College racism lecture a disappointment

On September 17 South Puget Sound Community College held a discussion on race.   It was billed as – – “A courageous conversation about the use of the “N-word”, white supremacy and race in America.”

It was the first of this year’s lecture series sponsored by the college, and featured Dr. Eddie Moore Jr., the director of diversity at Brooklyn Friends School in Brooklyn, New York.

About 300 people attended the lecture – – more than half of them students and about 20 percent of the audience were black.

It was an interesting and informative lecture and conversation.   I learned a great deal about the use of the N-word and how its meaning has changed over the years.

Dr. Moore’s contention is that the meaning of the word is being kept alive by modern black culture and that it will probably never fade from the American language.

That was fine, as far as it went.   If Dr. Moore had stopped after the first hour it would have been a meaningful and constructive lecture and something the college could have been proud of.

But, the last half hour deteriorated into Dr. Moore’s rantings about white racism,   He seemed to paint all white people as racists – – and I came away from the lecture – incensed.

It’s not that we’re not racist.  Everyone is a racist.  But, it’s the ability to transcend racism and see the individual that creates a civilized society.

Dr. Moore was never able to do that.  He still smarts from the racism he has experienced over the years and he used the stage at South Puget Sound Community College to vent his rage.

Over the last five years, particularly since the election of President Barack Obama, we’ve seen an increase in public conversation about racism.  For the most part it’s informative and constructive.

Local movies are filled with the black experience in America – – “The Help”, “The Butler”, and “42”.    These movies have drawn a white mainstream audience.

Our discussion and involvement in race and racism is necessary if this country is going to continue to be a melting pot where people are judged by the content of their character.

It’s too bad that a third of Dr. Moore’s time was spent calling whites racist.  That’s not constructive nor necessary.

(Editors note:   I waited for more than a week to write this story.  I had to wait until my anger and disappointment had lessened.)