The professor who Barack Obama told a crowd to open their "hearts" and "minds" to in 1991 believed in the permanence of racism; it would never go away. This video from the Visionary Project entitled, "Advice to Young African Americans," demonstrates it perfectly. In fact, Bell admits here that's what his book, Faces at the bottom of the Well is all about.
In the very first minute of this video, Bell seems to bemoan the fact that when his children were growing up, they couldn't see racism because they lived a very comfortable life. He appeared to be disappointed because he wanted them to have his racist worldview. Instead of giving his children a positive message, he basically admitted that he worked at assuring them that racism DOES exist, despite their father's success.
Then, beginning at the 2:30 mark, Bell expounds on his belief that "racism is permanent." He recalls a white man who wrestled with the notion that putting a time limit on racism was always discouraging to people. Bell then says that the man contacted him after reading Faces at the Bottom of the Well and suddenly understood that "racism is permanent." In fact, at the end, Bell seems to endorse the man's comparing racism to alcoholism.
Folks, the paradigm is entrenched. Obama believes in it. That paradigm says that racism is an industry and it is a weapon to be used to gain an advantage.
Open your hearts and open your minds you racism alcoholics!
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