We can all agree on one thing: The violence and killing in Charlottesville, Virginia by a neo-Nazi suspect named James Alex Fields was a horrific and barbaric act by someone totally bereft of moral principles. Beyond that, Americans have chosen sides and have engaged in a shouting match over who is right and who is wrong; who is victim and who is victimizer.
The crux of the problem, as it has been for over 200 years in this country is race. Everyone praising their race, while denigrating other races. The real truth is that they are all wrong. No race is inherently superior or inferior to another race. The underlying factor in all of this racial strife is the fallacious concept of race pride. That is the root cause.
People who bask in race pride invariably suffer from low self-esteem. In order to nurture any sense of pride, they must turn to the accomplishments of others of their own race in order to feel good about themselves.
For example, I am a white man.Other than Barack Obama, every US president has been white. Bill Gates is white, Steve Jobs and Henry Ford were white .Jonas Salk, the doctor responsible for the eradication of polio with the Salk vaccine, was white. Elvis was white. White supremists might say those are the reasons to take pride in the white race. I say; Bullshit! All those great people I mentioned have nothing to do with me. I didn't find a cure for polio, or develop personal computers or smart phones, and I certainly was never president.
The only thing we have a right to take pride in is our own accomplishments and achievements, and the victories over our own personal struggles. Just as I would be wrong to feel ladened with guilt over the crimes by white men like John Wayne Gacy or Adolph Hitler, I would be equally foolish to take pride in things I had absolutely nothing to do with.
Race pride is the sanctuary of those who have nothing else to take pride in. That is the real truth behind the fallacy of race pride.
