But America s founding fathers slaveholding, sexist elitists are icons of virtue and any shortcomings are reflections of the time, not their moral failures. The danger of these attacks is not only to the leader s reputation, but they can also lead to physical threats and government harassment. Over a third of the high school s students stayed home after Rev. Jackson talked about bringing the expelled students to school. The students stayed home amid heavy security because of threats to harm Rev. Jackson. With the media painting him as an outsider and opportunist, it is easier for whites to justify threatening and hurting him.
Integrity is also a convenient shield for white racism.
Former Illinois senator Carol Moseley Braun s fight to become the U.S. ambassador to New Zealand is but one example. Whites, who probably couldn t find Nigeria on a map, expressed much concern for the lawmaker's integrity for trips to Nigeria in efforts to help forge a solution to the West African nation s political problems. But Illinois Governor George Ryan s recent trip to Cuba with a gaggle of corporate high rollers in tow is applauded for starting a debate about how the U.S. should deal with Cuba. Farrakhan, a religious and moral leader, cavorts with dictators when he visits Cuba, while Mr. Ryan and his profit-seeking compatriots are helping promote foreign policy debate. While U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Andy Young was forced out for an early meeting with PLO representatives and trying to seek a balanced Middle East policy.