDS families in the town in which I was raised. Early on I was an absolute, true believer, but so was everyone. I didn’t even know there were such creatures as non-Mormons even though the paternal side of my family were exactly, and profoundly, that. I was raised as a Mormon to avoid the kind of discrimination that an outsider suffers in any ideological community. I eventually came to realize that my dad and paternal grandparents were Presbyterians, and knowing my grandfather to be one of the finest, most benevolent human beings on the planet, I began to have some difficulty with my “faith,” but although young, I understood the beauty of one of the most basic core principles of Christianity. “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8.

As a youth, I was surrounded by people who didn’t actually practice this love, particularly when it came to Black America. I remember being taught in Sunday School that Black people were suffering from “The Curse of Cain,” and that one day they would become righteous, their skin would fade to pale, and they would then be able to hold “the priesthood.” So, while there was hope for the future, Black Americans were in the early ‘60s, in my neighborhood, “niggers,” and were the cause for their own suffering. 

This was also the era of civil rights growth in America. In the evenings, on the news we witnessed reports of riots and unrest, which in my community was seen as stupid “niggers” ruining their own lives. When when it actually was the birth of the American Civil Rights movement. At home my father would explain the absurdity of the situation Black Americans had always faced, the situations they had been forced into AND the nobility of some of their leaders (Martin Luther King, Jr.). My father would use the attitude of our community as an example, blending quotes of Martin Luther King and the horrendous history of Black America. The battle that the democrats were and, sadly, still are waging against Black America.

The bright side of this picture, from my perspective, is the greatest growth of actual Civil Rights on the globe being centered in America. The mistaken principles of racial prejudice were rapidly being swept away. The LDS Church was far from exclusive in their racist practice of the day, it was typical. Looking at the picture historically, Joseph Smith is said to have ordained several Black Americans into the priesthood. While it later becomes obvious that Brigham Young was indeed racist, the fact is that the Early LDS church actually suffered from the effect of racism rather than exercising it. It was written in that time, “As the promulgators of this extraordinary legend maintain the natural equality of mankind, without excepting the native Indians or the African race, there is little reason to be surprised at the cruel persecution by which they have suffered, and still less at the continued accession of converts among those who sympathize with the wrongs of others or seek an asylum.” Hardly the appearance of racism.

The sad fact is that racism has always been a part of human life. It is grounded in the natural discrimination against items differing from the familiar. The most familiar to all of us, is self, and right or wrong it is normal to see oneself in a kinder light. Ethnicity, race, religion, region and language are some of the few factors that people use to discriminate against other people. It has influenced wars, slavery, the formation of nations, and legal codes.

As the political world evolves, members of the “ruling” community tend to take advantage of any possibility to advance its own agenda. Thus, there is indeed institutional racism in America, and the principal institution is not a religion but rather a politic, the Democrat party. 

The Democrat party actually engaged in a war to preserve slavery. Fortunately, they lost that battle, but that didn’t change their ideology. They founded the KKK in 1865, the most notorious terrorist organization in America. They have lynched well over 3000 people in the United States, many of them white sympathizers. Democrats today are still pushing abortion which kills over a thousand Black Americans every day via abortion.

LBJ famously said in support of the “Great Society” racist lie, “I’ll have those n—ers voting Democrat for 200 years.” The Great Society program actively discouraged marriages in Black America, driving black birth illegitimacy rates from 20% in 1960 to 77% by 2017. The Department of Justice published a report in 1998, showing that 63% of youth suicides and 70% of youths in state institutions are from fatherless homes. “Since 1973, abortion on demand in black America has taken more lives than homicides, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and HIV/AIDS combined, and has become the No. 1 cause of death in the black community” (Walter Hoye, founder and president of the Issues4Life Foundation). “A year after the Great Society, President Johnson signed the Hart-Cellar Act, opening the floodgates of mass immigration into the low-skilled job market. Since then, adult black men have participated in the labor force at lower and lower rates, from 79% in 1973 to 68% in 2018” (Christian Hartsock).

The Democrat party, hand in hand with the American “education” [indoctrination] system are currently at work promoting Marxist “critical theory,” which comes in a variety of versions such as Critical Race Theory, Critical Criminology, Critical Pedagogy, etc. 

The same nefarious bunch is harvesting the absurd “hate crime” ideology. Smollet is but one, the truth is that fewer than 1 in 3 of such allegations are legitimate. To witness some of the greatest “news stories” lies, look at the media “reporting” on police shootings of “innocent” blacks. Using these media lies democrats are encouraging domestic terrorism, riots, bombings, looting, murder. Follow this with the disastrous defunding of police departments which does its greatest damage in underprivileged, black neighborhoods.

We have the wondrous work of Joe Biden in getting thousands more Black Americans locked in prison. “That crime bill, that 1994 crime bill, it did contribute to mass incarceration in this country” Kamala Harris, before she began whoring for Biden. Statistically the damage done to black by the Biden Crime Bill is blatantly obvious.

Hilliary Clinton heaps praise upon one of the most horrendous racists in American History: “I admire Margaret Sanger enormously her courage, her tenacity, her vision . . . And when I think about what she did all those years ago in Brooklyn, taking on archetypes, taking on attitudes and accusations flowing from all directions, I am really in awe of her.” “We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population, and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members,” “The most merciful thing that the large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.” “We want a world freer, happier, cleaner we want a race of thoroughbreds.” 

