By Dr. Jean Howard-Hill

 After watching a clip from the  January 16, 2012 MSNBC’s “Now with Alex Wagner” show, which discussed a gesture by Mitt Romney in giving an unemployed  black elderly woman fifty-dollars to assist with her needs as being perhaps racist, we find ourselves again being hit with the issue of race in America and more specifically within the GOP.

 I would rather not blog again on this topic. However, unfortunately this is not an issue which has been fully addressed and laid to rest. Because of this, it keeps crawling out of the coffin.
 
America’s history is one of racial oppression – slavery lasting over two hundred years, only to recreate itself through Jim Crow laws. This is certainly something that cannot be denied or dealt with by simply saying that it happened in the past, so get over it.

 When you enslave and then legally oppress a people for this long, there is bound to still be some residual effects passed down to the next generations – especially since it has only been less than fifty years since the end of segregation. Undeniably this is America’s history.

Sometimes there are those who do not wish to hear it. Nevertheless, it is etched into the foundation of America’s history and cannot be hidden or denied and until we teach it and understand it, there is going to be a problem with black-white racial relationships.
 
There is a powerful lesson that can be learned from our history. Unfortunately, it is seldom or gingerly taught in most schools. Realizing this, my Harvard graduate daughter (indulge a mother’s moment of pride) and I created curriculum that includes a series of lectures on The Children of the Civil Rights Movement, which we use to educate African-American youth.

 We do this to get them to become aware of their history, not so they can hate whites, but in hopes that they will cherish the opportunities they now have and take full advantage of every opportunity that is out there to get a good education or skill and to enjoy economic freedom.

 We do it also so that they will know the story, know the struggle and hand it down to their children and to their lineage. This is powerful. From it, we have seen lives literally transformed and kids, who otherwise would not have gone to college, take advantage of educational opportunities.

This includes those who are the first of their generation to go to college, those at risk, and those in gangs. The finished product are students that are motivated and determined to turn their lives around and accept nothing less than success and their best.
 
We make sure they understand that no one can enslave their minds, without the willingness and consent of the individual acquiescing. Therefore, if the mindset of an individual is free, then so is the person. I know it seems I have strayed from the discussion of whether Mitt Romney is racist, but as one of my UTK law school professors would say, “Give me a moment and I will connect it up”.
 
It is not just blacks that need to be transformed by history – whites also need to know and understand, so that they can realize just how devastating this period was for those of African descent. But the problem arises when you suggest that America needs to take that part of its history out of the closet and put it on display as a learning lesson taken from our past.

 For some whites they believe to hear about slavery, segregation and the civil rights era is to play the “race card”. Yet this is America’s history – it is a part of the history and legislative intent behind the Constitution. You cannot uphold and teach the Constitution without dealing with the impact African Americans had in the framing of it – the denial of basic rights of blacks prompted many of its amendments and subsequent pieces of legislation that afforded some of the basic rights we now cherish.
 
It also has to be conceded that not everything that is labeled as racist is indeed racist, and sometimes there is the occasional crying wolf when there is no wolf. But to think that the demons of racism have “left the building” is to be a little naïve.

There are still racists whites in America and there are still those who believe blacks are inferior to whites. The demon did not cease to exist just because of civil rights legislation. Demons don’t die – they just hide or redesign themselves.

It probably is safe to say that they are in the minority, as open racism is no longer socially or legally acceptable and tolerated.   However, because of the stereotypes that we as a race have allowed to depict us negatively are being played out in our music, on television and even in some cases in real life, it helps to reinforce the belief that blacks are inferior.
 
Ms. LaShunda and I when talking to students about the era of student protest, we go to great length to point out the dress, demeanor, speech, intelligence and self-control of those students who sat at all white lunch counters – being spat on, called a nigger and in some cases being verbally as well as physically accosted – yet they retained their pride, dignity and maintained self-control.

This is what caught the eyes of the northern press and caused them to begin to cast those in the Civil Rights Movement in a different light. Before then, they were portrayed as heathens, like beasts who were sub-human who should not be considered equal to whites. But now the whole country saw a different Negro – one who withstood the fire hoses, being beaten bloody, and being brutally and senselessly killed as in the case of 14 year old Emmitt Till.

 It was only then, that southern racists rightfully were seen as being the ones who were less than humane, uncivilized, cold hearted and cruel. From this, whites whose consciences were pricked arose and stood side-by-side with blacks to march and protect – white freedom riders joined blacks and even were willing to risk their lives and some actually were killed. Why? Because they could see the injustices done to blacks and it became hard to just sit back, say and do nothing.
 
The difference now is that there is no longer a pricking of the conscience. Instead, what is now seen are justifications for black inferiority such as: black-on-black crime; black males being imprisoned disproportionately to that of any other race; rap music that depicts black women as bitches; television and movies which show only the negative lifestyles; the English language replaced by Ebonics and improper grammar; and many other negative images of blacks.

Unfortunately and not rightfully so, instead of realizing that not all blacks are like this, all blacks get lumped together, and from it the entire race becomes stereotyped. This gives those who are racists, now the ammunition to justify slavery and segregation.

 But it also causes those whites who are not racist to wonder why? Why now that we do have equal rights and are no longer slaves or subject to Jim Crow, have we not progressed further than where we are today. Why we are not actively involved in changing the negative perception of young blacks? Why we are silent on these issues and will only react when we believe someone has made a racial comment or gesture?     
 
So what all of this boils down to are two things.
 
One – As a race, African Americans have to “fess-up” that we have failed this generation of blacks. As parents, educators, the church and as a race, we have a lot of work to do. We have to rescue the younger generation of blacks by teaching them their history and the tremendous price that was paid for our freedom, instilling in them the pride that past generations of slaves and those under segregation and discrimination had as a race and as a people; putting an end to some of the destructive behavior that demeans us as a race. And until we do this, there will be very little sympathy from whites or pricking of heart and conscience.
 
Two – As white Americans, there has to be an awareness of the destructive and lasting impact that slavery, segregation and discrimination has had on blacks. It cannot and should not be denied. It needs to be taught in the public schools – for if the history is told, it will cause all races to understand why it was wrong and should never be repeated. Whites also have to stand and denounce any remnants of racism.

Especially those who profess to have a spiritual responsibility to do what is right. Last, there has to be a realization that not all blacks are poor, uneducated, on public assistance, in jail, committing crimes and should not be placed within this stereotypical casting. 
 
So to answer the question of whether Mitt Romney is a racist?  Certainly this incident does not support a racist claim against him. But should his action in giving this black woman fifty-dollars be viewed as racist? We think not.

(Perhaps a little cheap in light of his worth – but not racist.)

 It appears he was a man moved with compassion after interacting with an American citizen who happened to be black, who like millions of other Americans are experiencing financial despair. In being so moved, he took out the fifty-dollars to give to her. For both those who are black and white, why make this racial?
 
This points to the unresolved discussion of race in America – one that is so sensitive that whenever anything happens, we reopen the wound. This is something that has to be addressed openly, if we are to move on and allow what happened in our past to be history that is overcome by the present bridges we have built to accommodate and welcome racial reconciliation. 
   
Dr. Jean Howard-Hill is the author of Black Eyes Shut, White Lips Sealed.  She has taught full time as an adjunct Professor of  American Government at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, and was voted 2006 Outstanding Professor of the year. Additionally, from 1976 to 1979, she designed and directed the “Democracy In Action” Program, which was a civics program taught in the local school systems. Howard-Hill also is a local political commentator and holds a law degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville College of Law. She also is ordained clergy and heads The Healing Place Ministries International, overseeing 47 ministries throughout Africa.

Jean Howard-Hill
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