The Washington Post recently published a story (READ IT HERE) that took place where I live , Randolph County, North Carolina. It features local people but it is actually about President Donald Trump’s support of racism. Similar stories can be found in towns, cities and rural areas
all across America. For reasons unknown to me, the writer picked the story of the Trogdon family and our community to make her point: overt racist activities are on the rise; and the President of the United States has encouraged it.
Donald Trump didn’t invent racism but, as Donald Matthews, President of our local NAACP said, “Trump actually opened the door for them (racists) to express openly how they feel.” That’s exactly right; and Trump continues to brag about not being “politically correct”.
Republican Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater argued against 
passage of the Civil Rights Act, famously saying, “You can’t legislate morality.” Democrats and liberal Republicans passed the law. Racists flocked to the Republican Party and it’s never been the same. Liberal Republicans are an extinct political species. The law succeeded in making one form of immorality, institutional racism, illegal. As we changed to abide by that law, we also made overt personal racism socially unacceptable (politically incorrect). We heard fewer racist jokes, saw fewer racial stereotypes on TV and eventually elected an African American as President of the United States.
Here in Asheboro, we still have a confederate memorial, but the City also has historic markers celebrating civil rights progress. We have African Americans among our professionals, executives and elected officials. We’ve made progress but we haven’t eliminated racism. Maybe we never will, but we can continue to improve.
Some folks are angry; thinking that the story unfairly damaged our civic reputation. Unfair? The story is true and there are similar stories in communities throughout our nation. I don’t see it as unfair and I don’t think it did any damage. In fact, it can help us if we acknowledge the truth and use it constructively to drive racism out. (If someday I read a story about racists leaving the county because they feel unwelcome here, that would be a great sign of success!)
On the positive side, we can support and continue the good work going on in our community that focuses on being a great place to live. The partnership among our school districts and Randolph Community College is a model for the rest of the state. We have
Rhino Leap, a new non-profit theater company involving students with professionals to generate some of the best stage productions in the Piedmont Triad. Parks, recreation, YMCA, downtown development and restaurants are thriving. Our progress in the past two decades is amazing; and it is happening because local people are pulling together without regard to race, religion, immigration status, or any other irrelevant factor that might divide us. We simply have to keep on putting one foot down in front of the other on that journey and we will succeed.
The second and more controversial thing that we have to do is to make overt racism socially unacceptable. Sometimes it’s hard, but we need to do it. We have to point out racist behavior, confront it, punish it, and then forgive it after it stops. When somebody sends you an email or shares a social media post with racial stereotypes, don’t just ignore it. Send it back with a note saying that you don’t tolerate racist posts or humor. Don’t buy from businesses that fly confederate flags or sell confederate souvenirs. Make it a point to tell a clerk that you’re leaving and why. Ask a person of a different race how our community is doing. What successes and failures have we had? Don’t bother to disagree…just listen and learn how things look from inside skin of a different color than your own. It’s an enlightening experience.
Law enforcement is often at the center of our racism discussion and it’s one of the most challenging subjects at hand. Don’t push it under
the surface. Learn about it. Only a short time ago, in the midst of a national flurry of incidents where black men were shot by police and many people questioned the justification of the shootings, our local NAACP chairman suggested a quiet conversation among law enforcement leaders and black citizens. The idea seemed to be that it was better to have the conversation about perceptions of police bias while there was no local incident like a shooting on the radar. As I recall,
all but one law enforcement leader said there was no need for that kind of a meeting because we don’t have mistrust here. But the truth is that even though it’s not visible every day, yes we do have mistrust.
Our opportunity for progress and our drive toward excellence as a community will be best served by acknowledging our opportunities
for improvement and acting on them; while at the same time shunning the racist behaviors of some local citizens and our President.
Mr. Morrison, have you ever read “The South Was Right” by James Ronald Kennedy and Walter Donald Kennedy? Please read it if you haven’t. I would like to hear your point of view on this book.
I’m aware of the book but have not read it. It is based on the premise that the South was an independent nation invaded by the north and it’s consistent with the “lost cause” mythology about an honorable war upholding southern traditions. The idea that states could legally secede from the union is far removed from reality. Records of debates in southern state legislatures leading up to secession made it clear that protection of the financial interests of wealthy slaveholders was the principal motivation for secession. That includes North Carolina where the majority of (white) citizens opposed secession. The NC legislature’s vote to join the confederacy was pushed through by financial interests associated with slavery. This book is in the same class as “None Dare Call It Treason” – propaganda for a cause that has been romanticized by a small minority of Americans until it gained wider popularity.
It’s backed up with references through out the book. Aren’t you using other’s opinions? Please read the book, or at least half of it to give me your opinion. Thanks
Opinions and facts are different things. The book has references and lots of opinions but it fails to recognize the basic fact that secession was for the specific purpose of preserving slavery. It was prompted also by several states refusing to comply with the fugitive slave act. The Confederacy, in that case, wanted to deny state rights. The authors constructed a legendary fake fact support for the historically inaccurate lost cause myth.
Sorry Mr. Morrison, this time you have disappointed me.
Well said Bob. We can learn from communities who have intentionally addressed racism. It is an uncomfortable subject especially when we talk about white privilege. Let’s not say it is a problem everywhere but be a leader community when in comes to abolishing racism. Unfortunately much of the faith community, whose mission should be racial justice, is to insular. Let’s intentionally deepen the conversation. Lynda Ferguson ,First UMC, has been a voice for racial reconciliation . Donald Matthews called for a coalition for intentionally addressing the issue. Who will answer his challenge?
I mentioned Mayor Smith’s encouragement for faith leadership to Joe Mitchell this morning. Now is a time of opportunity.