I have great respect for Georgia Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis. When your a growing up as a black child, Representative John Lewis is a name you hear repeatedly when the phrase “civil rights” is uttered. But I also have some disdain for the “Old Empire” of civil rights that John Lewis belongs to. Many of them are only reactionary. They wait for a racial incident and then pounce with full claws out. But when it comes to being proactive concerning issues in the black community, they either want to have aimless “state of the black union” talks or champion causes and programs that don’t take account how far we’ve come regarding race in America. Senator Barack Obama’s presidential run has damn near silenced many of the “Old Empire” because his run symbolizes an equality in America that Martin Luther King Jr. championed his entire life. When you have a living symbol of MLK’s dream, it’s hard to talk about inequality in the way it has been: from the vantage point of the perpetual “on-the-bottom” viewpoint.
So when John Lewis compared Senator John McCain”s campaign to events that featured pro-segregationist, former Alabama governor and presidential candidate George Wallace, I almost threw my German lager at my laptop screen. Why in the stars do that, Mr. Lewis? Your words don’t help Senator Obama’s campaign in the slightest. See my fellow citizens of Earth, this is why I have a beef with the “Old Empire” of civil rights: they have this damn tendency to REACT without THINKING. Senator Obama’s presidential run, win or lose, has empowered the black community in America. We, on average, feel an immense sense of pride and accomplishment (the struggle wasn’t in vain!). A black person is very close to the Office of the President of the United States of America (arguably the most powerful role on the planet). America really works! Those nagging doubts of inequality at the top are fading away. Now other black candidates have a fighter’s chance in presidential politics.
But men like John Lewis just have to inject their Jim Crow experiences into the Election ’08. As a result, the usual reaction and counter-reaction that causes brain cells to die. First, the McCain Camp (via Jonathan Martin’s Blog):
“I am saddened that John Lewis, a man I’ve always admired, would make such a brazen and baseless attack on my character and the character of the thousands of hardworking Americans who come to our events to cheer for the kind of reform that will put America on the right track,” the GOP nominee said in a statement this afternoon.
He added: “I call on Senator Obama to immediately and personally repudiate these outrageous and divisive comments that are so clearly designed to shut down debate 24 days before the election. Our country must return to the important debate about the path forward for America.”
I was feeling you just fine, McCain camp, until you presented the whole “shut down debate, let’s talk about important things” angle. You’ve had your fair share of talking about unimportant things. But John Lewis started it, so you’ll get a pass from me.
Obama Camp’s turn (via Jonathan Martin’s Blog):
“Senator Obama does not believe that John McCain or his policy criticism is in any way comparable to George Wallace or his segregationist policies,” said Obama spokesman Bill Burton. “But John Lewis was right to condemn some of the hateful rhetoric that John McCain himself personally rebuked just last night, as well as the baseless and profoundly irresponsible charges from his own running mate that the Democratic nominee for President of the United States ‘pals around with terrorists.’
Just had to stick it in a little more deep, eh? One more time with the “pals around with terrorists” rebuke. Sheesh!
Representative John Lewis, could you please do me a big favor: Keep your mouth closed for awhile. You’ve experienced much, survived, and flourished. No one can take that away from you. But equating a man who doesn’t have any record of segregationist and racist views (John McCain) with one who did (George Wallace) is baseless, classless, and takes away from your legacy.
I’m not complex. Don’t have time for all that. And all that complex stuff bad for the stomach. Just color me simple and plain with a twist.