University of Virginia Library

Ethnic Entity

"America is not a melting pot,"
he said, "and I think we would do
well to stop talking about it. We are
pluralistic.

"We must enter the society as a
group, an ethnic entity; but make it
or not as individuals."

Mr. Farmer thinks society has
abandoned the "myth of color-blindness."
He said that what is
needed is "color-consciousness" to
wipe out color discrimination. At
last we have gotten over the idea
that there's something wrong with
black people getting together. It's
not separatism or discrimination in
reverse."

Mr. Farmer said that unemployment
and poor housing were not
the causes of the riots in the past.
The cause was lack of a stake in
society. "People do not tear down
what they own, control, or have a
stake in."

Closing with a commentary on
national governmental policy, Mr.
Farmer said, "it is vital that the
Nixon administration make good
on its promises to advance the
economic development" of black
citizens.