The Smithsonian Has Major Problems With American Greatness
It recently came to light that a poster in the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture, located in our nation’s capital and funded by our tax dollars, visualized a series of “aspects and attitudes” around whiteness and white culture that take as much a denunciatory stance as it does an educational one. Inspired by the work of one Judith Katz from 1990, it lays out traditional traits of individual hallmarks of success and condemns them as fundamental flaws.
The poster has alarmed most normal people, not least of all because it seeks to erode the very plinths upon which our magnificent nation was created and which now sustain it, if ever so precariously. It also raises more questions. If these concerning behaviors are associated with whiteness, and we are trying to deconstruct the culture created by the white race, then the only logical conclusion is that we should be seeking the opposite aspects and attitudes laid out, right? By their own logic, denouncing whiteness means elevating the opposite in blackness.
One of the first complaints on the poster was the notion of “Rugged Individualism,” a key feature of which is self-reliance. Another statement under the banner of individualism is that people are “assumed to be in control of their environment.” Do these aspects mean blacks are helpless unto themselves and at the whims of outside factors? That speaks insanely poorly to their fortitude and wherewithal.
As it relates to family structure, the poster notes that “the nuclear family: father, mother, 2.3 children is the ideal social unit.” Never mind the grammatical Hindenburg being displayed here, this would also appear contradictory to the previous sample. Are whites individuals or are they family-oriented?
Now, nearly every honest study concludes that children raised in this repugnant two-parent environment have much higher rates of success. Single-parent families endure higher rates of poverty, and children in homes with an absent father face serious struggles later in life. (Interestingly, and as a form of debunking white privilege, did you know that two-parent black families have a poverty rate of just 7% while single-mother white homes have a poverty rate of 22%?).
Even former President Barack Obama even reminded us of the dangers of absenteeism in fatherhood by relating data that children in such homes are “five times more likely to grow up in poverty and commit a crime; nine times more likely to drop out of school and twenty times more likely to end up in prison.”
Clearly, black family units are not thriving as the situation currently stands, but should men all adopt the practice of abandoning what Larry Elder calls their “fiduciary and moral responsibilities” so that we can not be as white? Is that working for anyone given the alarming poverty and crime rates? The Left apparently thinks so.
There is then the complaint that white culture practices “objective, rational linear thinking” and looks for “cause and effect relationships.” The only alternative is subjectivity and randomness (i.e. whatever you want and chaos). We are actually witnessing moral depravity and anarchy play out in the streets right now. Groups like Black Lives Matter don’t want to accept that prisons are disproportionately filled with blacks or that police disproportionately interact with the black community because of commensurate disproportionality in criminal activity. Instead of facing the objective truth, it is easier to blame whites and other systems. In the absence of rational linear thinking, should we just believe whatever we want? I tried identifying as a person not bothered by all of this, to no avail.
The implications on science, law, rights, and every other cornerstone of Western Civilization are at stake if the pillar of objectivity and objective truth falls. Also, is the implication here that if blacks do any real thinking for themselves they’re just acting white? Are they even able to think under this premise?
Another issue raised is that whites commit too much to the Protestant work ethic. That work ethic has helped raise generations of Americans toward success and happiness in their education, careers, familial and friendly relationships, and relationship with God. But no, this is wrong. Blacks are doing just fine sitting around all day and blaming whites for giving them the chair.
Yet another page in the series of graphics reveals that the white religious tradition has “no tolerance for deviation from a single god concept.” I would only suggest that this author, whatever religion she practices, move to Iran, China, North Korea, or a host of other “more religiously tolerant” societies and report back how she was treated.
Then, there is the element of “Future Orientation.” It is now bad to plan for the future, delay gratification, and assume progress is always best (but, don’t they love change and call themselves progressives?). In other words, don’t grow up. The Left speaks out of one side of their mouth doomsaying that as many as 69% of Americans have less than $1,000 in savings Americans, now they’re telling us that to plan for emergencies or retirement is acculturated whiteness. Moreover, doesn’t the kind of hard work they bemoan contribute toward paying the bills and allow for increased contributions to savings? Do the assumptions here also mean blacks are incapable of maturity or planning for the future?
There is no shortage of idiocy. The last page notes that whiteness presents itself as being polite. There is only one opposite of polite. Are blacks, and should we be, rude to everyone? I don’t see how that makes it easier, because right now I am called a racist for being nice to everyone, but I know for sure I will be called a racist if I am rude to black people. So what is it?
White Leftists, and so-called black empowerment groups like Black Lives Matter, that adopt this pablum really do think lowly of the black community. To recap, white traits include being self-reliant, hard-working, family-oriented, polite, rationally thinking, and able to think ahead. Whiteness is being dismantled. The only possible conclusion to draw from those complaints on whiteness then is that they view blacks as dependent, lazy, selfish, irrational, rude, and incapable of basic thoughts. Does that about sum it up?
And they say Trump hates black people.
