I want to call out another aspect of Rodney's post, in particular this
passage:
" We all, Moslem, black, white, Jewish, Hispanic, immigrant, rich, poor,
gay, male, female, straight, or transgendered have much to gain by
preserving our boundaries, but we have even more to gain by building bridges
across the identity divide. But how?"
This is all too obvious, except I think there is one entry here that does
not belong: "rich" people do not have to "much to gain" by building bridges
with the other groups, unless those bridges are designed to facilitated the
implementation of immiserating policies without opposition.
My point is that the depredations of the Trump administration, even while
they have generated (public) opposition from corporate leaders, do not hurt
the rich, and – by and large – actually help them to steal even more wealth
and welfare from the rest of us. I think we cannot lose track of the larger
trajectory of U.S. (and global) life: that the summation of all the
atrocities of the last 40 years has been delivering to the "one percent" a
greater and greater share of the income and wealth, and that even the lunacy
of the Trump administration is contributes to this process.
-----Original Message-----
From: Human Rights & Social Justice
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jack Hammond
Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2017 11:39 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Bridges over Troubled Waters
It wasn't the Republicans but the supporters of Edwin Edwards (some of them
at least) who adopted the slogan "Don't vote for Duke; vote for the crook."
They knew how bad Edwards was but swallowed their disgust and voted for him
to keep out Duke, the far worse alternative. Some of us had the same
experience in 2016
Jack
*******************************************************************
There is a common thread to almost all wars. They begin with hubris, stumble
on
miscalculation and end in sorrow --Thomas Ricks, NYT
Book Review
********************************************************************
Jack Hammond
Sociology Department
Fax: 212-772-5645
Hunter College e-mail:
[log in to unmask]
695 Park Avenue
twitter: @soc_tchr
New York, NY 10065
skype: jhmmond [no a]
http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/sociology/faculty/john-hammond
*******************************************************************
________________________________________
From: Human Rights & Social Justice [[log in to unmask]] on
behalf of Douglas Parker [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2017 6:17 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Bridges over Troubled Waters
Rodney: I just got back from Montreal (8/19/2017). I don't know if David
has heard what I am about to say but Ch. 81 (CNN) in Montreal missed one of
the basic things that happened in Charlotteville. David Duke was there and
I remember this guy when he went to Yale University and spoke well on PBS
when he was addressed by the several hundred of those students. After that
Duke decided to run for Governor in Lousianna. In the past Donald Trump has
supported Duke but years ago Nancy Reagan (I think after President Ronald
Reagan had died) issued a strong statement against the Republican party in
Lousianna. She stated that she would try to drive them out of the national
Republican party if they did not oppose Duke for Governor. The Republican
party responded by circulating bumper stickers throughout the state which
stated "Don't vote for Duke; Vote for the Crook" which was, of course, the
Democratic candidate that they expected to send to jail. Duke lossed the
election. Good for Nancy Reagan who showed more courage years ago than
Donald Trump has showed in the past several years. --Doug P.S.: I'll get
back to Montreal later.
On Friday, August 18, 2017 8:20 AM, "Coates, Rodney" <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
Bridges over troubled waters
Rodney D. Coates*
This past week it seems that all hell has broken out across the United
States. Racial frustration, angst, hostility and accusations buffet us from
many sources. The epicenter, Charlottesville, Va., only highlights our
racial fault lines that run deep and pervasively point to our national
dilemma when it comes to race, gender, and class. As the identity wagons
circle, as various groups are targeted, as we prepare yet another series of
volleys that are sure to bombard, as well as maim not only perceived enemies
but many more through collateral damage. Of course the easiest thing for
us to do is to line up with our respective identity groups, swear
allegiances, and prepare for what has been an ongoing battle for the past 3
or 4 hundred years. Or, we might just decide to bravely construct “bridges
over troubled waters”.
As with all things the real issues facing us is are we willing to construct
these bridges, or shall we continue to build the walls that divide us. And
the easiest thing to build are walls. Walls of mistrust, walls of
indifference, and walls of pain provide the illusion of security while they
actually only prevent us from true healing, security or transformation. We
all, Moslem, black, white, Jewish, Hispanic, immigrant, rich, poor, gay,
male, female, straight, or transgendered have much to gain by preserving
our boundaries, but we have even more to gain by building bridges across the
identity divide. But how?
