Eighteenth Note to “Be Prepared to Fight”

One of the more famous public debates and discussions during the civil rights era was the “Baldwin-Faulkner Debate” between what were the two biggest artistic and intellectual powerhouses of both Black America and White America during that particular time, namely, James Baldwin and William Faulkner. The former suggested that accommodation and assimilation into White America be imposed and fast-tracked. The latter suggested it should be gradual and slow. Nevertheless, neither one of them really suggested that separatism and segregation should be the norm and rule forever. The whole point is that the crossroads and fork in the road has been approached by Jew, Hispanic, Black, and Muslim alike. Muslims happen to be the last to approach it. And it’s a choice or a tradeoff between separatism and segregation from White America and White Europe on one hand, or accommodation and assimilation. I am in favor of the latter approach, for many reasons.