Op Ed: Renewed Racism Can Wreck Any Return to Democracy

(SALEM, Ore.) - It is a fact that most psychiatrists, and especially cognitive scientists, consider personal racist beliefs and attitudes as major symptoms for possible/probable psychotic problems.

Additionally, most practical practitioners, in those two very essential fields for the 21st Century, also attribute overwhelming personal denial of such attitudinal shaping of actions to the extremely strong force of modern cultural, societal, and economic impacts.

It is also undeniable fact that after 200 years of societal consideration, a Civil War --and even repetitive shocking, painful, bloody, expensive and extremely dangerous modern riot-and-rage cycles in our largest cities-- racism is now broadly recognized, finally, as an intolerable and unacceptable shibboleth of past-century social myth.

That solid-sense of social-cultural-economic understandings, now normally accepted by large majorities in nearly every nation across the world, is deeply reinforced by many probing-searching and highly authoritative actions by worldwide groups: Commissioned-research findings, professional-group agreements, national and international working-group findings and even international treaties.

It is also a fact that every one of all of them prove up precisely the same overwhelming reality: Racism reflects ongoing greed, supported by unfounded economic fears, always founded on various myth-building activities purposively designed to manipulate some segments of mankind for the not-so-simple economic benefit of others.

SO how-and-why does that NOW endanger our own desperately demanded return to the real principles of our once-powerful and prime-example democracy?

Anyone who reads the daily, weekly and monthly press, or who sees (and perhaps even listens carefully ?) to ongoing widespread working media comment on our political Donnybrook ostensibly preparing us for democratic decision on choice of leadership in the 21st Century, must be aware that one of the strongest candidates is being attacked principally because he is seen as racially “different” -- read “deficient” if you are a racist-inclined person.

The heart-and-soul of what we know as “racism” depends solely and very deeply on that long-proven and entirely unwarranted and extremely democracy-defeating “spin” --read “propaganda-driven fear-and-economic/status-driven myth”-- purposely pointed and continuously driven home by the neocon masters of political noise.

After more than thirty years of “very painful learning experience for honest-democracy/conscious Americans”, we should by now be ready for real appreciation of these realities --emphasized even further, deeper and more dollar-painfully, too, by the last eight of those years.

I leave to your own “see with own eyes” exploration the entire overwhelming gamut of detailed, definite, deeply-documented “heavy evidence” re the centuries-old genesis, AND the desperately-contrived development, by those in position so to gain --ever since the Middle Ages initiation by bloody conflict; AND many other devious devices displayed and deployed to lead you well astray; via this proven and highly provocative social-cultural-economic myth.

“See with own eyes” one or more of the many very specific documenting entries shared with you in the Reader’s Note.

AND ONLY THEN consider what YOU, as an aware-and-fully conscientious American citizen --right NOW, as the 21st Century dons for ALL of US-- can do, as you study and then cogitate on your electoral choice “this time around”.

You might wish to reexamine our Constitution and the famed Bill of Rights, particularly those very-promising parts defining and demanding “equality under law” and foreshadowing world-shaping application of our noted and distinguishing American form of democracy.

As a nation we’ve been noted for our “exceptionalism” ever since the Founders found what they felt were basic and demanded truths for governing our ongoing cooperative efforts for freedom and opportunity.

What we do NOW will reflect and reshape the realities with which we must all live -- in full realization that we make our own decisions in this nation and MUST surely do so in rational and reasonable understandings of the realities AND their consequences.

“Psychotic-symptom” and “denial” or not, racism has no place in what we must now do to recover and reinvigorate our democracy.

We deliberately chose ONLY one easily accessible source-reference to cite as documentation: Wikipedia re “Racism”. You can easily “see with own eyes” what we found, via Internet.

Nearly fifty documenting Notes for published materials covering centuries of development and understandings are contained at the end of their 11-page special section, followed by another 50 links to Internet access for further source-materials.

As time allowed, we sampled some of the most relevant and pertinent, and working notes here identifying those we thus sampled are available on request with ID to Editor Tim., per our ongoing process of “informed opinion” openly reported for your personal consideration after due-check on our sources.

We also reviewed and re-considered an extensive writer’s file kept over more than 30 years for previous writing on this major topic --including the tape referred to in my earlier Comments here, showing early findings as psychotic-symptom for racism expressed in personal action, which triggered my early interest.

So much for solid, sensible, rational and reasonable consideration from what must be appreciated as worldwide/acceptable basic reference source. Do with it what you will, with consequence well illuminated above.

BUT “now you KNOW” --without possible doubt-- from whence cometh that social/economic myth termed “racism”.

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Tomas May 4, 2008 9:34 am (Pacific time)

Coverage of any politican and their associations is fair game, especially when one is seeking the top job. Sure it can get rough, but the world is a hardball place. Character and it's accompanying traits are hopefully fleshed out during the general election period. For all candidates I say: "What do they know, and when did they know it?" Frankly I never would call anyone a racist simply because of some superfical association one might have with a racist, but it is certainly important to explore one's character and their past and current associations. I recall last week Sen. Obama said it was fair game to explore his relationship with Wright, who is certainly unique.