Biden, who recognized The oBama thusly, “I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. “I mean, that’s a storybook, man.” “Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds” (Democrat Senator Robert KKK Byrd). “Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids” (Joe Biden). “(Obama’s) a nice person, he’s very articulate this is what’s been used against him, but he couldn’t sell watermelons if it, you gave him the state troopers to flag down the traffic” (Dan Rather). “Let me see one of you adopt one of those ugly black babies.” (Abortionist Ashutosh Ron Virmani).

The Democrat party remains the home of institutional racism in America. And yes, it remains Trump’s fault! (er somethin’).     

~Bacon

Don’t miss the opportunity. Work from home!

A Raisin in the Shade of Human Nature

Posted on by Dr. Bacon, PhD in Literary and Musical Review

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Often interpreted as a statement on racism, Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun actually delivers a broad presentation of human nature, of which racism can be one possible aspect. Hansberry paints individual images of the stubborn inflexibility in the nature of her characters which is also central to the human condition in general, and is rarely overcome. Hansberry’s characters exemplify the human determination to justify and support one’s own behavior based on individual beliefs and interpretations of the world.

The beliefs and dreams seen here vary from that of Lena Younger’s (“Mama”), maternal, spiritual, house with a yard, and the anchor of family. Her daughter, Beneatha Younger, dreams of independence and rebels against her mother’s traditions, favoring a much more progressive, atheistic philosophy. Beneatha dreams of herself as a youthful adventurer who’ll one day be off to Africa, the land of her roots. In her brother Walter Younger, lies the very typical view of the masculine mastery of ones own destiny, a dream for which he is willing to risk everything. One of the play’s main antagonists, Karl Lindner, feels a loyalty to his neighbors, who happen to be, as is he, not black, like the Youngers, but white. The dreams and beliefs are as desperate and true to those who hold them as are the witchdoctor’s beads to the Bechuana. While the reader is not brought to an actual resolution, Hansberry delivers a series of very telling lessons on the individuality which burns within them all. The core differences and the challenge of overcoming them shines brightly from her stage.

Mama is driven by traditional beliefs, the strength and love of family and spirituality. At the core of Mama’s dream resides her God. Yet from her daughter Beneatha we hear, “It’s all a matter of ideas, and God is just one idea I don’t accept… I don’t believe in God… I get so tired of him getting all the credit for all the things the human race achieves through its own stubborn effort. There simply is not God! There is only Man, and it’s he who makes miracles!” (51)

This statement earns Beneatha an enthusiastic slap in the face from Mama. A slap which invokes from Beneatha not a change, rather a softly spoken, “…everybody thinks it’s alright for Mama to be a tyrant. But all the tyranny in the world will never put a God in the heavens” (52). Two closely linked people who absolutely love one another yet hold diametrically opposed beliefs as to the ultimate source of truth: for Mama it’s God, for Beneatha it’s man, for each it is equally the truth.

Racism, as obnoxious yet powerful a persuasion as has ever been devised, is demonstrated by one of the victims of that very conviction, Walter Younger, who utters to his wife, Ruth, as a result of his disappointment in seeing his own immediate dream of liquor store ownership slipping away, “Cause we all tied up in a race of people that don’t know how to do nothing but moan, pray and have babies” (87). Walter has obviously heard the white supremacist doctrine and here regurgitates it at his own black and pregnant wife. He sounds like a Kleagle for the Klan. But he’s really lashing out at his newly obvious lack of the mastery of his own family.

Karl Lindner is also sets up a justification of his own behavior when tells the Youngers, “…most of the trouble exist because people just don’t sit down and talk to each other. That we don’t try hard enough in this world to understand the other fellow’s problem. The other guy’s point of view” (116). He then makes this justification by pointing out that he’s actually looking for the younger’s best interest in suggesting a segregational alternative for them moving into a white neighborhood: “Negro families are happier when they live in their own communities” (118). Obviously Lindner is a racist, but does he know that? Does Lindner believe he can fool the Youngers? No, he is really fooling himself, “I sure hope you people know what you’re getting into” (149). Racism? Egocentrism? Benevolence? Has Lindner a dream? Certainly, yet his belief conceals the very lack of reason upon which it is grounded, and conceals it from himself.

Hansberry also shows the reader the possibility of conversion after the exchange during which Walter, as his son, Travis watches his father turn down Lindner’s offer. Mama, referring to Walter’s radical change of attitude says, “He finally come into his manhood today, didn’t he? Kind of like a rainbow after the rain…” (151). Mama believes that Walter has finally seen the light that she’s been aware of all along. The reader is not told whether it will last, but the possibility is certainly evident.

A Raisin in the Sun is the perfect example of a section of Hansberry’s work referred to by Olga Barrios in The intellectual Spear where she says Hansberry’s “concern with the human being went far beyond any barriers of color, race or culture” (Barrios 28). Hansberry has given us a portrayal of significantly varied beliefs, dreams, and behaviors and the logic used to justify them, to themselves and one another. Ultimately the tale ends up with no winners, no losers, no resolution, nor clear cut image of what the future holds. Yet Hansberry shows very clearly, human nature with its often irrational magnificence, portrayed in a light the typical audience might not have imagined, but Lorraine Hansberry did, and portrays it vividly.

Works cited

Barrios, Olga. The Intellectual Spear: Lorraine Hansberry’s Les Blancs. Salamanca: Atlantis, 1996. Web. 24 Apr. 2112

Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. New York: Vintage Books. 1994. Print.