By Sarah Goldman and Don Valentine
He-Said: Sarah, last week I witnessed untarnished “Racial-Veracity.” I went to my favorite coffee shop and I ran into my conversational partner. John is an older White gentleman in his late 80’s. Typically we have light banal chatter. Last Monday, I baited him with a question to see his real racial character. Keep in mind you can structure a response in a poll by how the question is framed. I asked him with an indignant tone “What happened with the Black lady getting a seat on the court? John, we have only had 114 justices and only 4 have been women and 2 Black men. Everyone knows that this position has always been for White men!”
His reply was surreal, to the point that I could not have scripted it. He said, “You know they just had to meet a quota. When you have to meet a quota anything can happen.” John is an alumnus of Duke University. His view was not based on being an ignorant person. To quote Maya Angelou “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time!” I was shocked that White man would be that blunt when talking to an educated Black man.
She-Said: Don, your right to say that was a mean comment. It’s not like Judge Jackson was the head cashier at Wal-Mart. You must realize that “Affirmative Action” is unfair. In most cases when it is enforced a more qualified person does not get the spot. All in the interest of repairing some wrongs that started over 400 years ago in 1619.
People need to get over that false concept that racism still exists. We have a Black woman as Vice President and had a Black President. I get annoyed at people looking at race as a chance to gain sympathy. Life has winners and losers. This is why I have always thought that Participation certificates are a hypocrisy. Be honest, “Little Johnny you didn’t win this year, sorry!”
He-Said: I need to expose you to the fact that racism really still exists. The goal of Affirmative Action does precisely what you addressed. To phrase it properly it gives overqualified people a fair chance to be part of the American dream. It would be irresponsible to imply that the disadvantioned person was not as qualified. Typically they are overqualified! Every successful Black person knows “If you’re Black, to be the Best, you have to be Better than the Rest!”
