In a graduate class years ago the professor said, "There is nothing more unequal than treating unequals equally." It took some time for me to understand and appreciate what he said. Your article today is spot on. Thanks, Dan.
Thank you Dan for your timely article. For Christian Nationalist, I do a bit of a take on the hymn Amazing Grace – “Amazing Race(ism) – I Once Was Color Blind, now I see.” My transformation happened in my late teens. I am now 72 years old.
Here is my home-ownership story - As you alluded to, after WWII, the GI Bill offered needed opportunities to veterans including low-cost mortgages, business loans, tuition, etc. However, like FHA, though black veterans qualified on paper, it was not equally applied. For example, of the first 67,000 mortgages, fewer than 100 were for non-whites. That's the facts. On a personal basis, my father informed me of two stories from two people (he was one of the two) - the only difference - color. My father was in active combat duty in WWII. After being honorably discharged, he benefited from the G.I. bill in that he built a new house in 1958 and raised a family of four children in Chattanooga, Tennessee. When they passed, the estate was divided up four ways. I am living in a 17 year old home, bought new in Iowa (800 miles away) as a direct result of that financial momentum.
Person number 2 - Same military service, also lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee, received the same benefit of the G.I. bill - on paper - but here is where it derails because he was black. The local banks Red Lined the neighborhood where he wanted to purchased a home and as a result, the local lenders refused to approve his loan applications even though he met the identical qualification as my father - an honorably discharged, gainfully employed WWII vet. Both the state and local governments looked the other way when the local banks did their Jim Crow thing, while ignoring the real benefits of Federal G.I. Bill. The “devil” is in these nefarious details.
Fast forward 81 years. Given this scenario, do you think his children have the same financial momentum as I do today? Nope.
Great examples Tim...thanks. All of a sudden, becoming "colorblind" is actually a cynical and cruel way to try to deal with the issue. Your Southern upbringing provides a wealth of personal stories and experiences...keep on sharing.
In a graduate class years ago the professor said, "There is nothing more unequal than treating unequals equally." It took some time for me to understand and appreciate what he said. Your article today is spot on. Thanks, Dan.
Thanks, Dave....your prof was right. Becoming suddenly "colorblind" is more hurtful than helpful, and more cynical and cruel than healing.
Reading Caste right now. Let's ask thos question "if you policies deny a group their rights, is that not racism?
Thank you Dan for your timely article. For Christian Nationalist, I do a bit of a take on the hymn Amazing Grace – “Amazing Race(ism) – I Once Was Color Blind, now I see.” My transformation happened in my late teens. I am now 72 years old.
Here is my home-ownership story - As you alluded to, after WWII, the GI Bill offered needed opportunities to veterans including low-cost mortgages, business loans, tuition, etc. However, like FHA, though black veterans qualified on paper, it was not equally applied. For example, of the first 67,000 mortgages, fewer than 100 were for non-whites. That's the facts. On a personal basis, my father informed me of two stories from two people (he was one of the two) - the only difference - color. My father was in active combat duty in WWII. After being honorably discharged, he benefited from the G.I. bill in that he built a new house in 1958 and raised a family of four children in Chattanooga, Tennessee. When they passed, the estate was divided up four ways. I am living in a 17 year old home, bought new in Iowa (800 miles away) as a direct result of that financial momentum.
Person number 2 - Same military service, also lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee, received the same benefit of the G.I. bill - on paper - but here is where it derails because he was black. The local banks Red Lined the neighborhood where he wanted to purchased a home and as a result, the local lenders refused to approve his loan applications even though he met the identical qualification as my father - an honorably discharged, gainfully employed WWII vet. Both the state and local governments looked the other way when the local banks did their Jim Crow thing, while ignoring the real benefits of Federal G.I. Bill. The “devil” is in these nefarious details.
Fast forward 81 years. Given this scenario, do you think his children have the same financial momentum as I do today? Nope.
Great examples Tim...thanks. All of a sudden, becoming "colorblind" is actually a cynical and cruel way to try to deal with the issue. Your Southern upbringing provides a wealth of personal stories and experiences...keep on sharing.
Yup!
These inequalities also pertain to those with disabilities. “MAKE RACISM WRONG AGAIN!”