Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-09-06
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER G, 1919
THE RIGHT OF SELF DErhNSi

THE RIGHT OF SlGlr IIIf fIN $40
We hardly think that the Attorney
General Of tho United States or Hon.
James T.. Byrnes, a congressman from
South Carolina will find just grounds
for complaint i'll the editorial which
appears in the Now York Crisis for
September. 1t represents a position
that We have taken and asserted for
more than thirty years. Editor W. i.
Is. DUBOIS says:
Brothers We are on the Great Deep.
We have cast off on the vast voyage
which will lead to Freedom OF Death.
For three centuries we have suffer
cd and covered. No race ever gave
Passive Resistance and Submission
to Evil longer, more pitcous trial. TO
day we raise the terrible weapon OF
Self Defense. When the murderer
comes he shall not longer strike us
in the back. When the armed lynch
ers gather, we too must gather armed.
When the mob moves, we propose to
meet it with bricks and clubs and
guns.
But we must tread hero with
solemn caution. We must never let
iustifiable self defense against indi
yiduals become blind and lawlcss of
tense against all white folk. We must
not seek reform by violence. We
must not seek vengeance. vengeance
is Nine" saith the Lord, or to put
it otherwise, only Infinite Justice
and knowledge can assign blame In
this poor world, and we ourselves
are sinful men, struggling desperate
ly with our own crime and Ignorance.
We must defend ourselves, our homes
our wives and children against the
iawless without stint or hesitation;
hut we must carefully and scrupulous
ly avoid on our own part bitter and
unjustifiable aggression against any
body.
And again:
This line is difficult to draw. In
tho South the Police and Public Opin
ion back the mob and tho least re-
sistance on the part of the innocent
black victim is nearly always constru
cd as lawlcss attack on society and
government. In the North the Police
and the Public will dodge and faltor,
but in the end they will back the
Right when the Truth is made clear
to them.
But whether the line between just
resistance and angry retaliation is
hard Or easy, we must draw it care
fully, not in wild resentment, but in
grim and sober consideration; and
then back Of the impregnable fortress
Of the Divine Right Of Self Defense,
which is sanctioned by every law Of
God and man, in every land, ciyiliz
ed and uncivilized we must take our
unfaltering stand.
Honor, endless and undying Honor
to every man, black or white, who
in Houston, East st. Louis, Washing
ton and Chicago gave his life for civil.
lization and Order.
II the United States il to be
land of Law, we would live humbly
and peaceably in it,--working, sing
ing, learning and dreaming to make
it and ourselves nobler and better: If
ers we might as we'll die today as
tomorrow.
And how can man die better
AThan facing fearful odds
For the ashes Of his fathers
And the temples Of his gods?"
This is conservative way Of deal
ing with the subject. The unknown
quantity in the equation are the list
less, irresponsible, loafing,. loud.
mouthed clements amongst us, who
talk much and who do little; They
arouse one class Of white people to
the point Of prejudiced fury and then
after starting the trouble seek safe
ty so that the innocent members of
our race suffer when the fighting be
gins. What is true Of our people is
also true Of white people. They have
the white hoodlums, who see in a dark
s2cE :. Liter c:;orsiY They envy the
progress Of well-to do colored people
and readily embrace the opportunity
to arouse white people to energetic
action and then they hide behind the
officers Of the law, who are expected
to shoot down colorcd people first and
investigate their alleged guilt after
wards.
There should be union of the bet
ter class of white people and the bet
ter class of colored people in every
community to the end that the law
abiding and law enforcing ele-