Hank Aaron, Alvin Holmes, and the Racism That Still Divides Us

Hank Aaron, Alvin Holmes, and the Racism That Still Divides Us

Hank Aaron, Alvin Holmes, and the Racism That Still Divides Us

Earlier this week one of my colleagues wrote a riveting post on the controversial comments made by the former home run record holder, Hank Aaron. Like many other events happening in this country these days, the Aaron aaronevent served to show that racism is being used as a weapon for dividing people. Many people have lost a degree of respect for Aaron — even though they maintain the highest regard for his historical athletic accomplishment.

Another incident this week helped bring to light another controversial event that preceded Aaron’s comments and which was even more inflammatory. The national mainstream media did not cover this week’s event, nor the one that prompted it two months ago, but there is no denying that both of them happened. The lack of attention to these stories is equally as reprehensible as Aaron’s comments.

While Aaron leveled his hatred toward Republicans as a group, an Alabama state representative channeled his hatred toward white people in general in early March. On the floor of the state chamber, Alvin Holmes made comments which, had they been uttered by a white person, would have resulted in outcries by the mainstream media that would have been heard thousands of miles away in the farthest reaches of the country. Here is a portion of what Holmes said on March 4.

Now, this man has been in the Alabama legislature since 1974 — which means he has been representing some block of the citizenry in Alabama for 40 years. I find it astonishing that he can make these racially charged comments and not be challenged on them while he is on the floor. In the video, the woman at the other podium is a Republican representative who introduced a bill that would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is heard, which bill prompted the outrageous remarks by Mr. Holmes. The female representative alvin holmessays nothing during the disturbing soliloquy by Mr. Holmes until he asks her a question (after this video ends) about what she would do if her daughter came home, said she was pregnant by a black man, and said she was going to keep the baby. The woman says that she would support her daughter. In a derogatory and haughty manner, Alabama Alvin presses the female representative farther, and she responds calmly that she would love the child just like all of her grandchildren. Holmes laughs wickedly and says he has to give her credit because “there wouldn’t be one [white person] in a hundred thousand who would do that.” Holmes’ attitude and mocking tone are detestable. You can hear the entire audio at this link.

Still not finished, motor-mouth Holmes went on to say that he would give $100,000 to anyone who could show him a group of white people who would adopt a black baby. Now, if I lived in Alabama I would be outraged by Holmes’ comments and would do whatever I could to defeat him in the next election. Indeed, a large group of families was enraged by Mr. Holmes’ comments, and this week they gathered for a rally near the Alabama state capitol as proof that they HAVE adopted black children. In a moving demonstration, these families showed up to prove to Mr. Holmes that he is wrong about white people. Although one local news station carried the story, you will not see pictures like this on any national mainstream media station.

alabama adoptions

This was not the first time that Mr. Holmes has made controversial racist remarks. In February, a few weeks before his abortion comments, Holmes called Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas a “very prolific Uncle Tom” and said that Thomas is “a black man allowing himself to be used to carry the message for a white man.” (Pertinent part of the video below is between 40 secs and 1:24.)

http://youtu.be/hXZ1mDLWxOM

Alabama cartoonist J.D. Crowe expressed the thoughts of at least some Alabamans on Mr. Holmes in a cartoon this past week. He graciously agreed to allow me to reprint the cartoon here.

crowe cartoon

Something tells me that there will be no takers.

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5 Comments
  • VALman says:

    Some years ago (more than I care to think), a book was published called “Games People Play”. No, it wasn’t about bride, chess, poker, horseshoes, or video ones. It was a rather a “pop” psychology view of certain patterns of behavior people have tendency to exhibit.

    One was called “Yes, but”. Have you ever been in a conversation with one of these people? No matter what you say he will agree except there’s always that conjunction”but”. Still another one is typically played by many bloggers and those who comment on them (yes, I include myself in this mix). It’s called “Ain’t it Awful”. It’s rather self-descriptive. What this is leading to is another one which I think of, from time to time, concerning this racial situation.

    The name of the game is “Now I’ve Got You, You SOB!” (for the sake of clarity, yes, SOB means what most of you probably think it means). As it goes, an “injured” party has been wronged (real or imaginary). Rather deal with the matter at the time, for whatever reason, the person awaits an opportunity for revenge, to strike back. Usually, it’s when he thinks he has the other person at a disadvantage. Because of this, there’s typically a “power” element associated with this.

    So, it is that I think that for at least some of these recent racial accusations there is an aspect of “Now I’ve Got You, You SOB!” Now, I think the book indicated that those participating in these games often fail to recognize their behavior. And, as with many patterns of ingrained attitudes and behavior, they can be difficult, at first, to end. I realize and do not discount all that has transpired in our country regarding the matter of race relations and civil rights. Yet, has the time come to recognize the accomplishments that have been made, and they are many, as opposed to continually dwell on those which have not?

  • Donna says:

    VALman, you have wisely stated what I am feeling. I get frustrated in that I honestly do not see everything as black versus white. But then, episodes like these come along and I find my self generalizing to all liberals or to all blacks the same way that the person does with whom I disagree. In fighting back, I become overly inclusive in my retort. But it makes no sense to say that it is ONLY Hank Aaron who feels this way, or it is ONLY Alvin Holmes who believes that way. These are two very influential men, and at least one of them is getting elected over and over to the Alabama state legislature. So there must be a significant number of constituents who agree with him or are so ignorant of the truth that they do not care to disagree with the stereotypes being perpetuated by this angry black man who cannot find it in his heart to stop playing the victim and to open his heart to people who are different from him or who believe differently than he.

    • VALman says:

      Consider that over-worked term “equality”. What is it? How do you know when it’s achieved? Are we to understand that the same rules of quality production of automobiles are to be applied to humans?

      Consider persons want equality to go to a certain eatery. They achieve this and go there for a meal. They leave complaining about being discriminated against due to lousy service and food. However, one of the regulars observes that the service and food is always lousy. The only reason he visits the place is that it’s the closest to his house so he can get away from the wife!

  • Wfjag says:

    It’s not the racism that divides us, today, nearly as much as the lies about racism. Lying about racism by accusing others of being racist deflects considering one’s own conduct or failings, or the failings of the political agenda to be examined. The accusatory lie shuts down discussion; which is the lie’s purpose. Few people react more sharply than a liar being called out as one.

  • Michael says:

    Holmes is easy to understand, he’s a political animal (pig?) playing to the perpetual victims within his district who exploit & capitalize on their status, just as he does.
    Aaron’s remarks, beings he has nothing tangible to gain, are another, more serious matter that reflects the mindset of blacks who overwhelmingly vote along racial/race-baiter lines, despite being abused, misused and demeaned by those they support. Someone needs to challenge this directly by asking otherwise decent people like Aaron on what basis they determine who is & isn’t racist.
    1st, do they see everyone who opposes or objects to a black persons views and actions as a racist? Is that the one & only criteria? If so, is every black or non-white person who opposes or objects an “uncle tom” or race/minority-betrayer? If not, what other factors do they use to identify and separate the racist & non-racist, among those who oppose?
    Repeatedly and pointedly asking questions like these would help everyone better understand and see clearly what’s going on in the minds of those who find racism everywhere and in everything they don’t like.
    On one level, it would reveal and expose those who are simply race-baiters for selfish reasons… and humiliate/embarrass them. On another, it would clarify issues for those of good will, who are simply misguided and misled by those who exploit them for their own ends. Taking Eric Holder at his word, this would be the kind of brave discussion of race that could actually result in improving, or at least clarifying, where race relations really are, and are going, in these times.

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