Viewing page 17 of 196

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

Part II

What is Intentional Discrimination or Racism?

Almost every one of us in the National Association of Market Developers read a large part of the Kerner Report which pointed to "racism" as the major cause of our recent civil disorders. Yet, it failed to give what, in my mind, was any adequate indication of what "racism" is. Thus, many white Americans were led to take the hopeless position of feeling that simply because they were white, they automatically were considered racist. And, since they couldn't change their skin color, "what's the use in trying?"

Rather than to have created these kinds of needless guilt feelings, wouldn't it have been better to explain to everyone how every white person in America - to the degree that he is in his position due to the denial of blacks or other minorities the right to have competed equitably with him for that position - is, by cultural circumstance, cast in the role of oppressor? However, this neither means that he intentionally discriminates, nor that he is a racist. He could, on the other hand, be a friend of justice. (This whole subject is described in a new book by my twin brother, Dr. Nathan Wright. It is called "Let's Tackle Racism," Thomas Nelson Publishers -Fall 1970.)

However, whenever any white person is made aware of his culturally-induced and (thus from one point of view unfairly-gained) position in our society (and over which he had no control) and then he does not try to do whatever he can to make things equitable, he then, in fact, can be considered a racist.

This is the kind of discrimination that produces head-on confrontation and often-tragic conflict. I, personally, cannot discuss how we can or must deal with this type of provocation. However, the former unintentional discrimination can be tackled with well planned educational endeavors and day-to-day constructive confrontations by NAMDers and other concerned and sensitive minorities.

PART III
What Can We Do?

There are a number of things we all can do wherever we are. Here are my suggestions and reasons why:

1. Get ourselves together. No one respects others who are not self-aware and self-respecting Blacks long have been the victims of self-hate and non-togetherness.

2. Obtain as much training as possible. Black has always been beautiful, but, is it sufficient? And it sure is no substitute for brains reflecting an active and well-trained mind.

3. Try to find a company which you can educate. This is not always easy to do. However, there are many companies around with executives who know that their own attitudes need changing - and that they must be challenged in a respectful way. You can meet these individuals and learn a great deal about them in trade organizations and through civil activities.

4. Broaden social contacts as a "black" man with whites in power positions. At one time in my own life, I was so much against what white America had done, I felt I would never want to work for white people. However, experience taught me that often the only way a person could exercise power would be to go where power willing to let you exercise it exists. It surely is no secret that had I - and others of you - not know the president and other top executives in our companies at a bit more than the purely business level, we would not have been able to walk in and apply for our positions. However, many of us, too, know how tragic it is trying to be an imitation of "white," instead of being ourselves and helpful as authentic "black" men.

5. Educate and confront white people every day. With the threshold of possible conflict continually staring us in the face, we almost constantly have to remind our white co-workers of who they are - and how it is to their self-interest to work hard in every way to make things more equitable. For goodness sake, don't confront unless it is to bring us together in a better way. Don't confront for confrontation's sake - or in anger.

6. Help bring other qualifiable minorities into your companies. Neither your jobs will be secure, nor will your company be likely to enjoy a secure future unless every one of us broadens the base for all now-denied minorities. When decision-making people in your company see how other minorities achieve, it also helps them take a different and more positive view toward you. Also, make certain that jobs such as Affirmative Action Officers, etc., are manned by experienced, self-aware and involved minorities. 

Earn the respect of your fellow executives by helping in every way to overcome the years of injustice and costly indecency in our nation - and which is reflected in our companies' postures. They have to be made aware of the increasing scarcity of a good labor supply and shown how it is to their advantage to take full use of minorities.

7. Don't be afraid to insist that your company institutes new guidelines. Every company for the most part has done the best it could with established or old guidelines. With the continual use of them, blacks and other minorities probably would remain as far behind as they always were ...and clear thinking executives know changes have to be made. New guidelines have to be established for hiring, dealing with outside contractors, suppliers, etc. It is better for our companies to be at least slightly ahead of what Operation Breadbasket, Media Workshop and other similar groups might demand of us, rather than for us to be panicked or pushed into a position which we feel we were not adequately prepared to take on our terms. As a example of companies accepting some new hiring guidelines, my company executives were told prior to my hiring that I had been arrested for civil disobedience on several occasions. Also, they were very much aware that our points of view were different. They respected this. If we aren't candid and don't extend ourselves - our knowledge, experience and concerns - into these other areas, then I think we have failed to do all we can.