anglingfortruth

A Letter to Professor Gates

The following is a copy of a letter I sent to Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. of Harvard University:

Dear Professor Gates,

I am a Caucasian American living in a small rural town in Northwest Montana. I have lived here for nearly sixteen years. At various times prior to moving to Montana, I lived next door to people representing all races. My father was a United States Marine, and I served in the Marine Corps myself for 8 1/2 years. This gave me ample opportunity to live in a variety of locations, both in the United States and abroad. I attended public schools where African American and Latino Americans were the majority, and I spent a large portion of my life living in Asia. My wife is Asian, and my children have mixed blood running through their veins. My undergraduate work was in Asiatic studies, and I spent time as a military advisor to the Saudi Marine Corps. I share my background because my current address might lead one to perceive I couldn’t possibly understand the issues of race, culture, or world view; however, I believe my education, personal experiences and interest in such matters grant me the authority to speak on them.

The events that took place at your home in Cambridge on 7/16/09 were regrettable. The situation as I see it allowed fatigue, irritation, and anger to gain the upper hand. As a result, what should have been a non-issue has been turned into a national discussion, and I don’t think the discussions taking place around dinner tables are helpful for the cause I believe you are championing.

In my social circles, you are held to a higher standard of excellence than Sgt James Crowley. The reason for our elevated expectations of you is not skin color, but instead your advanced education and social status. While I don’t stand in judgment of your behavior during the incident, (the Good Lord knows my hot head has caused me to say things I later grew to regret), I am deeply troubled by your behavior after the incident.

It comes across through the media that Sgt Crowley was a dedicated middle class working man who unfortunately found himself in the crosshairs of a difficult situation. The media also presented you as a member of America’s upper class elite who expects to be given a pass for boorish behavior toward others.

While I am not going to argue about what actually happened, I will argue that you wasted an excellent opportunity to improve community relations. On television, you come across (to middle class America) as someone who wants to treat others worse than you expect to be treated. This kind of logic is lost on middle class America. Even though America doesn’t formerly accept the idea of royalty, we do expect our upper class to handle difficult situations with more grace and dignity than you have currently demonstrated.

If your goal is to promote mutual respect within America’s diverse society, I suggest you begin by coming across in the media as someone who respects the working class; the people and their struggles. Right or wrong, Sgt Crowley is perceived as a working man just doing his job, and you made his job more difficult. While you might consider it a personal victory if Sgt Crowley gives you an apology, I will argue that racial healing in America won’t begin until you, a well educated and well connected professor, take responsibility for your own poor judgment. In my experience as a husband, father, employer and leader, I have learned that apologizing when I transgress doesn’t diminish my dignity; it enhances it. Additionally, offering an apology on the morning after is much more effective in rekindling broken relationships than demanding one.

As an esteemed professor of Harvard University with access to presidents and a sympathetic media, you have been handed a burden of personal conduct that is unfairly higher than that expected from the rest of America. Please consider how you can use the humility and grace expected of a distinguished scholar to help America overcome our racial tensions. Stop demanding respect and begin demonstrating it. By treating others better than you expect to be treated, I believe you will find yourself better equipped to lead this country towards the racial healing you aspire.

Sincerely yours,


Joe Coco