I swear it took me three takes to realize that wasn't his middle finger.
First of all I know most of y’all don’t know me from Adam but nevertheless I want to apologize for my long absence. I love this place despite (or maybe a little bit because of) the bitter arguments I’ve had here. Personal life interfered. To a large extent it still does. But I pledge to be here for this election cycle, both online and in real life. I’m supporting Elizabeth Warren, but I will support the Democratic nominee whomever she/he may be. I know I’ve angrily pushed back at past proclamations that “this is the most important election in history” but damn if I don’t think that’s literally true this time. Re-electing Trump may be the end of this great experiment in democracy.
OK. Enough of that. What dragged me to the keyboard today is that I’ve been mulling over Joe Biden’s comments regarding hard-core segregationists and comity in the Senate all day long. And saying my emotions are roiling on this one is an understatement. I’ve got about a dozen caveats in my head but I’ll just state the major ones: First I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for Joe Biden. I think he’s a good guy who’s heart is in the right place. Second I’m a 58 year old white guy and I don’t presume to think it’s my place to say what any historically or currently oppressed minority should think about any of this. Third even though I was the relatively privileged white kid I did see and experience the revolutionary but eventually inadequate efforts towards racial justice in the late 60’s and early 70’s. My first memory of school in Miami was a delay in the start of the school year because they were desegregating not the students, but the teachers. After that, I was one of only two white students in Coconut Grove Elementary school. The year after that we moved to South Miami specifically because the schools there were naturally desegregated, whilst most of the rest of Dade County’s school system was not. I thought nothing of this at the time, but in retrospect I really respect my parents for having made serious life choices on that basis.
I’m rambling, I know. So anyway, to Biden’s comments about Senate comity. What just keeps repeating in my mind is Langston Hughes’ poem “Let America Be America Again.” What just can’t leave my mind is the price at which that comity with avowed racists came.
I don’t think Biden is a racist any more than I or anyone else of good heart is. (Which is to say I don’t pretend to be without any bias but I do my best to fight it always. I don’t doubt Biden does as well.) But his warm reminiscence of the comity of a Senate which in its effect was a strong forge for continued discrimination makes me worry about how conscious he is of all of this.
I’m sorry all of this isn’t more coherent. I’m not in a very good emotional state overall, but I just had to say something about this for whatever reason. Thanks for reading if you’re still here. If any of y’all have any input on how I’m right or I’m wrong I will read with respect.
