My Point of View by Jerrold Dettle

Beginning in 1964 there followed 30 years of personal and laborious activity to help improve racial relations and opportunity.

It is heartbreaking to see that much has changed but little has been solved.

The most important issue is the level of economic egalitarianism, or simply said, the lack of prosperity now disproportionately present among minority citizens. The most important solution is quality training for production jobs.

Based out of Dallas, in 1964 I was the youngest and most willing of 103 managers, and I was asked to employ the first official black employee within the corporation. Thus beginning a long career of “breaking the color line” in the South, while as an employee and eventual owner of several sizeable corporations. It was rewarding to be able to choose from the most distinguished of a group, a young lady with an incredible record made the process invaluable. She had been president of her graduating class. She had a straight A average in all her classes. As a young leader of a Baptist church group and an impeccable lifestyle, she proved to be a superb color line breaker.

Curiously, the routine calls from the home office every morning proved to be based on two questions.

Were there any disturbances yesterday, and has the corporate income been effected? There was never a question or doubt about the individual’s working capabilities. Since Social Security was nearly non-existent at the time, most of the corporate executives were older white-haired men, a few well into their 80s. There was never a mention of race over the years, as I duplicated the same scenario in many locations and many states for many corporations, including in my own company. Large numbers of Hispanics, blacks and Asians were employed and promoted.

In America, we are falling severely short in the area of occupational training. A road to a broad education is the most desirable, and the arts and sports are a valuable contribution to society.

However, the above are now somewhat over emphasized. All races and all economies are suffering from inferior and inadequate skill training.

Corporations aligned with both political parties seek the lowest labor costs. Seemingly, more than ever they may become more amoral. Unions lean as toward allowing their leaders to also become driven by self-interest and secret benefits. The government entities establish more and more expensive agencies without a watchful political system that allows workforce abuses without measurable consequences.

Religious groups selfishly dream again of filling their pews, by encouraging lawless borders and apparent disregard for violent community developments.

Edward Gibbon accurately recorded the fall of civilization 1500 years ago led to 800 years of the Dark Ages. It was a period where mankind returned to almost total poverty and ignorance. We will help reverse the trend with a few of the steps listed below:

1. An elaborate new emphasis on production labor training (from quality road repair to quality space exploration).

2. The dedication of corporations, unions and state institutions to train, train and train local residents for productive employment.

3. Recognition that the private sector is more efficient at training than a bureaucratic government agency.  If possible, the private sector should be utilized first and provided reasonable incentives to expedite early success.

4. A moral recognition that training does not end with initial employment. Minority managers have often been ignored and forgotten after the second level.

No. 4 brings us back to racial issues. In public awareness are the outstanding achievements of blacks in the sports world. Do not buy the racial myth that attributes this emphatically to physical differences. Demographical statistics and research do not generally support this opinion.

All races are equal in overall human capabilities. If the black race can dominate the “jump shot,” they can dominate the chemistry lab.  The youth of America in every bracket who accept this truth of training and persistence can excel. Promotion and reward require the same sacrifices and focus.  Widespread prosperity cures the cancer of hate in most circumstances.

An increase of concern and focus by the majority for the minorities is absolutely essential to obtaining racial compatibility. The first focus and additional effort needs to be centered on training for skilled and productive positions, followed by offering more effective management training to minorities when appropriate. The private sector and capitalism is needed to provide incentive.

Too much has been given. Much can be willingly returned.

 

Jerold Dettle of Albert Lea is a member of the Freeborn County Republican Party.