By Dr. C.E.S. copyright © All rights reserved. Originally published Dec. 6, 1968; The Michigan Chronicle.
A recent nationally syndicated article by Father Lawrence E. Lucas, a black Catholic Priest, points up a rather interesting use of “double standards” in making judgements about the use of violence in the struggle for human rights. While neither approving nor rejecting violence as a means to an end, Father Lucas raises an eyebrow or two at the manner in which white Americans condemn violence on the part of their black fellow citizens, while condoning it for whites.
The occasion for Father Lucas’ remarks was the recent outburst of violence among Northern Ireland’s Catholic minority who were protesting discrimination in housing, jobs, and the drawing of political district lines. Irish police reported 12 gasoline bombs thrown, considerable property damage, and several policemen injured – not bad for one day’s effort.
What the good Father cannot understand is why he doesn’t heart his Irish Catholic friends clamoring for non-violence among their Irish brothers as loudly as they insist upon it for black people here at home. After all, if violence is bad when brought about by blacks, it ought to be equally bad for whites.
Thus, concludes Father Lucas, it obviously is not a matter of violence itself being bad. In fact, says the cleric, “condoning violence has never been a problem for Americans. The problem regarding violence has always centered around who, for what purpose, and whose interest.”
And American history supports the Reverend Lucas’ view that ‘violence to create, develop, and maintain white wealth and power has always been condoned.” Black people in particular will not forget that they were brought to this country through violence, and forced to contribute to its national and personal wealth by violence.
Nor can Negroes forget the black youth who, throughout American history, have fought for what Father Lucas reminds us was really “white freedom.” By white freedom he means simply that no returning black veteran of the nation’s armed services – no matter how much praised, promoted or decorated – ever came home to freedom the same as it is enjoyed by whites.
According to Father Lucas, black rebellion against white repression should be judged in the light of our Chrisitan principles regarding violence, to avoid succumbing to the old double standard. Says Father Lucas, “the great weight of Christian tradition has been to recognize the inevitability of violence among men and try to reconcile this with the demands of Christian love and forbearance.”
We are not experts on Catholic moral theology, but we assume Father Lucas is, in which case we admire his ability to justify black violence on religious grounds. But no matter how we justify violence it remains impractical and futile as an instrument for securing justice for black people.
There is, of course, no justification for the way in which black Americans have been treated in this nation. And, apart from the matter of physical violence, the psychological damage rendered by various forms of social and economic injustice has been even greater and longer lasting than any effects of physical force.
It is tempting for black people to subscribe to the point of view that an “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is only fair and proper. It sounds all the more appealing when theologians tell us that it is the Christian thing to do. But being Christian doesn’t have to mean being stupid also, and common sense dictates that neither the sporadic violence of the past nor any planned violence in the future will be helpful to the Negro cause.
Common sense insists that black people consolidate the economic and political power already within their grasp, and use that power more intelligently than has been done in the past. such strategy is doubly essential in the face of a reactionary national administration and an increasingly fearful white electorate.
The violence will not end, of course. Blacks will continue expressing their desperation and frustration in foolishly destructive ways. When these acts occur, we will be reminded of Father Lucas’ point that black violence is no better and no worse than white.
A recent nationally syndicated article by Father Lawrence E. Lucas, a black Catholic Priest, points up a rather interesting use of “double standards” in making judgements about the use of violence in the struggle for human rights. While neither approving nor rejecting violence as a means to an end, Father Lucas raises an eyebrow or two at the manner in which white Americans condemn violence on the part of their black fellow citizens, while condoning it for whites.
The occasion for Father Lucas’ remarks was the recent outburst of violence among Northern Ireland’s Catholic minority who were protesting discrimination in housing, jobs, and the drawing of political district lines. Irish police reported 12 gasoline bombs thrown, considerable property damage, and several policemen injured – not bad for one day’s effort.
What the good Father cannot understand is why he doesn’t heart his Irish Catholic friends clamoring for non-violence among their Irish brothers as loudly as they insist upon it for black people here at home. After all, if violence is bad when brought about by blacks, it ought to be equally bad for whites.
Thus, concludes Father Lucas, it obviously is not a matter of violence itself being bad. In fact, says the cleric, “condoning violence has never been a problem for Americans. The problem regarding violence has always centered around who, for what purpose, and whose interest.”
And American history supports the Reverend Lucas’ view that ‘violence to create, develop, and maintain white wealth and power has always been condoned.” Black people in particular will not forget that they were brought to this country through violence, and forced to contribute to its national and personal wealth by violence.
Nor can Negroes forget the black youth who, throughout American history, have fought for what Father Lucas reminds us was really “white freedom.” By white freedom he means simply that no returning black veteran of the nation’s armed services – no matter how much praised, promoted or decorated – ever came home to freedom the same as it is enjoyed by whites.
According to Father Lucas, black rebellion against white repression should be judged in the light of our Chrisitan principles regarding violence, to avoid succumbing to the old double standard. Says Father Lucas, “the great weight of Christian tradition has been to recognize the inevitability of violence among men and try to reconcile this with the demands of Christian love and forbearance.”
We are not experts on Catholic moral theology, but we assume Father Lucas is, in which case we admire his ability to justify black violence on religious grounds. But no matter how we justify violence it remains impractical and futile as an instrument for securing justice for black people.
There is, of course, no justification for the way in which black Americans have been treated in this nation. And, apart from the matter of physical violence, the psychological damage rendered by various forms of social and economic injustice has been even greater and longer lasting than any effects of physical force.
It is tempting for black people to subscribe to the point of view that an “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is only fair and proper. It sounds all the more appealing when theologians tell us that it is the Christian thing to do. But being Christian doesn’t have to mean being stupid also, and common sense dictates that neither the sporadic violence of the past nor any planned violence in the future will be helpful to the Negro cause.
Common sense insists that black people consolidate the economic and political power already within their grasp, and use that power more intelligently than has been done in the past. such strategy is doubly essential in the face of a reactionary national administration and an increasingly fearful white electorate.
The violence will not end, of course. Blacks will continue expressing their desperation and frustration in foolishly destructive ways. When these acts occur, we will be reminded of Father Lucas’ point that black violence is no better and no worse than white.