Henry Ruark May 2, 2008 4:13 pm (Pacific time)

For those who may wonder why we published this Ob Ed and my long-relay of the Sun Myung Moon story, here's pertinent word precisely stated: "For those who stubbornly seek freedom, there can be no more urgent task than to come to understand the mechanisms and practices of indoctrination. These are easy to perceive in the totalitarian societies, much less so in the system of 'brainwashing under freedom' to which we are subjected and in which all too often we serve as unwilling instruments." Noam Chomsky

Henry Clay Ruark May 2, 2008 3:44 pm (Pacific time)

To all: Since this Op Ed was called forth by the media emphasis on racism affecting Obama, via coverage of his pastor's statements and unfair attribution to him of responsibility, it seems equitable to relay to you the latest reliable report on how closely the Bush family and cabal are connected to Rev. Sun Myung Moon, who as the owner/publisher of The Washington Times is extremely well-known to all in D.C. He's notoriously known to leading media units as "a South Korean theocrat who has denounced the the United States as 'Satan's harvest' and likened American women to 'prostitutes'" --but without any real media notice OR any extended coverage. Much worse, he has bestowed millions of dollars on both Right politicians and on the Bush family --the latter as "appearance fees", the former as --you guessed !-- "campaign contributions". IF Obama is held at fault for his pastor's statements, then this relationship of the Bush cabal is also demanded coverage by the same media. For full detail impossible here, "see with own eyes" at Internet link below for: "The Right's America-Hating Preacher", in a special report by Robert Parry, famed probing investigator who broke the Iran-Contra/Reagan stories in the '80s for AP and NEWSWEEK, my original contact with his work. Here's the link, easily accessed by any computer: www.consortiumnews.com/Print/2008/050108.html Fortunately I can vouch for Robert Parry (and his reporter sons !) via long continued reliance on his work and some passing contacts via Internet, albeit never face to face, which I sorely regret. IF you truly believe that "truth can make you free, if you can recognize it and then appreciate it", seek this one out for YOUR OWN evaluation. The detailed report runs 30 pages; available as relay from me via request with ID and emailer to Editor Tim if you are otherwise unable to access it.

Henry Clay Ruark May 2, 2008 12:54 pm (Pacific time)

To all: In some past Op Eds we've cited OCPP data re comparative Oregon income gains. The overall emphasis remains the same despite an error now reported by OCPP. Here's the crux of the issue as they now state it: "The evidence remains overwhelming that economic growth in Oregon is not producing shared prosperity. For instance, not only did the wealthiest collect 39 percent of all income gains, but from 2002 to 2006, the first four years of the most recent economic expansion, the richest 1 percent of Oregon households saw their average incomes increase by $299,000 above inflation, while middle-income households saw their incomes increase by just $72." We inform you here and now simply for the record; with all due concern for accurate data, it is only fair to point out that it doth still occur intermittently even among the most potent pundits and "pure mathematicians"; and will continue as long as humans are concerned in any computation.

Henry Ruark April 30, 2008 7:04 pm (Pacific time)

Vic/Glenda et al: It's that last part I cherish, since it means we getting job done by giving you same information we have and counting on your OWN-mind evaluation to make it most meaningful to YOU. That's what our S-N open, honest, democratic channel is s'posed to be doing...

Henry Ruark April 30, 2008 6:59 pm (Pacific time)

Bob et al: Yours reflects well many, many source-contacts and other sensory-readings forced on me via my Op Ed needs. But for allofthat, those same contacts have deep within them hope and that continued American determination that made us "exceptional" in our earlier days. SO I continue to believe we can return to Founder-found fundamental principles and not only survive but prevail. DO we have the wit, wisdom and will we once demonstrated so well ? Only time will tell, and you will get to savor or succumb, either way --which is why we MUST do NOW what we still can, WHILE we still can. Thank you for your strong comment.

Vic & Glenda April 30, 2008 6:52 pm (Pacific time)

Great article, Henry ! We appreciate all your research and the incredible effort you put into producing articles that are based on fact and have links to back them up!

Bob April 30, 2008 6:25 pm (Pacific time)

I must confess, up front, to a deep and abiding personal cynicism in nearly all things 'historical'. History is written by the victors...by the ones in power...by the survivors. As regarding racism - I agree completely. We seem to be, as a nation, returning to an isolationism (including race), as our national identity becomes entangled in complexity. I also see, daily, the gender issue rearing its ugly head with Hillary Clinton in the running (and even more so..than the racism issue with Obama). In my person consideration, I would say Americans are not happy with themselves and seek some sort of external icon to target for blame. We are in turmoil -- financial near-collapse, energy prices rising drastically, at war on two fronts (with our leaders pushing for a third) and most of our manufacturing outsourced to Asia (which, of course, is due to US as a society seeking inexpensive goods). Oh...Woe is US and it sings an old refrain best listened to in the darkness rising on the horizon.

Henry Ruark April 30, 2008 4:40 pm (Pacific time)

Here's another, from one who would surely know and understand: "We have to start teaching ourselves not to be afraid". ---William Faulkner

Henry Clay Ruark April 30, 2008 2:07 pm (Pacific time)

To all: Just found this, which states strongly why I wrote this Op Ed above: "The study of history is a powerful antidote to contemporary arrogance. It is humbling to discover how many of our glib assumptions, which seem to us novel and plausible, have been tested before, not once but many times and in innumerable guises; and discovered to be, at great human cost, wholly false." -- Paul Johnson To see how snugly it "covers the situation", simply go to Wikipedia and "see with own eyes" --which recalls that kicker-line from a famous movie: "Who you gonna believe, me -- or your own eyes ?"

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Op Ed: Renewed Racism
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