Notes from Norman

CHARACTER CONTENT

O. K. It’s soapbox time. I’m going to be serious for two reasons (1) to prove that I can be and (2) because I’m passionate about what I’m about to say.

A few days ago, an elderly gentleman talked to me about the section of town where the lives. He said, “It’s being taken over by blacks.” That’s not too uncommon in a southern city where a rather large number of white males are called, “Bubba.” It’s what he said next that got under my skin. He said, “But there are still a few good people living here.” To me that was a horrible remark. The implication is that white is good, and black is bad. It has been more than forty years since Martin Luther King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” sermon in which he said that he dreamed of “a land where men will not argue that the color of a man's skin determines the content of his character.” I think we’ve made progress to that end, but the man’s careless remark indicates that we aren’t there yet.

Two black men made the news this week in different ways, and their stories illustrate the stupidity of stereotyping. I’m sure all of you know about the first one – Michael Vick. For the most part the largest number of people living in America consider his behavior reprehensible if indeed he did what he’s accused of doing. In today’s Shreveport Times, a black minister, who is a well-known civil rights activist, expressed his display at Vick’s behavior. To be sure he’s entitled to his day in court, but the future looks bleak for him, and if he’s guilty, he deserves to pay for his crimes.

To me it’s unfortunate that most of the world didn’t hear about the second black man. His name is Alley Broussard. You’ve never heard of him? I didn’t think so. Let me tell you a little about him. He played running back for the LSU Tigers. He has one season of eligibility left, but this week he informed Les Miles, the LSU head coach that his heart isn’t in football and asked to be released from the team. During his career he rushed for nearly 2000 yards, and was considered a top NFL prospect, being ranked the Number 4 running back in the country by some experts. So why did he give up football? To concentrate on academics. What’s wrong with the guy? Where did he ever get the idea that you go to college to get an education? He’s expected to graduate from LSU in December. Believe it or not some Louisiana people are suggesting that he should get his degree elsewhere. I don’t know the details, but on the surface my hat’s off to Alley. He’s got his priorities right. A professional football career would only serve him until he suffered a career ending injury in the NFL. I just wish you had heard as much about Alley Broussard as you heard about Michael Vick.

So back to my original point. How totally ignorant, unfair, prejudicial, and just downright racist it is to judge people like Brossuard as “bad people” because their skin pigmentation has a different hue from mine. I believe in a level playing field for everyone. The “content of character” statement resonates with me, and I think it should for everyone. I do not believe in giving a man special privileges because he’s black, but neither do I agree with treating him as subhuman for the same reason.

posted by Norman @ 7:00 PM