DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Dorothy Schramm newspaper clippings, 1949-1955 (folder 2 of 2) | 1949-10-06 Burlington Herald Article: "How Does Burlington Feel About Prejudice"

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Dorothy Schramm newspaper clippings, 1949-1955 (folder 2 of 2)

1949-10-06 Burlington Herald Article: "How Does Burlington Feel About Prejudice"

[[handwriting]]Herald
Oct 6 49[[end handwriting]]

How Does Burlington Feel About Prejudice? 

Inter-Racial Group Searches for Answer

There is a magazine published called The Cross and The Flag. It is edited by one Gerald L. K. Smith, and is the official organ of the Christian Nationalist party.
If you've never heard of it, don't feel that you've been left out of anything, or that you're missing out on something important. The magazine and the party are based on the theory that Negroes and Jews cannot also be Americans.
The utter failure of this magazine to make any headway in America is both interesting and encouraging. If any sizeable portion of people in this country believed the things stated so noisily in The Cross and The Flag, its circulation would be tremendously larger than it is and its editor would not sound so much like a frustrated Hitler.
The fact that Smith has flopped again with his nonsense about racial superiority leads us to another encouraging situation.
Several cities, of which Minneapolis is the largest, have instituted programs to eliminate racial prejudice, and these programs have been remarkably successful. Without any force to impel them other than public opinion, these cities have answered the question of prejudice directly, and have overcome it because of its complete lack of popular sympathy.
How does all this apply to Burlington?
Well, a group of sincere and responsible citizens have formed an inter-racial group to study Burlington's situation. The plan is a modest one; it is intended only as community self-investigation.
More simply, these people intend to find out where Burlington stands. 
That there is prejudice present must be admitted. But what is it based on? Is it a result of misunderstanding, confusion or deliberate misrepresentation?
Many of us would no doubt be surprised by the results of such an inquiry. We might find that we are superior in the community justice to most cities of comparable size. We might find, though, that we don't rank as high--that we are unjust rather than just in our attitude toward our minority groups.
The inter-racial group here has as its chairman Reverend R. G. Beck, who profoundly believes that one of democracy's greatest assets is its ability to look to itself for fairness.
It is not difficult to understand Reverend Beck's attitude, nor is it strange to see a group of people willing to put forth real effort for a purpose like this one.
But it is not enough to merely congratulate them for their belief in democratic principles, nor is it enough to approve of their idea.
We cannot leave the work entirely up to them. We cannot tell ourselves that the task is completed before it is hardly begun.
This plan is based on community self-investigation, and if we are a part of the community, then we have a responsibility to participate. 
The result will be that we will know more about ourselves. That kind of result can't hurt us.
The men of the stamp of Gerald L. K. Smith oppose any such programs. They are professionally anti-Negro and anti-Semite. Anything that works toward racial harmony and understanding these men violently oppose.
They are patently afraid of an enlightened public. They cannot exist where free investigation also exists. They cannot face fact or truth or honesty or plain decency.
The people can.

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[[handwriting]]Herald Oct 6 49[[end handwriting]] How Does Burlington Feel About Prejudice? Inter-Racial Group Searches for Answer There is a magazine published called The Cross and The Flag. It is edited by one Gerald L. K. Smith, and is the official organ of the Christian Nationalist party. If you've never heard of it, don't feel that you've been left out of anything, or that you're missing out on something important. The magazine and the party are based on the theory that Negroes and Jews cannot also be Americans. The utter failure of this magazine to make any headway in America is both interesting and encouraging. If any sizeable portion of people in this country believed the things stated so noisily in The Cross and The Flag, its circulation would be tremendously larger than it is and its editor would not sound so much like a frustrated Hitler. The fact that Smith has flopped again with his nonsense about racial superiority leads us to another encouraging situation. Several cities, of which Minneapolis is the largest, have instituted programs to eliminate racial prejudice, and these programs have been remarkably successful. Without any force to impel them other than public opinion, these cities have answered the question of prejudice directly, and have overcome it because of its complete lack of popular sympathy. How does all this apply to Burlington? Well, a group of sincere and responsible citizens have formed an inter-racial group to study Burlington's situation. The plan is a modest one; it is intended only as community self-investigation. More simply, these people intend to find out where Burlington stands. That there is prejudice present must be admitted. But what is it based on? Is it a result of misunderstanding, confusion or deliberate misrepresentation? Many of us would no doubt be surprised by the results of such an inquiry. We might find that we are superior in the community justice to most cities of comparable size. We might find, though, that we don't rank as high--that we are unjust rather than just in our attitude toward our minority groups. The inter-racial group here has as its chairman Reverend R. G. Beck, who profoundly believes that one of democracy's greatest assets is its ability to look to itself for fairness. It is not difficult to understand Reverend Beck's attitude, nor is it strange to see a group of people willing to put forth real effort for a purpose like this one. But it is not enough to merely congratulate them for their belief in democratic principles, nor is it enough to approve of their idea. We cannot leave the work entirely up to them. We cannot tell ourselves that the task is completed before it is hardly begun. This plan is based on community self-investigation, and if we are a part of the community, then we have a responsibility to participate. The result will be that we will know more about ourselves. That kind of result can't hurt us. The men of the stamp of Gerald L. K. Smith oppose any such programs. They are professionally anti-Negro and anti-Semite. Anything that works toward racial harmony and understanding these men violently oppose. They are patently afraid of an enlightened public. They cannot exist where free investigation also exists. They cannot face fact or truth or honesty or plain decency. The people can.