The New Racism

Fifty-three years ago this summer Martin Luther King gave one of the greatest speeches in our history. He pointed a way forward for all of us when he said he hoped his children would be judged “not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”. I doubt even King could have believed that many in the audience would see Barack Obama become president. We have come a long way but, of course, racism still exists.

We are seeing the creation of a new racism. It ignores all the progress we have made and paints whites as inherently racist and having the advantage of “white privilege”. Looting and other crimes are acceptable ways to protest. Because of their inherit evil, it is perfectly acceptable to treat whites as inferiors.

We are starting to see signs of this. The smash play Hamilton once advertised for performers and said only African-Americans will be hired. Some schools are creating areas just for minorities where they are given special privileges. One New York private school separates children as young as six. Minorities are praised and given treats while the whites are harangued about their “privilege”, racism and responsibility for past racist acts. Some children have gone home crying because they think they are bad people.
Other than the target of their hatred, I think the old racists and new racists have a lot in common.