After viewing a video of Dr. Dwight Mullen’s Feb. 2 speech to Carolina Jews for Justice in Asheville —  as well as three other videos showing Mullen’s recent public commentary (including one during a meeting of the all-black Community Reparations Committee, of which he is the chair) — the Daily Planet noticed a number of his assertions that raise questions about whether he, himself, is a racist.

To that end, the Daily Planet interviewed Mullen by telephone on April 8, when, despite a busy Easter weekend surrounded by family, he made time to field questions about what the newspaper deemed some of his most controversial comments.

While steadfastly stating that none of his comments in question were, in his view, racist, he also cautioned his critics to avoid taking his opinions out of context.

Among Mullen’s comments that were questioned in the interview were the following:

• He said that whites are untrustworthy — “in everything.”

• He refers to white people today as “colonizers.”

• He calls for a pluralistic society and sees segregation as an opportunity to create black institutions for black persons that are run by black persons. 

•He claims that the 1964 Civil Rights Act/14th Amendment was only to stop racial discrimination against blacks. 

The interview began with a question about Mullen’s repeated statements — in the Jews for Justice video — that whites are untrustworthy “in everything.” 

On what does he base his opinion? the Daily Planet asked. Are other racial groups also untrustworthy based on the historical actions of persons of their race? Why are only white people responsible for the actions of the past, but no other race? 

Mullen responded that one has to be careful not to take his opinions out of context and, instead, place them into proper context. 

After denying that he feels that all whites, as individuals, are untrustworthy, he said of his video comments, “From the context of it, I meant that the institutions —education, housing” and other key areas that “we’re dealing with have not dealt with us (black Americans) in a trusting way in the past.”

“So does Mullen think that whites are all untrustworthy?” the Daily Planet asked

“ Of course, not,” Mullen replied, evenly. “In terms of individuals,” he does not feel that way. As he claimed the context of his statements show, he was referring to white institutions throughout America’s history.

He then reiterated, “White people’s institions have proven themselves not to be trustworthy, based on the experience of black people through the history of this country...”

Mullen added, “White-run institutions have definitely been untrustworthy, but as far as white people (individually), just like black folk, some are wonderful and some are not.”

Next, the Daily Planet asked Mullen about his comments on video, wherein he states that white people today are “colonizers.”

“Why does he call white people ‘colonizers?’” the newspaper asked him. “Is the term derogatory in his mind? Are any other races ‘colonizers?’” 

In response, Mullen said, “I think there is a history of colonization (by whites) ... The Colonial Era was run by Europeans — and (white) Americans were complicit. For those folks, it was (considered) the ‘white man’s burden.’”

When the Daily Planet brought up the complicity — in the history of the Colonial Era slave trade — of black African tribal chieftains in selling their fellow black tribesmen — to the whites, Arabs and other racial groups of slave-traders — for various treasures, Mullen scoffed at the very notion that blacks could be blamed for any aspect of slavery.  

What’s more, he asserted, “I don’t think there was much knowledge of what they (the African chieftains) were selling people into.”

As for his call in a video for a pluralist society and his view of segregation as an opportunity to create black institutions for black persons run by black persons, he replied, “I wouldn’t call it ‘segregation’” that he is seeking.

Continuing, he said, “It (segregation) was imposed on people. So black people adopting white supremacy doesn’t make” for progress.

“I think we’re part of a mixed race society. I think we have black communities and white communities and mixed communities, the question is: “How we can make it work together?”

In the same vein, the Daily Planet asked Mullen, “Which institions should be segregated? He already stated “schools,” so would that include Peak Academy, where Mullen is on the board of directors? 

After a pause, Mullen replied, “You’d have a hard time finding a white institution,” where there is anything approaching a majority of blacks.

As for the Daily Planet’s fourth – and final — question for Mullen, the newspaper noted that he claims in a video that the 1964 Civil Rights Act/14th Amendment were never meant to be coloblind. 

“That’s right,” Mullen answered. “At no point do you see it (the Civil Rights Act) as trying to stop this societial racism. What it was designed to do is to stop the states and local government from harmiing black people. 

“With the passage of the Civil Rights Act, it was designed to stop Jim Crow segregration. It did it by law, but it did not do it by fact...

He added, “Segregation was never about just the separation of the races,. It was always more than that... 

“It always was designed to make sure that white people were in charge.

“And that’s what the laws (Civil Rights Act and similar legislation) attempted to stop,” Mullen told the Daily Planet, as the interview concluded.  

Mullen to discuss ‘Reparations’ at April 16 meeting

 From Staff Reports

Dr. Dwight Mullen will discuss “Reparations” during the 2:30 to 4 p.m. April 16 meeting of the Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville at 227 Edgewood Road in North Asehville (near UNCA). The meeting also will be available for viewing via Zoom. 

Mullen, a retired professor of political science at UNC Asheville, taught classes in public policy, American politics and African and African-American politics. 

“His scholarly activities include chairing panels and presenting papers at meetings of the National Conference of Black Political Scientists; overseeing research projects cover the State of Black Asheville, and serving in local, state, national and international capacities that aim to improve the delivery of public services to underserved populations,” according to an EHSA press release on his upcoming address.

The release invited those interested in Mullen’s speech to attend so that they can “learn about the history, purpose, process and challenges faced by the (reparations) commission. The commission of about 25 members, all of whom are black, is not only focused on historical injustice, but also present-day disparities and policies that still pose a problem.

“Reparations does not necessarily mean a check, although that is not off the table. Based on the International Center for Transitional Justice, reparations could include civil and political rights, physical rehabilitations and granting access to land, housing, health care or education,” the release noted