Thank you for bringing into focus an issue that I feel has been a thorn in the side of our city since I have been back and observing closely the behavior of some of our leaders. (Our view: Fewer echo chambers, more common ground, Feb. 1)
When you look around you can see many very good and harmonious functional partnerships between white and black people operating happily here in Columbus. The time has come to put the race discussion behind us and get on with the building of a unified community, one that is dedicated to the universal tasks of educating our children and grandchildren, earning money either as a self employed person or in the employ of another entity, increasing the value of our assets, and cleaning up our politics so that we can attract companies and people to come here either to spend their money or bring employment opportunities to our community.
In my travel and experiences I have learned that the color of a person”s skin does not change what is in his heart and head. I have learned that regardless of skin color be it white, red, black or yellow, all people have the same basic objectives. These are to obtain food and shelter, protect and educate their children and obtain some sort of recreational happiness. Therefore, since we all have the same basic objectives in life, does it not make sense for our leaders to avoid behaving as you have accurately described?
Larry Elder, an African American author with several books on the New York Times best seller lists has observed that white and black politicians who use race as an issue in their public presentations are practicing “Victocatic” politics. Politicians who use race themes to get the attention of a constituency for the sole purpose of personal gain and not the well being of the constituency he relegates to the “Victocratic Party.” He considers such political leaders to have ideologically left both the Democratic and Republican Party, to which they previously belonged, and have gone off into another world solely for personal power gratification.
I pray that none of our leaders have fallen to this level, but if they have, I further pray that the people of Columbus and Lowndes County will exercise the right given to them from the hard struggle of many warriors for their cause and vote them out of office.
Claude Simpson
Columbus
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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