Maggie's Farm

The only thing I liked about NPR was Baxter Black, "cowboy poet and large animal veterinarian." I thought his dry, deadpan Western-style humor was hilarious. But he's been gone from NPR for many years now; probably now far too American, white male and right-wing for the tastes of NPR listeners.

Yep, now he's far too politically incorrect.

"The Designated American
By Baxter Black
[March 24, 2016]

I wonder if I will see in my lifetime the end of “Designated Americans?” I was filling out a form and was asked to check if I was African American, Hawaiian American, Latin American, Native American, Asian American, Anglo American or Other American. I declined. I guess it would make a difference if I were applying for a basketball scholarship, a cook in a Mexican restaurant, a judgeship on the Supreme Court, or a Karate teacher. But should it?

It is obvious Justice is not blind. Watch how opposing lawyers select their members of the jury. Or watch how news reporters walk on eggshells around the Designated American d’jour. Or watch people vote (or not vote) for someone solely on their Designated American category. It seems every Designated American group has its day-in-the-sun to be recognized as the “easiest to be offended.” Sports team mascots, scholarships for only the selected, private clubs, exclusive music, Army promotions by gender, racially leaning magazines, the “too rich” and Hollywood each take their turn to sit in the corner and be patted or chastised.

But let’s say by 2076 that the African Americans, Latin Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Hawaiian Americans and Anglo Americans have all assimilated into calling themselves “Americans,” just like the Germans, Jews, Polish, Lebanese, Italians, Irish and Swedes have done. They would have no need to plead “Political Correctness” or “Insensitivity.” There would be no headlines blasting pro football for only having 32% Anglo American players OR blasting pro baseball for only having 8% African American players! OR pro basketball for only having 3.2% Latin Americans!

Most of the world has gotten over the taboo that genetics have nothing to do with human characteristics, of course it does! But the Politically Correct Industry still clings tightly to their credo, “…hear no one credible, see nothing obvious and speak no truth, lest our bias be shown.”

Eventually prejudice, on both sides will disappear as people tire of restrictions on belief, freedom of speech and color of skin. In 2076 black man, red man, white man, yellow man or brown man will be merely an adjective when describing someone.

Unfortunately it’s going to take awhile. Today, when applying for unearned government benefits, you have a greater chance if you are an officially selected Designated American. But there is a trade-off; it comes with a classification, a stereotype. You have to prove your race to get on Native American tribal roles or get a scholarship at certain colleges. If you get welfare or food stamps you must prove that you come from a lower income family. If you want to get government insurance you must prove that you can’t afford it.

When you step into the world of governmental Designation…the table is no longer level. In an effort to make Americans equal, we’ve reverted to segregation! They have divided us against ourselves! In 1776, 36 Americans signed the Declaration of Independence which states, “…all men are created equal…” By 1866, 620,000 soldiers had died in the war to end slavery. In 1965 President Lyndon Johnson’s Voting Rights Act was signed by 410 members of Congress. In 1968 Martin Luther King gave his life for the cause…2½ centuries of defending the Constitution’s declaration that all men were created equal.

Today our feeble leaders are trying to convince us that men are not created equal…that they can’t help themselves and some must be treated, mistreated, segregated and/or Designated, in order to become equal. We’ve turned Washington D.C. back into the swamp from whence it came."

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