Today's civil rights leaders betray African-Americans

Attendance at the recent "Millions for Reparations" rally in Washington, D.C., fell short of the event's name by an embarrassing four powers of 10. This poor showing is a testament to the waning influence of the civil rights establishment, which has strayed from its original, legitimate goal of equal rights and equal opportunity.

Far from the stirringly noble "I Have a Dream" speech delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Lincoln Memorial on Aug. 28, 1963, the vulgar tirades of Aug. 17, 2002 were a mixture of violent 'gangsta' rap threats and hate-filled rhetoric aimed at white people and America in general. If anyone deserved to spout such mindless rancor, it was Dr. King. Confined to "colored only" establishments, relentlessly harassed by the FBI, and later murdered for his valiant efforts to achieve racial healing, he rose above hate. It is disappointing that the current generation of activists is unable to do the same even in a much more racially inclusive and hospitable social climate.

Dr. King's dream has come true: the civil rights movement has succeeded. Twenty-first century America is the most inclusive and tolerant society that has ever existed. Yet instead of accepting the reality of racial equality and black success, the Aug. 17 activists stubbornly continue to entertain fantasies of white racism and "institutional racism," even while hypocritically indulging their own bigoted attitudes toward white people.

Despite its shocking nature, the corruption of the once-great civil rights movement comes as no surprise.

Booker T. Washington, a former slave, predicted it when he wrote, "There is a class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs and the hardships of the Negro race before the public . . . Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs."

This passage is found in "Up From Slavery," Washington's inspiring 1901 autobiography. It could have been written yesterday. There is no more succinct description of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Johnnie Cochran and other "civil rights" activists whose priorities are publicity and personal profit.

Pretending to care about the problems of Black Americans is but a means to that end. To see what I mean, read Kenneth Timmerman's "Shakedown: Exposing the Real Jesse Jackson."

Though they claim to be heirs to the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., the current civil rights establishment has betrayed everything he stood for. Dr. King must roll over in his grave at the way his legacy has been hijacked by those who shamelessly seek to exploit Black Americans for personal profit.

The biggest problems facing Black Americans today are not white racism and discrimination but out-of-control illegitimacy and a stubbornly persistent culture of victimization. These problems have been exacerbated, not ameliorated, by the current civil rights establishment.

Acknowledgement of these facts by the media, the government and Black Americans themselves would be a significant step toward ending racial disparities in areas like income and education.

Black Americans — with the support of all Americans — must rise up and denounce the corrupt demagogues who would have them remain victims rather than the vibrant and productive citizens they are and can be.

Dethroning the current civil rights establishment from its undeserved position of authority is one of the most important actions Americans can take in order to achieve genuine racial healing. Eric Harkleroad is a physics major from Overland Park, Kan. He can be reached at eharkler@princeton.edu.