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Our Promise, Not Our Problem |
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by Congressman Elijah E. Cummings |
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Like far too many of us, I am no stranger to the devastating impact of racial hatred. What I have learned personally through these hurtful experiences is that racism is an evil seeking to destroy the possibility that exists in every human being.
It is absolutely chilling to see or even hear the word noose. History vividly shows us that so many African-Americans were hanged for no reason other than the color of their skin, making the noose become a symbol of nothing but sheer hatred, intended to threaten and intimidate. This is a pain that runs very deeply for all of us, and we cannot tolerate such actions under any circumstances. For these reasons, I was extremely alarmed by the recent surge of incidents around the country involving the placement and display of nooses.
These incidents naturally cause us to ask if our nation is taking a step backward when it comes to the tolerance of diversity. This month, I found myself confronting this question head-on at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and I am reassured by the answer that I received.
Since assuming the Chairmanship of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation at the beginning of this year, I have observed, first-hand, the essential missions that the United States Coast Guard performs. I have seen how commitment to service is translated into the courageous actions that protect our nation and save thousands of lives each year.
We need only recall Hurricane Katrina to see these virtues. When all other services failed, the Coast Guard stood strong, rescuing tens of thousands of victims of the storm. Heroic men and women risked their lives to save the lives of their fellow human beings, never once stopping to consider whether the skin of those whose lives were preserved was of a similar hue to their own
The U.S. Coast Guard Academy, an institution tasked with preparing the next generation of officers, is centered on the motto “honor, devotion to duty, and respect.” I was shocked, therefore, to hear that a noose had been placed in the bag of an African-American cadet and in the office of the white female officer who was conducting race relations training in response to the first incident.
Such racist, implicit threats have no place in any institution training future leaders, and they run counter to the core upon which our military institutions stand.
I immediately called upon Admiral Thad Allen, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, to launch a full criminal investigation into these incidents and to accompany me in addressing the entire Academy to convey the message that this type of behavior is unacceptable. Commandant Allen, a man of the highest honor and integrity, responded immediately to my requests, and the two of us recently traveled to the Academy in New London, Connecticut.
I firmly believe that America’s greatest strength derives not from our advanced weaponry, but from the respect we have for the dignity and value of every human being. It is this fundamental principle upon which our nation was founded and that we are now once again fighting to uphold. If we were to lose this essential aspect of our shared citizenship, we would in fact lose the essence upon which our experiment in democracy rests.
The Coast Guard’s annals are filled with individual acts of heroism, but, of necessity, protecting America must be a team effort. During my remarks at the Academy, I observed that each cadet is an important link in a chain of defenders that stretches back to the formation of our Republic.
The Coast Guard has been so effective in performing its mission because its people can depend upon each other, trust each other, and protect each other, even as they defend the rest of us. Any attack upon any link in this chain of defenders that guards our nation has the potential to endanger us all, and—while it may seem unfair—organizations are often judged by their weakest links.
I did my best to assure that these cadets understand that the placement of a noose—like the burning of a cross—is a very serious threat. In a very real sense, it is an act of terrorism.
I also emphasized that while there is no honor in performing such actions, it is equally dishonorable to accept such behavior from another member of the Coast Guard family.
As I looked upon the students in that assembly, I could see that my message was resonating with them. At the end of my speech, when I called upon them to uphold the core values of the Coast Guard, they rose in standing ovation.
While I was pleased to see them literally stand together against intolerance, the true highlight of my trip was the opportunity to interact with these young people individually, receiving from them a clear message that these incidents were an aberration rather than systemic problem.
These students convinced me that these isolated acts of racist terrorism are not the effects of a widespread movement of hatred.
I often say that our children are our living messages we send to a future we will never see. After interacting with these extraordinary young people, I am confident that we are sending the future a powerful message of tolerance, good character, and hope.
In both the hundreds of thousands who gathered in Jena, Louisiana, to protest racial injustice and the thousand Coast Guard cadets who rose to stand with me against the racist threats, Americans of every background and racial heritage are sending a clear message.
Our diversity is our promise and our strength—not our problem.
- The Honorable Elijah E. Cummings represents the 7th Congressional District of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives. |