We all are familiar with the calls for defensive walls, but rarely do we
actually engage in effective strategies for building alliances. Alliances
that bring to the table not only those of the same basic beliefs, but
equally importantly those that do not share in these beliefs must be
encouraged to join. Perhaps a recent experience I had, this past few weeks,
might illustrate my point.
Just days prior to the events in Charlottesville, I was on my way to
Montreal and the launching of my new book project The Matrix of Race (Sage,
2018). While this event was paramount to me at the time, the related
incidents of this trip were more significant. Having misjudged the trip to
the airport from my home, I was significantly late and the Air Canada booth
was closed. Calling the 1 800 number got me in contact with someone
actually in India and of no help whatsoever. They informed me of such, and
left me with few options. I approached two of the whitest, what appeared to
be former football player, Kentucky State Police officers I have ever seen.
And to my surprised engage them in my dilemma. What I found strange was
their demeanor, and helpfulness. No sooner had I explained my problem,
there was an announcement over the Air Port P.A. calling for an Air Canada
representative. Not waiting, one of the officer’s went back behind doors
that were clearly for Airport personnel. In short order a woman, clearly of
high status, came out and apologized and said that we had missed our flight.
Thinking nothing else could be done, I took a seat and prepared to wait for
the next flight several hours later. But 5 minutes had not passed and this
Airport Official again appeared with an Air Canada representative in tow.
Crazy, we were then escorted through security, and onto our waiting plane.
On the way, one of the State Policeman, acknowledging the Vietnam cap I was
wearing, said –“Thanks for your service and welcome home”. Needless to say I
was not only impressed but also gratified and honored. I know, you are
asking what the hell has this to do with the price of hate in America. Good
question.
Over the many decades, U.S. veterans, particularly combat veterans have
served as unofficial ambassadors, often because of their collective sense of
community, are able to occupy spaces many others cannot. Veterans, who
come from all groups, but especially racial and economic minorities, have
been forced, as a consequence of not only military but also combat
exigencies to learn to work across their differences, and have learned to
trust each other regardless of these differences. One of my best Nam
buddies, named Billy, was a member of the KKK and proudly displayed a KKK
tattoo on his shoulder (sufficiently hidden by military dress). I recall
several deep conversations we had on guard duty, just 50 miles from the DMZ,
about our beliefs and our background. Strange thing, Billy expressed a
significant degree of racial anxieties and fears regarding blacks and did
not hide his homophobic attitudes regarding gays and lesbians. But through
this experience, serving not only with blacks but some gays who were in the
closet (remember this was the late 1960s), Billy and many others learned to
celebrate our community, rather than highlight our differences.
This is what I have seen time and time again. Veterans, crossing the
various identity frontiers, forging alliances and engaging in differences.
I wonder, can we turn to this group now as we as a nation once again try to
navigate these racial combat zones. Can these, who have served us in the
past, again serve by being our “bridges over troubled waters”? If so,
maybe, just maybe, we can write a different story.
*Note: Rodney D. Coates is a professor of Global and Intercultural Studies
at Miami University of Ohio. He is solely responsible for these views and
can be reached at [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>.
--
[https://docs.google.com/a/miamioh.edu/uc?id=0B8rWBlMikq6IRkF5bHdLaUk2OGc&ex
port=download]
Note: Photos comprising the Sunset Series were on exhibit at Miami
University during Alumni Weekend, June 2016. We raised over $26,000 thanks
to you and now we have an endowed scholarship. Please consider contributing
to Miami's Hope Scholarship for Underrepresented students. You may
contact Evan Lichtenstein ( [log in to unmask]<http://miamioh.edu/>)
Thanks...
"Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the
last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money." --Nineteenth
century Nçhilawç (Cree) proverb “A true believer is one who does not hurt
others with his thoughts, words or actions.” (Prophet Muhammad) The song
that lies silent in the heart of a mother sings upon the lips of her
child..Kahlil Gibran
Rodney D. Coates
Professor of Global and Intercultural Studies Director of Black World
Studies
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