MLK rolls over in his grave

Michael Stauch’s Sept. 11 column was as shocking for its vulgarity as it was for its inaccuracy. His column, which appeared next to a cartoon of a Klansman shouting “socialist” to a frightened black child, labels those who don’t support President Obama as “racists” and attempts to argue that conservatives are simply scared because “the country isn’t run by white folks anymore.”

That type of juvenile vitriol has no place in today’s political discourse, especially at an elite university like Duke. Fortunately, he represents an insignificant minority of Americans who insist on ignoring Obama’s calls for a new era of politics and Martin Luther King’s calls for unity and a colorblind society.

Unlike Stauch, we do not hail Obama because he is black. We are indifferent to it. Are there still white racists in this country? Of course, just as there are black racists and Latino racists.  Yet when Obama is treated exactly as any other politician would be, when his policies are attacked on merit, and when his political opponents chide not his skin color but his policy proposals, shameful people like Stauch insist on injecting useless, trivial and counterproductive controversy by labeling all who disagree with Obama as obviously “racist.”

It is unfortunate that a reputedly independent news source such as The Chronicle, on the eighth anniversary of the devastating attacks of Sept. 11, would allow the publication of such bigotry. If Duke has learned one thing from the fiasco associated with the preemptive and dishonorable Gang of 88, it is that caution should be taken when faculty (and in this case, candidates for the faculty, Duke’s or otherwise) make discreditable claims about race.

Perhaps Stauch should spend less time assuming the motives of Obama’s political opponents, because his column was more reminiscent of David Duke or Don Imus than any admirable cause Obama has heralded. This is the true travesty of Obama’s election: That despite the tremendous strides we have made in America regarding race and class relations, there are still those—not many, but a loud few—who will never allow MLK’s dream to be realized.

When Stauch claims “red is the new black” and argues that conservative backlash to perceived socialist policies is modern racism in disguise, he not only hurts the liberal causes he so passionately chokes on, but he hurts the black community as well. His words are what right-wing extremists use to justify their own actions, and his flagrant disregard for reality renders those African Americans who are working hard to achieve MLK’s dream of an equal playing field powerless.   

We call on Stauch to apologize, yet do not expect it. The time for these petty and useless assaults on each other is past.  All of us, except perhaps Stauch, can at least agree on that. To reference a dream long past, we have a dream that one day we may be free to judge others based on the content of their character alone, regardless of the color of their skin.

Justin Robinette is a Trinity junior and President of the Duke College Republicans. Cliff Satell is a Trinity junior and President of the Duke Conservative Union.