Katrina, The Race Card, And The Welfare State

By Larry Elder - September 8, 2005 - TownHall.com

In the case of Hurricane Katrina, government failed to do its most essential job -- protecting people and property. Yes, state, local and federal officials failed to appreciate the severity and gravity of this storm and its aftermath, and failed to properly evacuate the citizens from New Orleans. But how does this add up to racism?

There are more and more black intellectuals who are rejecting the race baiting hatred of the white and black liberal leadership. Bill Cosby, a man who has single handedlly given more to advance blacks than nearly anyone else, got tired of the downward cycle in the black community and started speaking out. Liberal leadership, black and white, called him an Uncle Tom.

That appears to be the only argument liberals can offer. If you reject the liberal program for blacks (that is handouts and welfare) you are racist if you are white and an Uncle Tom if you are black. Hurling insults is the only thing liberals are able to do.

That is sad. What is sadder is the reality that most black Americans, even those who don't agree that things are going in the right direction, are unwilling to go on the record with their opposition to this insidious program of insults. When will black Americans stop tolerating this put down of anyone who disagrees with the liberal program and say, "I am an American and how dare you insult me?" When will they defend even one white person who is not liberal and say, "He is not racist for disagreeing with you" to a liberal black? That is the only thing that will allow for progress, since until that is done, there cannot be an intelligent dialog based on facts.

During the civil rights era, Judge Pickering risked his life to testify for a black man. But when he would not support their political programs, the black community smeared him and called him a racist to stop him becoming a Federal Judge. He had earned that judicial position and deserved decent treatment for the character he has shown. If blacks keep doing that to those who have risked much to treat them as equals, who will ever again stand up for them? That is how they reward men of character?

Larry Elder is a man of great courage to continue to go against the liberal black establishment. 90% of blacks will not support him because of it. And that is truly sad.