Racists, Red Herrings & Rhetoric

Are you tired of being slapped with the label “racist” whenever you speak against unconstitutional policies like affirmative action, amnesty for illegal aliens, or anyone who supports such efforts? Who benefits from rhetorical games in matters of equality and law?

Racist accusations such as these are the worst kind of red herrings. For any non-fishermen, an explanation is in order: The red herring is probably the smelliest fish that God put on this beautiful earth. For this reason, it is the best tool for training a good hunting dog. Trainers use a raccoon tail to drag across the ground, leaving its scent for the dog-in-training to follow. Somewhere along this trail, the pungent odor of a red herring is introduced over the top of the coon scent. Then the trail splits – the red herring going in one direction, the coon going in the other. Only the best of dogs will follow the coon scent, the original target, because the stink of the red herring is so overpowering.

Progressives seem to have a boatload of these red herrings and wield them endlessly against Constitutional arguments – rudely injecting a smelly distraction to divert people from the main trail. Affirmative action – making racial quotas for college or job entrance requirements – is a racist program, but not in the way the progressives frame it. Affirmative action is an insult to every person of color. Its very premise assumes non-whites are inferior and need help to compete with Caucasians. What possible connection could there be with the amount of melatonin in a person’s body (the hormone that produces skin pigment) to their readiness for college or jobs?

Affirmative action in education stinks. It keeps the most qualified applicants out. Worse, it allows those into college who are not qualified, setting up the most vulnerable for yet another failure. The majority drop out within their first year, unable to keep up academically. Those who support affirmative action give themselves a “high-five” for getting greater numbers of non-whites into these institutions. Do any of them follow up to see if these academically-challenged students need assistance to succeed once they are there? The drop-out rates would indicate they do not. Is this compassionate? Is this fair? Is this equality? Who benefits?

Affirmative action in hiring stinks. Those required to hire less qualified applicants are forced to spend precious resources on extra training, or oftentimes leave these positions empty as there are no applicants of the “right” color. Is this fair? Is this equitable? Who benefits?

What about amnesty for illegal aliens? Same stench from another reeking red herring. People who enter this country illegally are breaking the law. Their ethnicity or skin color is completely irrelevant. If I rob a bank, am I only guilty if my skin is the right/wrong color? What utter nonsense. It is the criminal act that requires the penalty of law enforcement and justice, regardless of my ethnicity.

So, why do we allow progressives to get away with this perverse, smelly game of rhetorical distortion? Why do we allow them to distract us from the real issues? Why has the race card been allowed into the debate of education and politics? Who benefits?

Only those whose political and social agendas outweigh true equality under the law and true compassion. Politicians who cannot win elections on the merits of their ideas often resort to name-calling, turning attention away from the real issue. Create the illusion that you are helping hapless victims (unqualified non-white students or job seekers, illegal immigrants, etc.) and a naïve voter bloc emerges that sees these malodorous red herring bearers as their hero.

Time for an air freshener – truth! America and Americans benefit when law is upheld, when compassion and opportunity join hands to help those who need a temporary hand up, not those who want a permanent hand out. Martin Luther King, in his famous I Have a Dream speech, said he dreamed of the day when a man would not be judged by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character. Right on, Brother. America is about equal opportunity under law – not privilege based on skin color or ethnicity.

Time to push back. Time to stop allowing progressives to sidetrack the real issues with their smelly accusations. I’ve had enough of red herrings and racial rhetoric. How about an intelligent discussion and true reform based on law and equality?

Something to think about.