bobbyw24
10-24-2009, 07:38 AM
Learn to listen to voice of dissent with respect
By Carol Swain
Tennessee Voices
Many of you have read the article published in last Saturday's Tennessean that liberally quotes an official at the Southern Poverty Law Center who has called me an apologist for white supremacy for a blurb I wrote endorsing a film titled A Conversation about Race. Janell Ross, the reporter who wrote the article, neglected to mention that my endorsement was written months before allegations of racism surfaced against Mr. Bodeker. She also neglected to mention that I recommended the film for generating debate in social science courses and that I qualified my endorsement after being informed of Mr. Bodeker's expressions of racism.
Given the potential for gross misunderstanding, I would like to elevate the dialogue a bit. I am a professor of political science and law who often teaches a popular seminar on hate groups in America. Seven years ago, I wrote a book titled The New White Nationalism in America: Its Challenge to Integration. The book warned of rising racial and ethnic conflict because of a set of converging conditions that created a devil brew for racial unrest. Since then the conditions I warned of have heightened. My position remains that racial hatred and bigotry are real and that they can rear their ugly head against any community, including the white community.
It is also true that there are –isms within communities that seek to silence defectors. Ridiculous double standards exist for racial and ethnic minorities. Can anyone imagine that white people would expect all other white people to agree on every issue? Nonetheless, minorities are expected to express solidarity in their political views.
I believe that the continuation of a peaceful American society will depend on our learning how to respectfully listen to one another. One of the most troubling facets of life today is the powerful movement by left-leaning organizations and governmental officials to engage in character assassination, by labeling anyone who disagrees with their liberal utopian vision for society as unworthy of participating in the conversation about our nation's future. A quick look at global history reveals the dangers of following such a short-sighted approach.
Today, conservatives and Christians (of which I am both) are targeted by groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center that regularly seek to discredit us. The war on free speech is so pervasive that the White House has deigned to attack Fox News for unflattering coverage of the Obama administration. Americans have cause to worry.
What is happening is a bold attack on free speech and the inner workings of the Democratic process. We must not let this continue.
What we need in this country is real change. That will not happen if we continue to squelch dissent and force an undemocratic system that attacks the values and principles that made this country great.
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20091024/OPINION03/910240357/1054/Learn+to+listen+to+voice+of+dissent+with+respect
By Carol Swain
Tennessee Voices
Many of you have read the article published in last Saturday's Tennessean that liberally quotes an official at the Southern Poverty Law Center who has called me an apologist for white supremacy for a blurb I wrote endorsing a film titled A Conversation about Race. Janell Ross, the reporter who wrote the article, neglected to mention that my endorsement was written months before allegations of racism surfaced against Mr. Bodeker. She also neglected to mention that I recommended the film for generating debate in social science courses and that I qualified my endorsement after being informed of Mr. Bodeker's expressions of racism.
Given the potential for gross misunderstanding, I would like to elevate the dialogue a bit. I am a professor of political science and law who often teaches a popular seminar on hate groups in America. Seven years ago, I wrote a book titled The New White Nationalism in America: Its Challenge to Integration. The book warned of rising racial and ethnic conflict because of a set of converging conditions that created a devil brew for racial unrest. Since then the conditions I warned of have heightened. My position remains that racial hatred and bigotry are real and that they can rear their ugly head against any community, including the white community.
It is also true that there are –isms within communities that seek to silence defectors. Ridiculous double standards exist for racial and ethnic minorities. Can anyone imagine that white people would expect all other white people to agree on every issue? Nonetheless, minorities are expected to express solidarity in their political views.
I believe that the continuation of a peaceful American society will depend on our learning how to respectfully listen to one another. One of the most troubling facets of life today is the powerful movement by left-leaning organizations and governmental officials to engage in character assassination, by labeling anyone who disagrees with their liberal utopian vision for society as unworthy of participating in the conversation about our nation's future. A quick look at global history reveals the dangers of following such a short-sighted approach.
Today, conservatives and Christians (of which I am both) are targeted by groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center that regularly seek to discredit us. The war on free speech is so pervasive that the White House has deigned to attack Fox News for unflattering coverage of the Obama administration. Americans have cause to worry.
What is happening is a bold attack on free speech and the inner workings of the Democratic process. We must not let this continue.
What we need in this country is real change. That will not happen if we continue to squelch dissent and force an undemocratic system that attacks the values and principles that made this country great.
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20091024/OPINION03/910240357/1054/Learn+to+listen+to+voice+of+dissent+with+respect