To this day, many black officeholders depend on the perception of
ongoing, widespread racism in order to remain competitive in the
electoral process. They underplay the dramatic improvements in economic
and social status experienced by many American blacks over the last 40
years. Large numbers of their constituents, particularly those who came
of age during the overt racism of the past half-century, continue to
believe that the problems confronting the black lower class stem
primarily from racism.
Here lies the greatest missed opportunity of the civil rights movement. These leaders never prepared for the day when God would change the hearts of the white establishment and they would have no choice but to start treating their brother with equality, fairness and justice under the law. Their entire public image, their very legitimacy as political and cultural spokesmen, was predicated on the rhetoric of a black-versus-white war. As Justice Clarence Thomas once observed, the civil rights revolution missed a larger point by merely changing the status of minorities from invisible people to victimized people.
A second cultural shift needs to come from the public to hold these black officeholders accountable. These officeholders need to truly represent and advocate the economic and social interests best for the people. Otherwise, all they are doing is manipulating the trust of the people with baseless racism and continued balkanization of our nation.