In the face of adversity

Many blacks were determined to witness either former Senate Republican Majority Leader Trent Lott’s dismissal or resignation after he spit out offensive remarks at the birthday celebration of Strom Thurmond.
While his statements were shocking during a time where the country seemed to be closest to racial harmony, the responses through the media from blacks continues to prove a point. Many blacks are still very sensitive to their racial history even now when Colin Powell and Condaleeza Rice are sitting comfortably in Secretary of State and National Security Advisor positions, respectively.
I am certain that many of Lott’s Republican affiliates with equal or greater political power share the same views, and it is most probable that the remarks from Lott were not isolated ones. This only means that despite racial bigotry even in 2003, blacks are very capable of success in spite of hard times. With this being so, Lott’s words should not carry so much weight.
While the statements Lott made were nothing short of a confirmation of his true sentiments regarding blacks and segregation, they were, after all, only statements. As painful as they were, especially to the elder generation of black Americans, the constant attacks and unfavorable references to Lott and may only dilute media response and political action concerning more damaging forms of racial injustice.
There did seem, however, to be an underlined advantage in the scandal for blacks and the Democrats. I believed, that after Lott’s resignation, the Republican party would try to patch up their reputation by meticulously refusing to publicly denounce any issue that would prove beneficiary to blacks and other minorities, but that is apparently not the case.
Lott was barely out of his Majority Leader seat when President Bush backed whites claiming they experienced racial discrimination from the board of Admissions at the University of Michigan.
I find it extremely offensive that the comparison of an university’s admissions process and the theft of the God-given liberty for blacks currently mark race relations in our nation. It is even more of an insult to hear the President, who may have been admitted to Yale on a basis other than his grades and SAT scores, say, “… I strongly support diversity of all kinds, including racial diversity in higher education. But the method used by the University of Michigan to achieve this important goal is fundamentally flawed,” as quoted on CNN news.
It can be discouraging to think that ignorance concerning races still exists in our country. Nevertheless, it can be predicted from American history that blacks will continue to achieve academic success even if majority white universities across the nation decide to change their admissions policies.