THE NEW VOCABULARY
E. Ethelbert Miller on America’s Change in Tone
2009-08-11

Photo Credit: Detroit Free Press

Whenever there is a significant change in race matters in the U.S. there occurs a backlash and a change in language. New words become part of a changing vocabulary, or old words are retooled and used again. Remember how States Rights was used to slow the Civil Right Movement? It's strange that the media jumped into a discussion about a post-racial society, without waiting for what we saw after the major Supreme Court decision of 1954. Back in the 1950s the level of opposition and violence against government policies promoting integration was extremely high.

Bombings were not as frequent as we see in Baghdad but they took place. Many black people could be harmed or threatened and nothing could be done in some parts of the South. People took the law into their own hands. The word Communist was used to scare folks, especially those who were pushing a new progressive agenda. Fast forward and what are we seeing right now?

The word health care is on every one's tongue, and in some parts of the country people are organizing against Obama's plan. But is it really about opposition to his health care plan? Yes and No. Go back to election night and study the mood at the John McCain camp, or even before the election, just follow Sarah Palin around. What did you see? Something ugly was in the air. McCain saw it and responded in the way that historians should admire. The guy should get a profile in courage award. He saw hatred in the crowd, and some of it was the fear of race. We seldom talk about race matters and mental health. I really think that issues of race can make folks crazy - black or white. It all has to do with the loss of identity and one's world collapsing.

Look at what technology has done to our society, so quickly the last few years. A way of life in some communities is just gone. Obama is president during a time of revolution. His being elected president is simply a "revolution in the revolution" to borrow an old Regis Debray book title.

I expect just like in the 1950s that some people will go crazy because they have no vocabulary to explain the sudden change. How do you describe a black person entering the front door of a restaurant after years of going around to the back? How does a white child view that first black schoolmate? What happens when 6 becomes 9, or one's world is turned upside down? I think violence is the outcome. A person will try to reclaim their old identity by any means necessary.

The opposition to the Obama Administration in many quarters is fueled by race first and policies second. It doesn't matter what Obama does, some people will never accept him as being president. Even if it's something good they will simply ignore that it happened or that he is responsible for it. Obama for some people will be "invisible" for four or even eight years. People will be in opposition to whatever the government does, using the old term socialism instead of calling the folks in Washington a N-government. Yes, one might hear the N word under the breath of every protester at a town meeting these days.

If Obama wants to talk about a more perfect union, then he better look at the period of Reconstruction first. That was a period of great promise and considerable opposition to government policies. Socialism was maybe just the push for public education.

If we are unable to reach a more perfect union, it is only because we would have failed as a nation. Our failure will result in another Civil War. The division this time might be around health care, abortion, gay marriage, or just the "fear" of a black president. The small disruption of town meetings in a systematic way is really a threat to our national security. The failure for us to listen and debate different viewpoints in a civil manner will result in the loss of democracy for all.

Notice how at town meetings even Republicans are not getting a chance to speak. When you see hecklers with rope in their hands, then the word lynching will soon return to our vocabulary. In other words, no health care for the corpse. No hospital or doctor - just call the undertaker and bury America.