This website concerns the issue of Race and my personal struggles with that issue.
My book, The Only One In The Room addresses that issue in a personal, emotional, honest and thought provoking manner. It is not a work of fiction, but opens the reader up to what it feels like to be treated differently because of your race in every area of your life.
Hopefully, I pull back the curtain and give you insights that some of you have never experienced given where or how you grew up. There are people who have no close relationships or interactions with African Americans, even in the year 2018.
It is my sincere hope that this book can help you to understand why there are still issues about race in the lives of people across our country.
Mlton Thompson
Author
My book, The Only One In The Room addresses that issue in a personal, emotional, honest and thought provoking manner. It is not a work of fiction, but opens the reader up to what it feels like to be treated differently because of your race in every area of your life.
Hopefully, I pull back the curtain and give you insights that some of you have never experienced given where or how you grew up. There are people who have no close relationships or interactions with African Americans, even in the year 2018.
It is my sincere hope that this book can help you to understand why there are still issues about race in the lives of people across our country.
Mlton Thompson
Author
The Death Of Individualism
I hesitate to write this because no good deed goes unpunished. I am writing it because I am tired of sitting on my opinions because of fear of censure. As I look back at my life, I have come to the conclusion that I have always been an outsider. When I was a child I liked school and learning. Though my parents were from the South, my brothers and I did not have any accent. In the words of my peers in my neighborhood, ‘ I talked white.’ Black kids in my neighborhood derisively called me “the Professor”. It hurt but I decided right there and then that I was not going to act dumb or make myself like everyone else, just to please the crowd. My parents were the non-conformists in their families. Most of the family stayed in the South. My parents moved North. My mom joined organizations that included white people in the late 50’s and beyond. She was not intimidated by anyone and did not care what other people thought. Though dad and mom had many stories of being treated unfairly in the South, they did not pass on a hatred of white people to us. I watched them maximize their grit and hard work to set an example for us. We were not raised to believe that we were inferior because we are black, or to believe that we were victims because we were black. My mother modeled a keen intellect and the willingness to go her own way and not settle into any type of group think. She demonstrated to me that black people can have a difference of opinion from other black people and still be black. That truth seems to be in abeyance today.
Their example caused me to take risks. I tried out for and got the lead in our junior high musical. I played the uncle to a young lady (who was white). I fought to change our school symbol, the Confederate Flag, when a senior in high school. All of this was because my parents showed me how to be an individual, and think and act for myself, while still having an awareness of the needs of others. I was not raised to think like a victim.
Today, I hate what I see. Individualism is being driven underground. Everyone is offended by every slight and opinions counter to their own. As a result, people have been completely intimidated out of their opinions and convictions. People are afraid of being called a homophobe, racist and every other name that can be thought of. I am not talking about people with extremist views on the left or the right. I am talking about your average rank and file American. People have become suspiciously silent, which makes some think that they have driven people away from their wrong thinking. They don’t realize that real change happens in the heart. Just because you can silence me, it doesn’t mean that you have changed my thinking. We have seen how well that works in history. People will eventually stand in front of tanks when they have reached the Nth degree. God did not make people to tolerate long term domination. I look at the fact that whether I am watching the news or even a sports channel, the opinions are all the same. There is no dissenting voice. On the few rare occasions where people voice a counter view, they are vilified, lose their jobs or are called some pejorative.
The term “Sheeple” comes to mind more and more frequently in my thinking. A friend of mine used that term about 20 years ago and it has stuck with me. Never has it been more accurate than today. Half of my country is filled with people who are opinionated on a variety of topics and they think that their sensitivities are the only ones that matter. They are always right. They believe that the other half is stupid, wrong and have no right to an opinion that is opposed to theirs. They know what is best and will push through whatever they like, having an air of superiority. I hate this with a passion. You see, I really value free speech. Though I am a devoted Christian, I do not want you silenced if you are an atheist. That is one of the characteristics that I have treasured as an American. I am a student of American History and know that there have always been groups that have been forbidden to express their views openly. As long as a group does not use political coercion to silence others, I may not like what a person believes, but I am afraid of living in a country which is just an echo chamber for what is considered the ‘acceptable viewpoint. I have lived most of my adult life discussing controversial topics with people who disagreed with me. I did not dehumanize them for what they thought, and most of them did not dehumanize me. I have suffered for holding to the desire to be me and not just reflect the opinions of a group, even people of my own race. You see…being black does not make me an expert on any topic, including race.
I will conclude this short opinion piece with some satire. It is modeled after a bit that was entitled, “You might be a redneck”. I call it, ‘You might be a Racist’. I guarantee that about half of you will disagree with what I think but that’s alright. The country is about split down the middle, so why wouldn’t you be. For those of you who are not astute enough to recognize satire…I am writing this tongue in cheek.
You Might Be A Racist
If your opinion on any topic differs from mine since I am a black man…You might be a racist.
If you believe that countries should have secure borders…You might be a racist.
If you believe that asking people to show some form of identification (even that which is provided by their state for free…You might be a racist.
If you believe that Meghan Markle is not one hundred percent truthful in everything she says and does…You might be a racist.
If you don’t believe that governments, businesses, banks and everyone else engages in some overt from of systemic racism…You might be a racist.
If you disagree with any politician who is a person of color …You might be a racist.
If you don’t believe that Major League Baseball should move the All-Star Game from Georgia because of their new election Law…You might be a racist.
If you don’t agree with kneeling during the National Anthem…You might be a racist
If you don’t like Lebron James…You might be a racist
If you don’t believe that schools that were named after people who lived several centuries ago who were slave owners or didn’t stop slavery (Daniel Webster)…You might be a racist
If you are critical of any protest that involves people of color, including BLM and Antifa…You might be a racist
If you vote Republican, or have ever voted for a Republican…You might be a racist.
