Clive Bundy, the rancher at the center of all the controversy in Nevada, has seemingly put his foot in his mouth in terms of recent comments he made regarding a couple of minority groups. He made comments about “negroes” and “Spanish” people that probably have not helped his cause. I will link to those comments below for you to listen for yourself.
I have made the observation already that Mr. Bundy has of course violated the law, and lost his battle in court. And clearly nobody has a right to graze their cattle on land they do not own for free. Having said that, his assertion that the BLM was wrong to raise grazing fees with the express purpose of driving ranchers off the land, seems to be a valid point. If they were worried about turtles they would not be killing them, or killing cattle for that matter.
Whatever you may think of that issue, Bundy appears to be sincere. He may be wrong, but he honestly feels he is standing up to an out of control federal government. And the heavy handed actions of the BLM give some validity to that part of his argument. They had a number of non-violent ways to enforce their court orders; there was no reason for their over-reaction.
But I want to get back to his comments about minorities. I have been on a mission of sorts lately. I am tired of the constant back and forth on the internet about how “blacks” do this and “whites” do that. Equally bad are the comments about how “women” think one thing and “men” think something different. The idea that “whites” or “white people” are meaningful terms is ludicrous. Ted Cruz and Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi and Sarah Palin are all “whites”. Herman Cain and Al Sharpton and Ben Carson and Sheila Jackson Lee are all “blacks”.
Skin pigmentation is completely irrelevant. It tells you nothing of a person’s character or morality or habits or ideas. It says nothing about work ethic or intelligence. Yes, I realize an awful lot of people think it means something. Those people are called idiots, or if you prefer, racists.
Lots of babies will be born tomorrow all across the planet. They will be born to rich parents and poor parents. They will be light skinned and dark skinned. They will be raised by loving parents and by cruel and uncaring parents. They will be born in the United States and France and Mexico and China and Egypt. But tomorrow, they will be equal. The circumstances of our birth are random and not in our control. As the years roll by these children will be influenced by their circumstances but they are not responsible for where they are born or the color of their skin or who their parents are.
Mr. Bundy seems like a good man, but I cannot support his stereotyping of people by skin pigment or national origin. I must reject that part of his comments.
And yet, when you listen to the video clip and watch Mr. Bundy, there is a certain honesty that is undeniable. Talk about unscripted and unpolished! This is no slick politician or college professor or comedian doing a well-practiced routine. His views on “blacks” are that they have been ill served by government giving them handouts without actually empowering them. He says of the riots in Watts that at that time the people were angry that they were not free and he agrees that they were not. He feels we have come a long way but that government programs have effectively kept these people down.
I will point out again that I disapprove of this stereotyping but there is truth in this analysis.
Mr. Bundy goes on to discuss Latinos. He says in his experience these are good hard working people. He says he knows they have broken the law but he is sympathetic to their plight and admires their work ethic.
Speaking of politicians, Jeb Bush made similar comments recently regarding illegal aliens, calling their decision to violate American laws and come to this country “an act of love”. He was roundly excoriated for those remarks by conservatives. I am not a big fan of Jeb Bush, but I do understand what he is saying. I am just not sure why he is saying it. If his intent is to appeal to Hispanic voters that is one thing, but if he truly believes in what he is saying that is another.
And while we are at it, let me bring a comedian into the conversation. Chris Rock seems to be able to get away with saying things that not even most comedians can get away with. I think it is because his comments about race and gender and other taboos always contain a keen sense of reality so that they ring true to his audience. He makes observations about “blacks” and “whites” and men and women and Latinos and Asians that get to the heart of our own stereotypes. His humor is instructive.
What is the difference between these three men? If Chris Rock had made the comments that came out of Bundy’s mouth onstage in front of an audience would he have been applauded or booed?
My own position is a little rigid. I want people to stop thinking in terms of these groups and to judge people as individuals. But my position does in many ways ignore reality. The stereotypes are not completely wrong. Chris Rock is funny for a reason. Racism exists, whether I like it or not.
Further, the reason a lot of people have such strong feelings involves government. There is a feeling that government takes sides one way or another and that it is unfair. Mr. Bundy feels that black people have been given subsidies to the point that they no longer know how to work, and maybe they were better off before with a work ethic and intact families.
The resistance to comprehensive immigration reform, aka amnesty, is not based as much on racial prejudice as it is on the realization that many of those people will not only go on public assistance but they will vote for the people who promise the most goodies. My conservative friends will scream that they are only for the Rule of Law, and that amnesty will only attract more people who want to come here and take away our jobs. Perhaps they are right.
My opinion will surprise nobody: we cannot afford all of these so-called entitlements anyway. If we reduce the entitlements, then the only people who will want to come here will be those who want to work and contribute. And I, for one, welcome anyone who wants to be a useful contributing member of society. Politicians should not be able to give away favors to certain groups, whether ethnic or otherwise. And without politicians giving away taxpayer money to buy votes, our elections will change dramatically for the better.
I am over 50, and over the years I have learned that if people are older than me by more than a decade they were raised with certain stereotypes that I am not going to change. When people over a certain age discuss ethnicity, I tend to let it slide because it is fruitless. They aren’t going to listen to me.
But I will never let go of my premise that we are all born equal. Skin pigment and national origin are irrelevant. What matters are things like honesty and integrity and work ethic. And if you have those things, I want you on my “team”. If you do not, I don’t care who you are, you are not one of my “peeps”.
I cannot condone Mr. Bundy’s remarks, but I do want you to listen to them in their entirety, rather than the edited version and make up your own mind.
And for your reference, here are Jeb Bush’s remarks, in case you did not hear them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-41YQegGKU&sns=em
It is my sincere hope that someday we will all quit thinking of each other in terms of “groups” and start thinking of each other as individuals. Someday all parents will be able to raise their children without assistance from government and to provide them not only with the physical necessities but with a strong set of morals. Someday all children will get a good education and grow up prepared to support themselves and their family.
I know we are not there today, but we will never get there if we do not change the way we think about one another. Here is one final clip, with some wise words from Mr. Freeman.
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