Will Racism Ever Go Away...?
Don Imus' comments on his radio show has opened the door for lots of debate, and while his words were unfortunate, the result may be exactly the opposite.
While my personal opinion is that the country is overreacting to comments a man made during a radio show with a history of much more "colorful" content, I foresee a battle that has been fought for years rising to a new level.
If handled correctly, we could see a needed change in society; unfortunately, with Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson leading the cause, it can never be taken seriously.
The problem in the black community is leadership. We hear outrage that young black men are targeted by police, lack of minority enrollment in our colleges and universities, and few black business leaders, but while agenda-driven leaders want to blame "the man" for problems facing inner cities, it's rare to hear a challenge directed at a culture that needs strong, competent, and courageous leadership.
Hip-hop and rap are not problems for black Americans -- they're problems for young Americans, only Black American's assemble a large percentage of listeners.
Is it because I'm getting older and can see the damage being done to society?
Censorship would suppress unacceptable parts of society, and as a person who believes in libertarianism, I cannot support government censorship.
I would, however, like to see a strong black leader stand up and tell society that going to jail should not enhance a person's street credibility.
When the uneducated are the ones living in poverty, dealing with drug and alcohol abuse, and finding they can't find a job that pays above minimum wage, they need to be told dropping out of school will never be the answer.
We do hear, however, that education is the answer. No one believes it.
I yearn for the day a black leader stands in front of a microphone and tells America that "the man" is not responsible for white and black people alike living in the projects, but it's a matter of personal choice. Getting educated and a respectable job is the key to long-term success.
We need leaders like Barack Obama to show black America that if you're educated, you can achieve anything.
Oprah is living proof that you can escape poverty and a troubled childhood by working hard and getting an education.
Actor and activist Bill Cosby, Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson of BOND, Juan Williams of National Public Radio, and Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star have all been outspoken against the direction of black America.
These are the type of leaders we need to step up in society, but they can't express a negative opinion about their own people without being blasted for doing so.
These leaders 'get it.' Agenda-driven Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson do not.
Some people would have you believe that the reason the leadership doesn't exist is because 'White America' doesn't allow enough black talk-show hosts. Perhaps; but with men like Tavis Smiley too quick to yell racism instead of personal responsibility, executives are apprehensive about bringing that attitude to their airwaves.
I don't know what it's like to walk down the street and have a woman clinch her purse tighter as I pass by, and I've never been pulled over for DWB (driving while black). I don't want to trivialize racism -- because it truly does exists -- but at some point a black man has to stop blaming someone else for the attitude directed to them.
We need a leader in Black America to stand up and say that these actions aren't acceptable, and to tell society to stop blaming racism and start calling for -- and teaching -- personal responsibility. We're one society, and one people.
When we start working together is when we'll affect real change.
While my personal opinion is that the country is overreacting to comments a man made during a radio show with a history of much more "colorful" content, I foresee a battle that has been fought for years rising to a new level.
If handled correctly, we could see a needed change in society; unfortunately, with Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson leading the cause, it can never be taken seriously.
The problem in the black community is leadership. We hear outrage that young black men are targeted by police, lack of minority enrollment in our colleges and universities, and few black business leaders, but while agenda-driven leaders want to blame "the man" for problems facing inner cities, it's rare to hear a challenge directed at a culture that needs strong, competent, and courageous leadership.
Hip-hop and rap are not problems for black Americans -- they're problems for young Americans, only Black American's assemble a large percentage of listeners.
Is it because I'm getting older and can see the damage being done to society?
Censorship would suppress unacceptable parts of society, and as a person who believes in libertarianism, I cannot support government censorship.
I would, however, like to see a strong black leader stand up and tell society that going to jail should not enhance a person's street credibility.
When the uneducated are the ones living in poverty, dealing with drug and alcohol abuse, and finding they can't find a job that pays above minimum wage, they need to be told dropping out of school will never be the answer.
We do hear, however, that education is the answer. No one believes it.
I yearn for the day a black leader stands in front of a microphone and tells America that "the man" is not responsible for white and black people alike living in the projects, but it's a matter of personal choice. Getting educated and a respectable job is the key to long-term success.
We need leaders like Barack Obama to show black America that if you're educated, you can achieve anything.
Oprah is living proof that you can escape poverty and a troubled childhood by working hard and getting an education.
Actor and activist Bill Cosby, Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson of BOND, Juan Williams of National Public Radio, and Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star have all been outspoken against the direction of black America.
These are the type of leaders we need to step up in society, but they can't express a negative opinion about their own people without being blasted for doing so.
These leaders 'get it.' Agenda-driven Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson do not.
Some people would have you believe that the reason the leadership doesn't exist is because 'White America' doesn't allow enough black talk-show hosts. Perhaps; but with men like Tavis Smiley too quick to yell racism instead of personal responsibility, executives are apprehensive about bringing that attitude to their airwaves.
I don't know what it's like to walk down the street and have a woman clinch her purse tighter as I pass by, and I've never been pulled over for DWB (driving while black). I don't want to trivialize racism -- because it truly does exists -- but at some point a black man has to stop blaming someone else for the attitude directed to them.
We need a leader in Black America to stand up and say that these actions aren't acceptable, and to tell society to stop blaming racism and start calling for -- and teaching -- personal responsibility. We're one society, and one people.
When we start working together is when we'll affect real change.
Labels: Philosophy, Politics, Racism, Religion
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