The Edge

C.E. "Bud" Brann

Staff Writer

I have said this before, but perhaps it is time to do so again.

I used to be a liberal. I used to take part in civil rights rallies. I was Fraternity President when I took the lead in “rushing the first black.” I supported civil rights.

I was one of perhaps 300 white people in Chicago ’s Soldier Field at a rally attended by thousands of blacks and at which all the giants of the civil rights movement of the 1960’s spoke. I was proud to be there.

I about got the crap beat out of me the day Martin Luther King junior was murdered. I happened to be invited to a neighborhood bar for a beer by my chiropractor when the news of King’s death was announced. A redneck offered to buy drinks for the house to “celebrate.” I refused and walked out. They did not appreciate that.

I took part in marches and other civil right activities. I wanted to go to Selma , but my new job prevented that.

Then a strange thing happened.

We won!

Under the law, civil rights became a fact under the law.

Then things changed.

I had fought to allow minorities in my college fraternity. Suddenly blacks fought to have their own fraternities which could exclude whites and others.

I fought for equal rights for all. Blacks fought to demand "soul food" be served in college cafeterias. Not Chinese food, not Mexican food, not Indonesian food, not French food, not Japanese food, not ANY food except soul food. They didn't shive a git about whites, they didn't shive a get about other minorities; they didn't shive a git about equality. THEY WANTED SUPERIORITY! They wanted their way and screw everyone else!

Then came the Olympics "black Power movement". Not the pride of accomplishment for their country. Not the salute to the American flag. Not unification, not equality, not justice; just "Black Power."
I fought for years to erase bigotry and racism from America , to get rid of the selection of benefits by race. Then came the liberals and blacks to re-introduce racism, this time by "affirmative action" total unquestioned racism except this time giving minorities the upper hand. To make others the “N word” for a change. To give them the upper hand.

Then came the 4/5 rule, the lower requirements for minorities for college admission, for jobs, for everything.

THIS IS RACISM! I OPPOSE RACISM! I OPPOSED IT WHEN THE HONKEYS HAD THE ADVANTAGE IN THE LAW AND I OPPOSE IT NOW WHEN THE “N WORDS” HAVE THE ADVANTAGE IN THE LAW.

Why do I feel free to spell out "Honkeys" while I have to disguise the N word? Another example of inequality and I fell into the trap perhaps? Another example of politically correct. NONSENSE!

The only way this country will do away with racism, is to do away with racism, NOT reverse racism!

I oppose Pat Robertson, I opposed Jerry Falwell, I oppose the racist republicans and democrats in political offices and I oppose Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Michelle Obama, Reverend Wright, Father Fleger. I oppose all the bigoted racists on both sides.

I oppose all those of whatever political stripe who rely on hatred and bigotry and racism to gain political advantage, financial advantage or any advantage.

I oppose the laws which require preferential minority treatment for business deals. Why? Because it doesn’t work. Do you know “how” it works? Whites wanted the business, so they found a compliant black person who didn’t know squat about the particular business. They filled out the forms, they made all the arrangements they did everything including running the business and making the bulk of the profits. The Uncle Tom did nothing but lend his name. They slip Uncle Tom a tidy payoff for being a shill. Perhaps that helps equality, but I doubt it.

I oppose businesses being forced to exclude white people from a job, even though there may not be a qualified minority available.

I experienced that myself. I was unemployed for two years. Things were financially tough living only on my wife’s paycheck; trying to make house payments, car payments, food, etc. Then I found a job that seemed to be a perfect fit. I applied. I could tell they liked me and I could tell they knew I was qualified for the job. I went home happy, just waiting for the call to go to work.

It never came. About a year later another job at the same company came open and I applied again. I got the job. Later, when I had become friends with my boss I mentioned the incident to him and asked; “what happened?” He told me they wanted to hire me, but were told they had to try to find a minority who was qualified. It happened to be a rare field in chemistry and there were simply no minorities in that field. None the less they were told they had to spend at least three months looking for a minority. When the three months was up, human resources had lost my application and I spent another 9 months of unemployment….because of reverse racism.

I was bitter at the time, but later was glad for the experience, learning in my mind and heart what minorities went through. But it confirmed to me that the law must be color blind, and gender blind; that you can not overcome bigotry with reverse bigotry. That only leads to more bitterness. I see little advantage in simply changing WHO is bitter, and it certainly does not solve bigotry.

Yes, there is still racism. I lived in the south, Arkansas , for ten years. I saw things I would not have believed during my 28 years in Chicago . I was new in town. My uncle from Oregon came to visit and offered to help me with a plumbing project. I did not know any businesses in town so we drove around until we saw a plumbing shop. We walked in. The proprietor was very friendly asking where we were from. When my uncle said, “ Oregon ,” the proprietor responded, “Got many N####rs there.” My uncle was quite taken aback and didn’t know what to say. The proprietor said, “We don’t have any here and we don’t want any.” I looked down at the counter and saw a KKK pamphlet there. Needless to say, I never went back to that shop.

I have to ask myself how his view differed from Reverend Wright, Father Fleger, even Michelle Obama. I have to conclude that the difference is only one of crudity, not of substance.

I oppose racism. I oppose preferential treatment. Because I do, I oppose affirmative action. It is preferential treatment. It is racist. Yet as a result my liberal friends and enemies accuse me of racism.

As a result of our politically correct society, you must either go all the way in lock step with the left, or in lock step with the right.

I’m damn well not going to do it! I’m going to march to the beat of my own drummer. I’m going to favor equality and I’m going to oppose inequality; and frankly I don’t give a damn what the brain washed minions of the left or the right think. Frankly, I doubt if they do think. I believe they both parrot the mindless mantras of their party. Scratch that last sentence. I’m sure they do.

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Standing up against racism, bigotry and affirmative action