Racism is pathetic and to be scorned

The Oxford Dictionary defines racism as, “the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.”

I am extremely proud of County Judge Terri Brassfield and all of the community volunteers, school employees, district administration and donating businesses and organizations for the amazing acts of love they performed over Thanksgiving break right here in our hometown.

Our community has a very large number of students that are at risk of hunger, particularly those defined as homeless by the U.S. Department of Education [essentially lacking “a fixed, regular, and nighttime residence’’]. That is not to say that they don’t have a place to sleep each night, but they don’t have a “fixed” or “regular” home, bouncing from one relative to another.

The sad fact of life is, children can’t do anything about being hungry or homeless. They cannot go out and get a job and at the same time complete the third grade. They cannot learn letters, colors or multiplication tables while flipping burgers or digging ditches.

Additionally, skin color, which God alone chose for them before they were born, does not provide for their needs, nor protect them from lack.

For Gods sake they are children! God’s greatest gift and most amazing miracle – placed here to remind us of what love, wonder and goodness is all about!

I have not heard of anyone complain about the successful initiative to provide food bags to Blytheville area students…until this week. I became aware that there actually was one cowardly, anonymous person that wrote a disgusting letter to Judge Brassfield in opposition to it. But the letter only reveals the dark wicked heart of the writer and highlights the love and accomplishments of our hometown.

The letter begins by saying, “I’m sorry, but I am not enclosing a donation. I have my doubts as to whether 1,200 black kids are actually in need of free food. It is their parents’ responsibility to feed them, not mine or the community members. Parents should do a better job of ‘spending’ their EBT funds.”

By providing food to every single Blytheville School District student that requested a food bag… every single one…the wonderful group shattered the writer’s racist complaint immediately. Students of every race, religion, age, gender and every other demographic measured were included. No one was denied or defined by something as petty as skin color!

It is extremely ignorant and racist to say that all students enrolled in Blytheville Public Schools are black. It is even more racist to believe and insist that all black kids come from homes that receive EBT cards. Oh, and it also assumes that all black parents are incapable of proper budgeting!

How pathetic! Hate much? Also, note that the writer is suggesting that it is absolutely moral and just for third graders or kindergartners to remain hungry just because they are black and allegedly have bad parents! Wow! What a rational mind and God fearing heart the writer has.

The writer also spews, “These blacks always have their hands out for anything and everything they can get for free – at least free to them. Someone pays!! They live off the government (aka taxpayers). They get food stamps, cell phones, have their rent paid for them, get their children taken care of and fed for free. All while they sit at home and draw welfare benefits and/or disability benefits when they’re able-bodied and should be out working!”

Now let me get this straight, ALL blacks ALWAYS have their hands out for “anything and everything they can get for free.” How absurd! NO blacks are contributing to society or to their family’s wellbeing? Hmmm. That doesn’t sound right. No black has ever held a job, maybe even earning a higher income than the writer? All blacks are on food stamps? All blacks have cell phones? All blacks and only blacks are able bodied, sit at home and exploit welfare or disability. Oh, and no blacks pay taxes? Bull!

The writer also insists, “I see people all the time in the grocery stores, dressed like they just came out of a fashion magazine. They buy expensive items, then pull out their EBT card to pay, then go get into a nice new vehicle. Does this sound like they need assistance? Something is wrong with ‘the system.’”

Well I will have to agree in part with this one. There is something wrong with the system. But it is because government has increasingly been seen by people of all skin pigments as a nanny; taking the place of families, churches and charitable organizations. But, being the fashion police against an entire “race” of people is just plain stupid.

The writer also took issue by saying, “Look beyond the Blytheville School District and serve the needy in the entire community. Serve all or serve none.”

Yep…another stupid argument. Because at what point does that argument stop. When we serve all, does that mean all in Blytheville but not the rest of the county? Does that mean all in the county and the rest of the state starve? United States and not the entire world?

President Ronald Reagan once said, “We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone.” Those that spread love to our community don’t have the resources to help everyone with every need they have, but they did what they could. Writer did you?

Judge Brassfield, Superintendent Atwill, community volunteers and responsible corporate partners, I congratulate you for doing what was right and for not having the same cold, hate-filled, racist heart that the letter writer has. I thank you for loving our children (our future). I thank you for not letting the dead voices of the racist past talk you out of being the hands of God to our children [the least among us].

Be encouraged. The higher the level, the bigger the devil. But with Might and Right behind us, we will continue to banish the darkness of racism to the history books and will continue to make Blytheville an even better hometown!

To the anonymous letter writer, come see me and take ownership of the letter. This isn’t the 1850s and Simon Legree is not welcome in Blytheville. So I will pray that God heals your heart so that Love may once again flow through it. My heart bleeds for you, living in such a tormenting prison (your racist heart and mind).

thenry@blythevillecourier.com