Not all come forth on the 4th

Welcome to July 4th, white people’s Juneteenth. Barbecue, fireworks, patriotism. 

In my circle of Black friends (Black is now capitalized in the AP stylebook, another emotional, illogical PC decision, but no skin off my nose), some refuse to celebrate “White” Independence Day, while others celebrate with a passion.

Among those who won’t, they say something like Maybe YOU got Independence on July 4th, but I didn’t. They have a point. 

Among those who do celebrate, the feeling goes, I am as American as you, maybe more, and you won’t keep me from the picnic table. They have a point.

This is the Fourth of July with an asterisk. 

In this season of racial angst, the days of what the media calls “national reckoning,” how can I ignore the elephant in the room on the Fourth of July? I can’t.

The truth is, American Blacks are more prosperous and have more opportunity than any time in this nation’s history. Actually, world history.

In my lifetime, Jackie Robinson opened the door to all professional sports, not just baseball. America commissioned black astronauts (first one, West Philly’s Guion Bluford); we have Black mayors and police chiefs across America; Black university presidents; a Black U.S. president, and a couple of Black billionaires, with a B. 

Anyone who denies that, denies unalterable facts.

The other truth is, we still have massive inequality between the races. That truth hurts. Anyone who denies that, denies unalterable facts.

Almost by any measure — income, education, net worth, health outcomes, incarceration rates — there is inequality. 

Here is the paradox — things have never been better for some Blacks, while other Blacks are trapped in a cycle of poverty in violence-wracked neighborhoods where underperforming schools don’t educate and the typical student lives with a single parent — almost always Mom.

The question is what can we — white people — do about it?

Taking down Confederate statues — which is admirable — will not change a single black life.

What will? A decent job. How do you get that? A decent education.

There is no mystery to this. The magic bullet is a high school diploma, plus ambition.

Where does ambition come from? Encouragement. That’s where family, friends and peers come in. 

All the Black people I know are successful — middle class or better — just like most white people I know. I don’t know any drug dealers, burglars, gang bangers, rapists, or murderers. 

Both the successful Blacks and whites have fathers, friends, and peers. Kind of like the “village” Hillary Clinton once spoke of.

The Clintons liked talking about bridges. I wish I knew how to bridge the chasm between most white and most Black Americans, but I don’t. I do know some Black/white friendships have been strained.

I know equality won’t happen in my lifetime, because there is no magic wand.

Maybe in my childrens’ lifetimes, we will have a July 4th with no apologies, no recriminations, and no asterisks.