Looking for Racism (in All the Wrong Places)

The American Thinker ^ | October 27, 2010 | Robin of Berkeley

[Scanian]

Rich Benjamin embarked on a treacherous journey into the heart of enemy territory. No, he wasn't a soldier stationed in Afghanistan. And, no, he didn't masquerade as a veiled woman in Saudi Arabia.

A black man, Benjamin lived for three months at a time in these lily-white communities: St. George, Utah; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; and Forsyth County, Georgia. He anticipated a gauntlet of racial hate. And yet he describes his journey this way, in his book, Searching for Whitopia.

"In St. George, I fell in with a hospitable, if rowdy, poker crew, gathering for Texas hold 'em at least twice a week. Being a proud Episcopal, I regularly attended the Sunday services at Grace Church. ... I hiked up Taylor Creek in Zion National Park with the Episcopalian Seniors social group ... In Coeur d'Alene, I fraternized with retired LAP cops, attending their annual charity gold tournament to support wounded brethren. ... Finally, in Forsyth County, I got to know IgNite, the youth ministry of First Redeemer, and attended the Baptist mega-church's main service every Sunday morning. This drew me into a whirlwind: lunch with the youth after service, Friday night socials, volleyball and pickup basketball in the church's gleaming indoor gym ...

I hosted about ten dinner parties and luncheons, some spontaneous, some formal ... Ben, a twenty-six-year-old cobbler who arrived with Kina, his longtime girlfriend, teased me because they felt the meal was 'fancy.' To this day, I wear a handsome pair of sandals that Ben cobbled for me ...

Not only did I entertain, I received a flurry of invitations: to a Memorial Day pool party, to BBQs, to birthday parties, to family suppers, to demolition derbies to ... county fairs, to 'bowling nights,' to multiple hikes, to volunteer benefits ... to horseback riding and cattle roping."

Benjamin's sojourn was, according to him, a whirlwind of "fun" and a "gabfest." Looking beyond race, his new neighbors welcomed him with open arms. It appears that the only risk the newcomer faced was exhaustion from so much merrymaking.

[Deagle]

Normal, unless you are a Democrat!

[taxesareforever]

You almost want to go out and buy his book, until you read the rest of the story. Then I wouldn’t part with a nickel for it.

[ladyL]

what’s the rest of it?

[TChad]

The author is a conservative psychotherapist living in Berkeley.

Here's her blog:

http://www.robinofberkeley.com/

[Nepeta]

This guy already had the end of the story written in his head before he started this project. He was expecting a welcome out of the 1930s, and when it did not happen, he had to confabulate something out of his own craziness so that he would not have to let go of his own racism.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people like him who will NEVER be satisfied. Look at Michelle Obama.

[iowamark]

In the end, even with the kindness of white strangers, Benjamin joins the ranks of the agitators. His startling conclusion at the end of the book? He was treated like visiting royalty not because his white neighbors were colorblind, but because he's a "no demand" black.

In particularly twisted logic, Benjamin maintains that his white neighbors were welcoming only because he's an affable black man. This invites the question: if a nasty, demanding person of any race came to town, won't he be snubbed because no one likes nasty and demanding people?

[iowamark]

Rich Benjamin’s website:
http://www.richbenjamin.com/

Check out his hilarious video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voFMec-M8VY

[Right Wing Assault]

As Thoreau put it, "The fault finder will find faults even in paradise."

No, Thoreau, the fault finder will never SEE paradise.

[Wonder Warthog]

"No, Thoreau, the fault finder will never SEE paradise."

Methinks it depends on what faults are found and pointed out. As I recall from the Bible, Jesus and the Apostles found fault with LOTS of things. Jesus even resorted to physical methods of "persuasion" (witness his actions with the "vendors" in the Jerusalem Temple).

[taxesareforever]

The author touts how well he was received by whites in his tour around the country and then rags on whites in his book.

[TChad]

He went looking for racism in whites, but found it in himself instead.