Cold Cases, tensions, understanding and gestures

When I switched on the TV last night Channel 9 aptly ran a Cold Case episode that resonated with a national holiday in the USA. On every 3^rd Monday in January, (in 2008 it was on the 21^st of January), it was the birthday of Martiin Luther King Junior, in remembrance and celebration of a man that did much for the civil rights movement through non-violent protest.

The episode, “Strange Fruit”, focused on a Cold Case (a criminal case that has gone “cold”, in that it remains unsolved and the clues leading to the crime has dried up) revolved around the death of a young African-American boy at the time that Martin Luther King Jr. made his landmark speech on the steps of the Abraham Lincoln memorial on 28 August, 1963. While at the time, his death was unsolved, the episode leads us through how and what occurred in the days leading up to his death. It highlights the racial divide and revealed elements of the dark past that the USA has had when it comes to racism and bigotry, as there were also elements of gender bias built into the episode, alongside the racial biases.

If anything, the episode highlighted that there is still some way to go for Western societies to claim to be truly egalitarian and equal, regardless of race, gender and age. While constitutions enshrine these concepts, and laws are created to uphold them, this does not protect society from the expression of biased attitudes and beliefs. However hurtful and negative these thoughts may be, the writer does not believe in an active pursuit of people that either have these, or express these thoughts. Beyond the individual’s free rights to express and think, the reality is that there are reasons for why an individual may think the way that they do. Furthermore, it can be said that such views are not a representation of society as a whole, but a very small minority, that may be very vocal. What is the concern then is that if individuals repress their personal views in fear of their retribution, and do not attempt to deal with the rationale behind their dislike.

For example, Pauline Hanson, who is known internationally for her rather colourful views, may have genuine reasons for why she believes that immigration should be barred. Of course, she ignores her own heritage and also her own personal problems. Maybe she was unhappy to be stuck owning a fish and chips shop, while others (particularly Asians in her view) seemed to get good jobs and drive fancy cars. It was an odd alignment of stars that got her into Federal Parliament in the first place. When her position was made public, even John Howard, who was known to have a very traditionalist view of the world, and disliked Australian immigration policy in how it was regulated, distanced himself as much as he could from her position. Since her fall from parliament, she has occasionally attempted to run for parliament but failed to garner enough support to gain election. In many ways, she is the Kryptonite of Australian politics. Nevertheless, she gains some support, and her views do resonate with parts of Australian society, which cannot be denied.

The question is not how do we remove the problem, but why do individuals hold such views and where is the basis for it? Humans are given logic and emotions to produce thought and philosophise about a wide range of views, issues, problems and equations. The issue here is the underlying basis for where this position originates from, and how these issues are brought forth, for what one would find is that in all cases of such bigoted, racist or ageist views are expressed through fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of others, fear of loss, and fear of the self. This last one is the worst, as it reflects the internal conflict and dislike of the condition of one’s position or place in life and resorts to blaming others, belittling them or attacking them when the greater problem lies within themselves. It is far easier to reject or attack another while not dealing with one’s own demons.

Consider the historical perspectives and this scene is repeated again and again by cultures and societies alike. The white supremacists in the USA today see the invasion of African-Americans and Asians alike as an intrusion onto their right to be the superior race, yet their doctrines are based on fear. “They will take our jobs, our lands, etc. etc.”. Same goes for Nazism and the persecution of the Jews, or Israeli occupation of Palestine and Palestinian suicide bombings. Even the centuries old religious wars against Protestantism, or the clashes between Muslims and Christians that have pervaded for centuries, have been based on fear. Even contemporary reactions to African migrants in Australia, automatically labelling them as part of gangs and painting them as thugs, is a fear of the unknown.

Thus, controlling the problem through legislation, enforcement, or societal norms will not solve or remove it from socieety, but exacerbate it. If anything, a serious amount of education and understanding needs to be applied to ameliorate these divides that still exist in society. Acceptance and Compassion are virtues that are rarely used in the development of society, workplaces and relationships. Making the effort to reach out, understand and accept others is a step in the right direction. Whether it be dealing with racial issues, gender inequality, the fact that you’re too old or too young, whatever it is. People have reasons why they feel the way they do, whether it be rational or not. Reaching out to someone can address the issues branch and root, and completely reverse the problem altogether.

One of the most powerful images I can remember is of Pope John Paul II, having nearly died from an assassination attempt by Mehmet Ali Ağca in 1981, visited the man in prison and talked with him for 20 minutes. A friendship was created between two very different men, one who reviled the other, yet was able to see beyond his hate and embrace a person that he called “the incarnation of all that is capitalism”. While I only know about this through reading, such an image has since had a renewed importance for myself. While individuals can’t be expected to be able to be as saintly as the Pope, society as a whole can benefit from such gestures made by great people and learn from them.

“Southern trees bear a strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.”

“Pastoral scene of the gallant south,
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,
Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh,
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh.”

“Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck,
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,
Here is a strange and bitter crop.”

Strange Fruit – Abel Meeropol (as sung by Billie Holiday)

Video link to Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech

Wikipedia article on 1981 Pope Assassination Attempt