Reverse Racism, A Legitimate Phrase?

In the annals of man's existence, we have managed to come up with an abundance of terms and phrases that cause a thinking person to stop and wonder what fool ever came up with that one. From the cacophony of silly southern phrases from which I have no escape due to my Alabaman Assistant Pastor to the new "accepted phrases" such as one of Websters newest additions, "green collar".

We have been hearing a lot about Reverse Racism recently and while this isn't a new phrase, it's received much use due to Judge Sotomayor's tap for Supreme Court Justice. I will refrain from discussing my thoughts on Sotomayor as a nominee *cough* not impartial *cough* and focus more on this concept of reverse racism and what it actually means.
I have trouble digesting this phrase because it flies in the face of all the values and ideals that I and most other Americans hold close to hearts. We believe in the individual and the individuals ability to rise above whatever circumstances they may be in to achieve something greater than what those circumstances would dictate. We believe in the concept of equal liberty and justice regardless of race, creed or religion. We believe that we are endowed with these rights by our Creator, Jesus Christ, and nobody can take them away.

It follows that no one minority or majority group can hold the monopoly on racism, bigotry, ageism, sexism, etc. Just because I am a white male it is assumed that I have more tendency toward this type of social profiling than the average female or ethnic minority. I attended a clinical conference last summer and one of the most sought after black preachers was a speaker at this event. He proceeded to pontificate for an hour on the racism and bigotry of white heterosexual males keeping blacks and gays down thereby subjecting them to a higher likelyhood of contracting the HIV virus. The speaker singled out one white guy in the audience and proceeded to tell those in attendance that he knew this white guy was racist purely by looking at him and observing the color of his skin. Forgive me if I'm just small minded and unwilling to admit my racist tendencies, but doesn't that make the preacher the racist? He made a preconceived decision about this unfortunate guy's principles and character based solely upon the color of his skin. I believe Dr. King rolled over in his grave at this preachers message of hate.

So this preacher could be called a reverse racist just like Judge Sotomayor because they are both minorities who have made racist comments about the white man. But I don't believe that holds water based upon the aforementioned ideals of the American people. No one group holds the monopoly on racism and it follows that no minority can be called a reverse racist for holding racist views about the supposed "official racists", the whites. To suggest that Sotomayor is a reverse racist is to suggest that it is atypical for a Latina to hold racist views but it common for a white person to hold racist views.

It is about time that all racial, ethnic, religious, gender, etc. groups came to realize that no one group is any worse than the rest. This will, of course, never happen so long as the media and the Democrats keep feeding the line that the minorities are being held down and held back because of the racist and bigoted people in the heart (flyover country) of America. When will the Al Sharptons and Jessie Jacksons be turned on? When will these groups finally realize that there is nothing holding them back other than their own misconceptions about what makes this country great? We can all succeed if we will just work for the good of ourselves and our families and our country. Stop relying on ACLU or Jessie Jackson to convince the country that you need a hand out and give yourself some credit! This country has countless opportunities for the less fortunate to get an education, affordable housing, good jobs (even in this economy), and in general, a chance.

There will always be racists, but there is no such thing as a reverse racist. Lets get together and cause the racists to become the smallest minority.