American Triumph: Fall of the Evil White Man

(Hugh Martin is an associate columnist with the National Alliance Foundation. As with all opinion columns, his words do not forcibly represent foundation beliefs, yet we greatly appreciate his addition to the socio-political debate).


No, I my intention was not to ignite any sort of firestorm over this issue--but then again, it's unlikely one will be regardless of the title to this particular article. As an African-America, some might even wish to indict me in the courts of racial legacies for daring to put forth what I inevitably must over the following sections, but I'll truly be damned if it manages to impede my goals with this written piece.

Ever since I can remember America has been on a path to more empowerment; in fact one might just say we have reached a pinnacle of success, with the still recent election of Barack Obama as our chief executive a sure sign. Despite the downsides of the segregation and slavery histories of the past, the Land of the Free continues to live up to its unique title, blessing thousands of immigrants and native citizens each year with a tremendous opportunity at personal liberty and financial achievements. Besides African-Americans, Hispanics and other minorities are seizing scholarships, attending universities, and forging their own part of our wonderful marquee of freedom.

But the grace of success is not limited to male members of a minority group. Even now women outperform the opposite sex in education, job superiority, and as more become bold, American Politics. So we might tend to view everything in our modern day like a perfected fantasy--where liberty and multiculturalism reign victorious as the cataracts of ancient discriminations fall to present day intellectualism. Except for a tiny fact. Far as we have come as a nation, the casualties of our racial advancements can clearly be understood in the almost universal pillaging of the white male image in American society.

Like I refused to deny earlier, I am African-American, but as much as I welcome the empowerment of my race and others I am forced to pay tribute to the white male's rather alarming movement from equal status in America to the new social untouchables; denizens who are characterized as categorically racist and steadily have lost basic chances at success with the rise of balanced racial standing. Lower income whites hold the highest nationwide poverty levels, for example, yet the guise of progressivism has lobbied for minority-only scholarships and university slots which have begun to remove what were once standard routes for success available to average males citizens who, by virtue of their birth, are Caucasian.

                                                   (Photo courtesy of blog.cleveland.com)

Too often we are treated in the modern day to the stereotypical white corporate inhuman in popular media whose sole purpose is to line his own coffers or those of his Wall Street cronies by employing corruption and abusing minorities. When James Cameron's smash hit Avatar soared into theaters at the end of 2009, its stunning visuals gained instant appreciation, even to the extent as to cause its followers to attempt suicide in order to reincarnate as a peaceful Na'avi alien on Pandora, where everything appears to be in sync with nature through Cameron's dazzling styles. Notwithstanding the digital gold, Avatar's simple and straightaway political message manages to weave its two bastardized villains as the commonly-imagined white corporate bad boy and crew cut Caucasian Army Officer who leads a band of redneck-like soldiers in their pursuit of "unobtanium," a rare fuel type required for production by the military industrial complex. The heroes of course remain a white and a Hispanic woman, and the aliens, who look like a cross between Native Americans, African-Americans, and cats.

Although James Cameron's fantasy is in the media world, the reality of white male treatment in the media is hardly any better. Senator John McCain was maligned by the new outlets as being a hard-line "old rich white man," in their portrayals during 2008, and even President George W. Bush's generous provisions of AIDs cure research funds to Africa and military defenses to Colombia were lost to their fixed mindsets. Never mind President Obama's scaling back of both these programs, as he seems immune to their drivel given his racial status.

The reality of the modern day remains bleak if one considers that regardless of attitudes, white males still make up a majority of the population. While it can be said definitively that mistakes were made by their forefathers, criminalizing them in the modern day for transgressions long since passed is not only unfair, but also destructive to American hopes for full equality. Creating a disadvantageous situation for a major group in society will not help our nation in the long run, even if the racial extremists feel retribution is due. Though slavery and racism did occur in our country in the past, many Caucasians of today are descended from families who came after the end of slavery, or from countries which simply rejected it entirely. At the same time, dictators in Africa today have turned things around, targeting white farmers with racist policies to force them into exile.

We cannot hope to be perfect, yet playing races off one another for the sake of some poisonous multiculturalist fantasy is lopsided towards mental unreadiness. As Americans we should remain united as an image of racial moderation, representing a nation where anyone can succeed, and no person's birth status denies them that treasured hope.




Hugh Martin

Adjunct Writer, Liberty for the Union Blog.