Racism runs deep in the human psyche

Posted on by LeGrand Smith

I commend Felicia Dickson on her thoughtful, well-chosen words about one of the violent actions in our community [“Just Say No,” Feb. 15 Xpress]. Her first illustration and her experience/confession were very good.

Some weeks ago, a letter in the Asheville Citizen-Times argued that opposition to President Obama should not be construed as racism. Is this innocence abroad or self-delusion?

Racism runs deep in the human psyche; he or she who claims to be immune is kidding him- or herself. The undercurrents in the political discourse are rampant. True, there may be legitimate arguments against the president’s regime, but such statements as the “food stamp president” are a mere part of the malodor coming from the partisan wrangle.

— LeGrand Smith
Asheville

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Webmaster
Mountain Xpress Webmaster Follow me @MXWebTeam
View all posts by Webmaster →

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

3 thoughts on “Racism runs deep in the human psyche”

  1. andreaG

    [QUOTE]Racism runs deep in the human psyche[/QUOTE]

    I also agreed on this statement. I guess racism is already part of our culture.

  2. Billy Gruff

    “If they don’t look like us…they ain’t us.” That old sociological adage probably kept people alive for thousands of years.
    I am sure there are bigots who merely hate the President because of his skin color. I’m also relatively sure they are in a vast minority. Disagreeing with the policies of the President cannot be dismissed as simple racism and as a trump card to bypass a difference in political philosophy.

  3. Matt Mercy

    Wow. I am always amazed at the incredible courage displayed by Xpress readers. Going against the grain and speaking out against such an accepted and popular thing as verbal racism? Hats off to you!

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.