They Don't Know What They Don't Know: Thank You, Rand Paul, For Proving This Point!

            I appreciate the GOP’s continuing efforts to “reach out” to women and ethnic minorities; not only because it provides an endless source of entertainment for me, but because at least they are actually noticing us now, and trying to “relate.” At least they’re not ignoring us anymore; that is, aside from their efforts at preventing us from voting at all.

            This week Rand Paul paid a visit to Howard University in an effort to “reach out” to African-Americans. Okay, so far, so good. Then he opened his mouth. I find it difficult to find the words to accurately express my utter astonishment at the exchange between him and the students, as he proceeded to quiz a roomful of African-American students at one of the nation’s oldest and finest Black colleges, on the history of the NAACP. Astonishment doesn’t quite cover it, but it will simply have to do.

            The senator seemed surprised that everyone there knew that, at the time the NAACP was established, it was the Republican party that was the progressive party, and so its founders were Republicans. He seemed even impressed, in a condescending sort of way, when he admitted, “You know more than I do.” No kidding, Senator. We already knew that about you.

            It seemed to me that what he was really saying was, “You know more than I thought you knew.” Of course we do. And this is the crux of the problem for Republicans. Most educated ethnic minorities that I know, have a greater knowledge and command of American history than most Caucasians, even those educated at top universities. We know the white, manifest destiny history that we were all taught. Not being satisfied with being shoved to the back of the history pages in a white-dominated society and education system, we sought a deeper understanding of the historical forces that left our kind on the outside looking in for most of our American history.

            So you see, Senator, it is not you and your ilk who need to school us about our own history. Rather, it is you who need to be schooled by us, about all the many, many things of which you are so woefully ignorant. We know it’s not your fault, and we have tremendous compassion for the ignorant white people in power; even though we are often amazed at how white men can meet with such success, knowing as little as they do.

            We are used to these condescending attitudes and the ensuing shock when white people discover our brilliance. We know what you’re thinking; mostly because you have told us many times, in ways great and small, that you naturally assume a lower level of intellect and skill for us. By the time those students got to Howard, they had already been subjected to white assumptions of inferiority countless times. This exchange was not a new experience for them, although this particular one was probably more personally rewarding for them than most; but it was certainly nothing new to be underestimated by a white person in power. That is a common experience, as well as a much too frequent one. We’ve all been there hundreds of times by the time we get to college, and thousands of times by the time we retire.

Those numbers are not an exaggeration. If any white person out there doesn’t believe me, ask your darker-skinned friends, if you actually have any that would be honest with you, if this condescending lowering of expectations is something they have experienced in their lives. Ask them how often. That is, of course, only if you really want to know.

And that is a deeper crux of the same problem. Caucasians, especially conservatives, have indicated over and over, that they just don’t want to know. Even with membership falling and facing possible extinction, organizations like the Republican Party, Rotary International, and other conservative organizations, continue to ignore information and input from people who are vested in, and care about these organizations, and who don’t enjoy watching them die such a slow and painful death.  There is a plethora of information about us, and yet, we continue to be such a mystery to you.

I have served in a leadership capacity in conservative organizations and it is unfathomable to me how very careless they are with their messaging, even after being informed by members of the group that their messaging is sexist, racist and off-putting to people like me. I cannot help but to mention that since 2007, when Barack Obama began running for president, and especially after 2009, when he took office, how much worse this situation became, with insults increasing in vulgarity and number. And this I experienced after years of working with leadership to try to create an environment less hostile to women and people of color. It’s not like nobody told them how they sounded. And yet, their hostility gets worse and worse.

Maybe, instead of trying to school us on subjects that we know more in depth than you do, perhaps you should do some listening. And some reading.

Read “The Devil’s Highway,” by Luis Alberto Urrea, before commenting about immigration.

Read, “Coming of Age in Mississippi,” by Ann Moody, before talking about how Jim Crow was, as Haley Barbour put it, “No big deal.”

            Read before you try to talk to us. Listen before you speak.

Or you can just keep on doing what you're doing, and keep on getting what you're getting, which is mostly chuckled at, by people like me. You certainly won't get our votes, or even our respect, until you have enough respect for us to step outside your comfort zone, and your preconceived ideas of who you think we are, and actually get to know us. We are just as American as you are. And soon, there will be more of us than there are of you; so we might as well create an America that is big enough for all of us.