If you didn’t vote for the Democratic Presidential nominee in the last election…You might be a racist
If you own a gun for the protection of your family…You might be a racist.
If you disagree with the views of race of any white liberal Hollywood star…You might be a racist.
If you get you news from Fox News…You might be a racist.
If you don’t watch CNN or CNBC…You might be a racist.
If you live in the suburbs…You might be a racist.
If you aren’t excited every time that Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson appear on TV…You might be a racist.
I hesitate to write this because no good deed goes unpunished. I am writing it because I am tired of sitting on my opinions because of fear of censure. As I look back at my life, I have come to the conclusion that I have always been an outsider. When I was a child I liked school and learning. Though my parents were from the South, my brothers and I did not have any accent. In the words of my peers in my neighborhood, ‘ I talked white.’ Black kids in my neighborhood derisively called me “the Professor”. It hurt but I decided right there and then that I was not going to act dumb or make myself like everyone else, just to please the crowd. My parents were the non-conformists in their families. Most of the family stayed in the South. My parents moved North. My mom joined organizations that included white people in the late 50’s and beyond. She was not intimidated by anyone and did not care what other people thought. Though dad and mom had many stories of being treated unfairly in the South, they did not pass on a hatred of white people to us. I watched them maximize their grit and hard work to set an example for us. We were not raised to believe that we were inferior because we are black, or to believe that we were victims because we were black. My mother modeled a keen intellect and the willingness to go her own way and not settle into any type of group think. She demonstrated to me that black people can have a difference of opinion from other black people and still be black. That truth seems to be in abeyance today.
Their example caused me to take risks. I tried out for and got the lead in our junior high musical. I played the uncle to a young lady (who was white). I fought to change our school symbol, the Confederate Flag, when a senior in high school. All of this was because my parents showed me how to be an individual, and think and act for myself, while still having an awareness of the needs of others. I was not raised to think like a victim.
Today, I hate what I see. Individualism is being driven underground. Everyone is offended by every slight and opinions counter to their own. As a result, people have been completely intimidated out of their opinions and convictions. People are afraid of being called a homophobe, racist and every other name that can be thought of. I am not talking about people with extremist views on the left or the right. I am talking about your average rank and file American. People have become suspiciously silent, which makes some think that they have driven people away from their wrong thinking. They don’t realize that real change happens in the heart. Just because you can silence me, it doesn’t mean that you have changed my thinking. We have seen how well that works in history. People will eventually stand in front of tanks when they have reached the Nth degree. God did not make people to tolerate long term domination. I look at the fact that whether I am watching the news or even a sports channel, the opinions are all the same. There is no dissenting voice. On the few rare occasions where people voice a counter view, they are vilified, lose their jobs or are called some pejorative.
The term “Sheeple” comes to mind more and more frequently in my thinking. A friend of mine used that term about 20 years ago and it has stuck with me. Never has it been more accurate than today. Half of my country is filled with people who are opinionated on a variety of topics and they think that their sensitivities are the only ones that matter. They are always right. They believe that the other half is stupid, wrong and have no right to an opinion that is opposed to theirs. They know what is best and will push through whatever they like, having an air of superiority. I hate this with a passion. You see, I really value free speech. Though I am a devoted Christian, I do not want you silenced if you are an atheist. That is one of the characteristics that I have treasured as an American. I am a student of American History and know that there have always been groups that have been forbidden to express their views openly. As long as a group does not use political coercion to silence others, I may not like what a person believes, but I am afraid of living in a country which is just an echo chamber for what is considered the ‘acceptable viewpoint. I have lived most of my adult life discussing controversial topics with people who disagreed with me. I did not dehumanize them for what they thought, and most of them did not dehumanize me. I have suffered for holding to the desire to be me and not just reflect the opinions of a group, even people of my own race. You see…being black does not make me an expert on any topic, including race.
I will conclude this short opinion piece with some satire. It is modeled after a bit that was entitled, “You might be a redneck”. I call it, ‘You might be a Racist’. I guarantee that about half of you will disagree with what I think but that’s alright. The country is about split down the middle, so why wouldn’t you be. For those of you who are not astute enough to recognize satire…I am writing this tongue in cheek.
You Might Be A Racist
If your opinion on any topic differs from mine since I am a black man…You might be a racist.
If you believe that countries should have secure borders…You might be a racist.
If you believe that asking people to show some form of identification (even that which is provided by their state for free…You might be a racist.
If you believe that Meghan Markle is not one hundred percent truthful in everything she says and does…You might be a racist.
If you don’t believe that governments, businesses, banks and everyone else engages in some overt from of systemic racism…You might be a racist.
If you disagree with any politician who is a person of color …You might be a racist.
If you don’t believe that Major League Baseball should move the All-Star Game from Georgia because of their new election Law…You might be a racist.
If you don’t agree with kneeling during the National Anthem…You might be a racist
If you don’t like Lebron James…You might be a racist
If you don’t believe that schools that were named after people who lived several centuries ago who were slave owners or didn’t stop slavery (Daniel Webster)…You might be a racist
If you are critical of any protest that involves people of color, including BLM and Antifa…You might be a racist
If you vote Republican, or have ever voted for a Republican…You might be a racist.
If you didn’t vote for the Democratic Presidential nominee in the last election…You might be a racist
If you own a gun for the protection of your family…You might be a racist.
If you disagree with the views of race of any white liberal Hollywood star…You might be a racist.
If you get you news from Fox News…You might be a racist.
If you don’t watch CNN or CNBC…You might be a racist.
If you live in the suburbs…You might be a racist.
If you aren’t excited every time that Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson appear on TV…You might be a racist.
