The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1936-09-19
(By JAMES BEEKS)

The status of the Negro through
out the United States is, in most
ways, deplorable. We, as a peo-
pie, are made the victims of blind,
unreasoning hatred and prejudice
and are subjected to continuous
discrimination and oppression.
1t cannot be sard however, that
we are unprotesting victims. Our
groans and walls can be heard
daily from the Atlantic to the Pa
cific and we are in a fair way to
become the champion short, me-
dunn and long distance protesters
of all time. We completely ignore
the fact that our protests are, IN
most cases utterly unavailing to
curtail the evils of which we COM
plain. There is a constantly ris-
ing tide of racial jealousy and dis
like that will in the end, if it is
not stemmed in time, effect our
complete submergence.
We must be sincere in our out
cry against the majority tyranny
to which we are subjected. To be-
lieve otherwise would be unthink-
able. Why, then, can we not use
the only defense calculated to
prove efficacious under the cir
cumstances-racial unity? To a
chieve any worthwhile purpose de-
signed to benefit people as a
whole, it is absolutely necessary
that the people whose benefit Is
desired be organized, and educat-
ed to act as a unit in accomplish
ing the desired result. We cannot
complain of the number of our or
CARNATIONS. We are the most or
ganized, but least united people on
the face Of the earth. This state
ment may seem paradoxical, but it
is true nevertheless. Our organi-
cations designed to promote bro
therhood and racial unity have
been the most fruitful sources of
strife and discord. There have
been more bitter hatreds and ami
mosities developed and fomented
in our churches, lodges and politi-
cal organizations than in all other
lines of endeavor put together.
We seem to be utterly unable to
compose any differences of opin-
ion whatever and permit trivial
ties to become bones of contention
that create deep and lasting
hatreds and feuds.
There is no more true axiom
than the one which states, "a
house divided against itself must
fall" The complexities of civili-
cation are such today that there is
no place anywhere for the indivi-
dualist, many specious arguments
to the contrary not withstanding.
The world marches on, and the on
ly peoples that are keeping pace
are those who have subordinated
personal desires, greeds and jeal-
ousies to the common welfare;
who have formulated a plan of ac-
ton and are sacrificing everything,
even life itself, to the furtherance
Of that plan. The newspapers are
filled daily with accounts of heroic
men and women who have united
and are daily laying down their
lives to maintain what they believe
to be their rights.
Such peoples and such actions
receive the respect and admiration
of the world at large. The wishes
and desires of people who are will
ing to unite and stand shoulder to
shoulder when their rights are in
vaded are accorded respectful
consideration, whereas people who
try individual protests are set
down as agitators and trouble max
ers, however right they may be.
To make our voices heard above
the present day discords, we must
speak as one man and face the
world as a unit, reserving our pri-
vate quarrels and jealousies to the
proper time and place.