An open letter to Dr. Chafe

by Robert P. Foxworth

Jun. 26, 2008

[This open letter to Dr. William Chafe was originally sent on June 12th. Chafe is the author of Civilities and Civil Rights, an important book exposing the progressive mystique that often prevents the real systemic change that those struggling from the grassroots hope and work for. Chafe spoke in Greensboro on April 10th about his book, and it is in response to this lecture that Bob Foxworth wrote the following letter.]

Dear Dr. Chafe:

Having read Civilities and Civil Rights, I came to your recent Greensboro presentation with great anticipation that you would apply the same power of analysis that you gave to Greensboro's history from 1940-1970 to subsequent events in Greensboro's more recent history. I was disappointed. Not only did you not speak with that power, your talk displayed a lack of knowledge, justifiable only because the program listed your subject as the period covered by your book. Technically, one could say you spoke to the subject.

I was disappointed that you admitted your ignorance of the Greensboro Truth & Community Reconciliation process, yet proceeded to pass judgment on it as past and failed. Before speaking to a Greensboro audience, as a responsible historian, I would hope you would have informed yourself about our community's recent history, particularly the ongoing work of applying recommendations of our Truth & Reconciliation Commission. You inferred that the process failed for lack of leadership of such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Reverend Peter Storey. You apparently are not aware that both were here in full support of our process and participated in meaningful ways shaping and guiding the process from their experience in South Africa. If you intended to say we needed people of stature and reputation such as a former governor or Supreme Court justice on the Commission, I refer you to Nelson Johnson's comments in the documentary Greensboro - Closer to the Truth. He points out that the Commission was a demonstration of real democracy at work: the carefully layered process of selecting relatively unknown ordinary citizens who performed their work extraordinarily well.

There is a growing list of groups both in the U.S and abroad that are expressing interest in learning how to apply the truth and reconciliation process that is evolving here. Indeed, the lack of governmental support and the City Council's official opposition to the Project, have become an inspiration to those who would start their own truth and reconciliation process. The experience of the GTCRP demonstrates that positive results can come from a grassroots, non-governmental project, truly emblematic of the truth of Frederick Douglas' observation, which you cited, that change only comes from struggle that originates with the people.

While thankful for your work on the history of Greensboro from 1940-1970, your disappointing response to the questions following your lecture in April has led some of us to wonder if your understanding of Greensboro's recent history has been clouded by the progressive mystique.

Sincerely,

Robert P. Foxworth

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