STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Attorney general addresses Washington Lawyers Committee on Civil Rights
"Over the last several weeks, we have witnessed brazen acts of violence," he says
He cites recent shootings in Kansas, Arkansas and Washington
Political activism can't justify killings or threats, he says
Let me start off by saying "I DON'T BLAME ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER FOR HIS FOCUS ON 'IMPORTANT KILLINGS'". This is what the Black community has lobbied for over the years.
Now that the Nation of Islam story that I referred to earlier is on line please afford me the opportunity to present it once again: The Final Call ->Surviving The Summer
In the wake of 3 "important" murders as valuated by the national press we have finally heard from our new Attorney General. This follows on his comments earlier this year about the need for "racial dialogue".
IF I was not following the real issues that Black America is concerned about and "What is making Black people cry" then I too would be applauding the call for action by A.G. Holder after seeing these "3 Important" murders.
In the wake of a MURDER A DAY in each of certain metro areas that I can think of - THIS IS AN OUTRAGE. My anger is not focused upon Eric Holder. He is only doing what, in effect, the so called Civil Rights Establishment has driven him to see as "important".
Back in Feburary 2009 when the White House web site was updated with their "civil rights priorities" I TOLD YOU that they were focused upon "protection of minorities"...........but their view of "protection" meant "PROTECTION FROM WHITE FOLKS!!!".
THE STRATEGIC FLAWS THAT KILL
As I make my observations upon the Black community I am amazed the the level of tolerance that my people express even at the face of great turmoil and angst. On the one hand I am hearing various political and media operatives telling of the "summer of death" that is upon our community, killing our young people. Sadly these voices are disconnected from a coordinated movement to pressure federal resources like Eric Holder to "Do Something".
On the other hand I am monitoring the situation with favored Black political leadership and the political protection that they receive despite this angst. Just yesterday I published the story about how Reverend Eugine Rivers in Boston registered a scathing report against the management of governor Duval Patrick - a Black Democrat over the the state. Rivers tells of the lack of action by the state government at a great time of need by the community. I have seen several reports on and interviews that included Rev Rivers and I have seen nothing that gives me concern about the man's interigty and commitment to the community.
Standing in puzzlement against Rev Rivers' comments was the "coordinated Black Clergy" of the area. They fired back saying "We support governor Patrick 100%". This is yet another example of how, with this strategic flaw in place - various operatives within the Black community think that by promoting protection of "the Black guy in chief" over taking "the office of power to task", REGARDLESS of whom is sitting in the seat that somehow "the BLACK BEST INTERESTS" are being advanced.
As I stand back and observe the patterns that I see I am forced to say the total opposite - the Black Best Interests are made to suffer when they get "favored people" into power. These operatives show that our grievances are SUBJECTIVE, CONDITIONAL and NEGOTIABLE, instead of being heart felt and immutable demands. As such those who are making these demands don't deserve to have their demands met - this is not their primary interests.
At times I struggle to understand why some people even bother to put a "favorable person" into power. Their activist milieu has them more inclined toward "protest and outrage". Thus once they get "one of their own" into office they in effect become IMPOTENT in their effectiveness toward the community's best interests.
These operatives are the root of the "Voter Nullification" that swirls like a thick morning fog over too many Black communities. The "hope" for expanded "head count" in powerful places and the perceived "pride" that comes from it - sublimates the traditional management constructs that are used to have the people's frustrations put upon those who CONTROL THE INSTITUTIONS THAT THEY LOOK TO FOR CIVIL SERVICES.
The Lack Of National Coordination
Eric Holder, the Attoney General of the United States stands at a point similar to any Civil Rights Era attorney general. He can either view these serial murders of Black people as independent, disconnected events........OR he can see the need to make a "class action" initiative that recognizes the high and unacceptable rate of homicides that are taking the lives of too many of our young people.
In taking this course his biggest opponents will be certain eleements WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. Any law enforcement based strategy will be seen as "putting more Black men in jail".
The only solution is to have those people who always thwart law enforcement initatives to be made to come through on their claims that "preemtive investments in the community will mititage these problems". Thus if BLACK LIFE IF INDEED VALUABLE....why do you wait for the GOVERNMENT to provide the funding? If there was ever a time to say "People Over Profits" it is now when this message needs to be said to BLACK PEOPLE - cajoling them to spend more time volunteering. More importantly Black parents need to be made to be more accountable for their own kids via the time spent with them giving them direction.
Again I ask - What good is to have a favorable person in office when your key Permanent Interests are not being addressed - JUST AS THEY SOLD YOU AS PRIOR TO THE ELECTION?
6 comments:
Having a black person in political office is most times more of a placebo. Blacks feel better and want to believe that the person has our "best interests" foremost in mind. Sadly, too often the results yield no improvements. This is especially true with black school board members.
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23428832&postID=7992270548660597066&isPopup=true
You should have a field day with this comments.
OldSchoolFool:
Then we must conclude that: "Our community has done everything necessary to remain as we are".
My frustration, however, is with a personal friend of mine (I am going to post about it later) who keeps claiming that NO MATTER HOW MANY BLACKS AND FAVORABLE WHITES we elect - SLAVERY AND JIM CROW are the primary reasons why we have our problems today.
THIS is the IGNORANCE that both allows the INEFFECTIVE Black politician to thrive (I did not say that ALL OF THEM are ineffective).
THIS type of thinking stifles the normal management toward excellence process. When failure occurs it is NOT time for a new system - IT IS BECAUSE OF RACISM!!!
I get more frustrated by "educated Black people" who are tied to their bigotry and ignorance than I do those of us who don't have education and are just trying to get by for another day. By far this educated class is failing to lead.
All discussions about "Black progress" can be boiled down to two issues: 1) those things over which we have control as individuals and as a community; 2) those things over which government should take the lead. These two problem areas should be worked in tandem; however, there exists an imbalance in the amount of attention/energy we've been devoting to them.
The big problem I see is that we spend far too much time focusing on #2 (i.e. school/pupil funding, better policing, employment assistance, programs for the economically disadvantaged) and not enough time on #1 (i.e. taking education seriously, staying in school, building two-parent families, finding and keeping decent employment, building partnerships with teachers and other authority figures).
Human nature plays a big role in this, as it is always much easier to sit back and complain about the other guy/entity than to assess what we can do and begin the hard work of forging a better life for ourselves and those we love. Unfortunately, the "civil rights" leaders of our day have been playing to #2 while neglecting to exhort the people to attend to #1 as well. This is in part because they assume that's not what people want to hear (although deep down the "leaders" know that's what they need to hear) and also because improvements in the community brought on by self initiative could threaten their livelihood.
ROn Dellums may be curing Oakland of the trouble you describe in your post. I hope so, at least.
Anon:
I would be far more impressed if you were to:
* Detail the strategy that Ron Dellums is using
* Measure the EFFECTIVENESS of it and not just the INTENTIONS
* Communicate the elements that are WORKING to other areas around the nation
* Purge the ineffective strategies that have failed along with the politicians and community actor-vists that seek to cling to the failed elements.
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