By Steve Frey
Welcome to Black History Month! On the first day of February, the Commonwealth got off to an inauspicious start with this annual recognition by having the governor’s medical school yearbook examined, exposing a racist picture on his page. In his earlier VMI yearbook, his nickname is listed as “Coonman.” Let’s cut to the chase: Governor Northam should have resigned immediately.
At first, the governor stated that he was in the offensive picture, which depicted one person in blackface and a second in Ku Klux Klan regalia. He asked forgiveness and said he would work to regain the public’s trust. The next day he said he was not one of the two people in the picture, although he did dance in blackface as Michael Jackson in a contest the same year as the yearbook—1984. His differing explanations did not help his case; they made it worse.
There is no room for racism in our state or country. There cannot be cozying up to white supremacists as candidate Corey Stewart seemed to enjoy. There cannot be political equivocating by saying there were “many fine people” among the KKK members and Nazis marching in Charlottesville as the president chose to do. There cannot be the turning of heads and ignoring U.S. Representative Steve King state that there is nothing wrong with white supremacy. No, Governor Northam cannot continue in his role with those yearbook pictures and his meandering, shallow response, either.
Our country and the Commonwealth have come a long way from the Jim Crow and segregation days. Many attitudes have changed. However, as a nation, we have a long way to go.
There are still many racists in our midst, unfortunately. They express their displeasure with blacks, Latinos, Muslims, Jews, immigrants, gays and other minorities to anyone who will listen. It is difficult to do much to change their ignorant beliefs because they have been ingrained since childhood for many.
Something can and should be done to save our next generation, though. This process starts in the home and is reinforced in the church, temple, or synagogue and the school. For example, when a politician says that Mexicans are murderers and rapists (with a few good ones), parents need to emphasize that that statement is not true. Ministers need to denounce instances of prejudice in their sermons. Schools need to reinforce the Golden Rule and acceptance and tolerance for all.
The schools in Christiansburg took a stand against Confederate flags and symbols on school grounds a few years ago. It was the right thing to do. Leaders there thought about their black students (about all students, actually). What do those flags mean to those students? They recognized that flying those flags on trucks or wearing Confederate flag tee-shirts represented a time in our history when some white men fought to preserve slavery and the torture, lynching, rape and sale of the ancestors of those black students.
The same kind of lesson needs to happen in all of Virginia with the governor. Children should not see the leader of the state either in blackface or KKK robes. It should be explained that it is wrong and contemptible and that is why the governor should have resigned quickly.
What about redemption and forgiveness? Yes, that is important, and Northam has demonstrated many admiral qualities as a soldier, doctor, and public servant over the years. However, Northam is the governor of the great Commonwealth of Virginia. His actions, even in the distant past, disqualify him as a leader and role model now. Yes, he can redeem himself and be forgiven, but he has forfeited his ability to lead and govern.
This event is an excellent learning opportunity for all of us. We must reinforce the strength of diversity, remember the horrible injustices and pain caused by men and women advocating slavery and discrimination in the past, and live the truth that all people are created equal.
Whenever an injustice is done to a person, no matter the race, national origin, creed, orientation or color, we need to teach our children that it is wrong. No, we don’t allow families seeking asylum to have young children separated from their parents. No, we don’t ignore a leader making fun of disabled people. Yes, we speak up when a 21-year-old white guy goes into a church and shoots nine black people. We are better than all of that; our country is better than that.
Time will pass, Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax will hopefully become governor (Northam had not resigned as of the deadline for his column), and this incident will enter the stream of events in the long, sure confluence of history. We will, however, have learned a little from it and grown. We will have taught our children a valuable lesson, and as a country, as a society, we will become more enlightened.
Eventually, fewer incidents like this will occur. Fewer and fewer bigots will display their bias and hatred for people who are different, and, ultimately, fewer talks about prejudice will be needed with our children.
That time cannot come soon enough.
Steve Frey is a writer and CEO of Ascendant Educational Services based in Radford.
