Posted on 08/04/2014 12:21:48 PM PDT by dignitasnews
In a sad twist of irony, crowds gathered on Martin Luther King Boulevard in Fresno, California last week to stage a show of racist intolerance more reminiscent of former Democratic Governor George Wallace than the acclaimed civil rights leader. The ugly and divisive scene taints the excitement surrounding the opening of Rutherford B. Gaston Middle School, the first new school opening in decades in the cities crowded southwest sector. The mob that gathered was there to protest the hiring of a white male teacher at a school whose student body will be predominately minority.
"We didn't fight for a white male or female teacher to educate our babies," stated Rev. Karen Crozier, Assistant Professor of Practical Theology at Fresno Pacific University. She continued her diatribe which seemed more appropriately delivered by a Klan leader than an educator and ordained minister as she added, ""We still are at these racial fault lines, and we want someone who will be able to think critically about those racial fault lines and how do we help heal, to restore the problems that have existed."
The controversy swelled as a result of the districts hiring of Peter Beck, who previously taught at Hoover High School, as instructor for the school's three "cultural studies" classes. After an exhausted search which included a diverse set of candidates, officials of the district chose Beck who happens to be a white male. District spokeswoman Micheline Golden stated that Beck was chosen for his record of previous excellence, noting that he is also one of only four teachers in the Fresno Unified School District with the experience in the three cultural studies courses he will be responsible for.
For the past four years Beck has led Hoover High's Men's Alliance, a leadership course for at-risk teens. He has over a decades experience of teaching Latino Studies courses as well as two years teaching African-American themed courses and previous experience with Southeast Asian studies programs.
In invoking the spirit of MLK who stressed content of character over simplistic appeals to skin color, Golden stressed the driving force behind the districts choice of Beck, ""We are always looking at the best, most experienced, most qualified who can provide the best education for our young people," she said.
These sentiments were echoed by District Trustee Cal Johnson who although did not have a say in the hiring, supports the choice of Beck, ""I do not believe colorism trumps qualifications, I don't care whether it's white, whether it's black, brown or yellow." Sabrina Fink, a Latina and former student of Beck's at Hoover High, recalls the instructor as "inspirational" and was saddened to hear of the racial animosity and backward thinking of the community activists who are protesting his hiring.
The protest highlights the controversial and, as some argue, counterproductive method of dealing with race relations employed by many from the Progressive-left. An ideology that speaks often of racial reconciliation has charted a path of "two wrongs make a right" in hoping that by utilizing racist methods of the past they can somehow achieve "social justice." While they often speak of tolerance and "post-racial" thinking, their policies tend to lead to further division and segregation among of the American people.
Crozier as a long history of advocating liberal-Progressive causes and whose primary ministry seems to focus obsessively on race. In 2013 she presented “Ebonics and the Preaching, Political Moment,” at a gathering dubbed Ebonics Conference: Nigritian Language: Ebonics and Linguistic Profiling at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science of Los Angeles.
For those Americans who strive to build a future where the spirit of King's message reigns supreme and we can once and for all shed the cumbersome cloak of racial obsession, the ugly display in Fresno serves to alert us that wickedness, racism and evil is still a force to be reckoned with. That this backwards message of divisiveness and xenophobia was delivered on a street bearing the famous civil rights leaders name, by an alleged "woman of God" is a sobering reminder that evil can still infect the human soul and that the course of liberal politics strives to divide us rather than united us. It is the supreme hope of all right-thinking Californians that the racist goals of men and women like Karen Crozier will suffer the same defeat as did those of former Alabama Democrat Governor George Wallace so many years ago.
Commentary by Paul M Winters Editor in Chief, Dignitas News Service
Sources:
FresnoBee TheFresnoBee (via YouTube) FresnoPacificUniversity
“Crozier has a long history of advocating liberal-Progressive causes’’. In other words she has a long history of being an angry , loudmouthed bigot.
Well said jmacusa
There’s a campaign by the local merchants, when you check out with your merchandise, they ask, “Do you want to donate money for literacy”, I say no, two parents is neded for literacy, not more money.
Wallace won more than 90% of the black vote in his 1982 governor race.
LOL! I was speaking of the man—Jim Robinson……...
I know, I just wanted to be clear who I would hold responsible for this idiocy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.