BY HARRY COVERSTON, GUEST WRITER TO THE TIMES
One of the duties expected of U.S. presidents over the years is the role of pastor-in-chief, the spokesperson for a nation in mourning in the face of tragedy. Few can forget a tearful Barack Obama’s eulogy at the funeral service for the victims of the Charleston church shooting ending in the singing of Amazing Grace. And many remember George W. Bush’s speech at the 9-11 site in New York City, comforting the survivors of those lost while insisting “Americans understand we fight not a religion; ours is not a campaign against the Muslim faith. Ours is a campaign against evil.”
Such noble performances seemed long lost as the current occupant of the White House responded to the air disaster occurring mere blocks away in the Potomac River. After a passing reference to the mourners, the rhetoric quickly turned to yet another round of the culture wars, blaming an airline crash on federal diversity initiatives. His second in command would be even more pointed: “Diversity hires” had insured that “you’re not getting the best people in government. But on the other hand, it puts stress on the people who are already there.”
Not only were these comments inappropriate, they were deeply hurtful for the loved ones of the crash victims. No doubt they must have felt they had endured salt being poured into open wounds. But they were not alone. We are a people unaccustomed to such contextually tone-deaf performances in the face of tragedy. It was a sad day for America.
However, it was the poorly disguised racism in these comments that I found most troubling. The thought that men blinded by such disowned prejudices have access to the enormous power vested in our executive branch is disturbing. But this racism has a long history.
The unspoken but clearly implied message in these comments is that only white people (and more specifically, males) can perform these highly technical jobs. The operating assumption here is that people of color are by definition incapable of handling such stressful work. Thus, the only reason they land such jobs is because of diversity initiatives requiring human resources agencies to hire them.
Of course, this indefensible presumption rooted in disowned prejudice has informed attacks on affirmative action in college admissions and hiring practices from the beginning. So many people of color have had to endure the patronizing presumptions that the only reason they were present in college classrooms and workplaces was because of affirmative action, a presumption confusing merit with race.
But the implications of these comments were even more troubling. We were told the presence of unqualified non-white males “puts stress on the people who are already there.” That’s a remarkable assertion. Beyond the racist aspects, it is an unwitting admission of the fragility of “the people who are already there,” i.e., white males. Are they really incapable of functioning properly when there are people of different races and genders working in the same space with them? And if so, is this really who we want to be in charge of our nation’s air lanes?
This kind of disowned racism is pervasive. And it is dangerous when combined with power. Many of us are deeply troubled as we watch hard won gains in racial justice being eroded away by unscrupulous power holders while a shocked public watches in a muted silence.
But this is no time to be silent. This challenge is daunting and will undoubtedly become more so. But as Latina poet Clarissa Pinkola Estes puts it, “Do not lose heart. We were made for these times.”
Let us hope so.
