Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 16 April 1998 — Page 6

CIVIL RIGHTS U.S. race relations: one step forward, two steps back

I guess I am resolved to the fact that when it comes to race relations in this country, there just can’t be a single line of progress. Indeed, that old saying about taking one step forward and two steps back at least seems to be true to the extent that for every step forward, it appears we take one step backward. Maybe we should call it the race relations two-step. My latest example of this occurred within the past few weeks. First there was a Sunday New York Times article titled “A TV Generation is Seeing Beyond Color.” Television history has shown us that African Americans and European Americans tend to watch different shows. For instance, “E.R.” is the No. 1 show among white viewers, but ranks No. 18 among blacks. Similarly, “Seinfeld” is No. 2 among whites, but No. 54 among blacks. On the other hand, “Between Brothers” is the most popular show among African American viewers, but ranks No. 107 among European Americans. This has been especially true for sitcoms, with the sole exception of the Cosby shows. But this article tell us that among the younger genera-

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tion of television viewers the broad gap between races is narrowing and, in some cases, disappearing altogether. White teens and preteens are watching shows which feature black performers and vice versa. Some watchers of the entertainment field are looking at this trend with hope that popular culture is moving to a new level of dealing with race and encouraging young people to move beyond their own usually narrow peer groups to include people of various races and cultures. Others worry, however, that many of the black sitcoms promote racial stereotypes, which are damaging and misleading. The article did show a glimmer of hope that the next generation is learning to see beyond color through its viewing habits.

That was my one step forward. Within days, however, I was jolted back into reality as I heard the story of the suburban Miami high school newspaper which ran racist articles, which could even be construed to threaten their African American principal. Indeed, the cover story was a picture of the principal with a dart through his head. One cartoon uses racial epithets about blacks and another depicts a rape. One drawing refers to a man with an “African disease.” In one article a student wrote, “I often have wondered what would have happened if I shot (the principal) in the head and other teachers who have p me off....” The newspaper attacks immigrants and is riddled with racism and sexism.

The school responded by arresting the nine young people responsible for the newspaper, under a littleused Florida hate crime law, I and by suspending them from school. This action resulted in an outcry by the American Civil Liberties Union - and by others who believe that the school over-reacted. The students, after all, included a straight A honor student one Asian and three Hispanic students. All the young people are A and B students. Families argue that the students were misunderstood and say that the students wanted the newspaper to be funny and not to be taken seriously. I, too, would like to be able to give the students the benefit of the doubt. But history tells me that whether arresting the students was the appropriate action, their newspaper must be taken seriously - dead seriously. History teaches us that in pre-war Germany, for instance, racist writing and drawings by small groups of Nazis paved the way to a broader acceptance of these beliefs and, ultimately, to the Holocaust. Closer to home, we know that many of the

perpetrators of recent black church burnings are white teenagers. And, sadly, we know that too often people of color get drawn into racist talk and beliefs to win peer acceptance. But perhaps the most disturbing part of this whole incident is that as I have read articles about it nowhere have I seen parents in this suburban middle-class community disavow the racist writings and drawings. Nowhere have I seen a church leader or elected official or community leader say this is wrong and this is not what our community stands for or believes. Maybe it has happened, but it has not been reported. One step forward, one step backward. When it comes to television viewing, at least, young people are reaching across the color line. But when it comes to holding racist behefs, young people are not immune. Sadly, it seems that racism will be a part of the 21st century as well. Bernice Powell Jackson is executive director of the United Church of Christ Commission for Racial Justice in Cleveland, Ohio.

Whitely Community Council Inc. elections

April 19, Noon to 6 p.m.

The elections will be at the Cop Shop, located at Macedonia and Highland