A single ‘Black leader’ is non-existent
July 24, 2008
Chicago Defender
- We present this as a public service announcement: Anyone who is seeking to speak to a “Black leader” should immediately cease and desist.
We recognize that politicians, the mainstream media, and sometimes even Black people, go out searching for a “Black leader” to opine on any number of subjects.
They seek out a “Black leader” to speak for the Black community. They seek out a “Black leader” to speak for other Black people. They seek out a “Black leader” to represent the thoughts, hopes, dreams, aspirations, disappointments and frustrations of Black people. And they would like for all of those things to be wrapped up in one person.
That person does not exist.
Poll: Blacks, whites don’t see eye-to-eye on race relations
July 23, 2008
- A new national poll suggests that black and white Americans don’t see eye-to eye-on race relations and racial discrimination.
In a CNN/Essence Magazine/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Tuesday morning, 43 percent of African-Americans questioned say that racial discrimination against blacks is a very serious problem, with only 11 percent of whites agreeing. On the flip side, 42 percent of whites surveyed say that racial discrimination against blacks is not a serious problem, with only 12 percent of blacks agreeing.
More than half of blacks questioned say they’ve been the victim of racial discrimination. But only 32 percent of white respondents said they’ve been a victim of discrimination because of their race, a difference of 24 points.
There’s also a difference of opinion when it comes to the future. Fifty-one percent of blacks polled say that race relations will always be a problem in the U.S. Only 41 percent of white respondents agreed.
When it comes to their children, a slight majority, 55 percent, of black respondents with kids under the age of 18 say they feel financially secure to provide for their children. That number rises to 72 percent for whites questioned in the survey.
The survey was conducted from March 26 to April 2, with 2,184 adult Americans, equally split between black and white respondents, questioned by telephone.
The survey has a sampling error of plus or minus two percentage points.
Could an Obama presidency hurt black Americans?
July 22, 2008
John Blake, CNN
- “We had a dream. Now it’s a reality.”
That’s the slogan on a popular T-shirt linking Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential run to the Rev. Martin Luther King’s dream of racial equality. It’s one of several T-shirts — including “Barack is my homeboy”– that reflect African-American’s euphoria over Obama’s White House bid.
But there are others who warn that an Obama presidency could hurt African-Americans. They say that an Obama victory could cause white Americans to ignore entrenched racial divisions while claiming that America has reached the racial Promised Land.
Jackson, Sharpton need to step aside
July 22, 2008
WILLIAM T. HOSTON, Wichita Eagle
- With all due respect, the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton need to step aside and allow a new generation of black politicians and activists to emerge. The self-described “civil rights” politician-activists are making a mockery of themselves and the entire black community. Their respect in the black community has diminished (if not vanished), and it is safe to assume their respect is obsolete within the white political culture.
Recent comments by Jackson may even illustrate that he is not in support of the historical achievement of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., as the first African-American Democratic presidential nominee.
The vulgar comments made by Jackson — that he wanted to castrate Obama — show that there may be a certain amount of generational jealousy. We all know that Jackson’s landmark presidential run in 1984 helped pave the way for the Democratic nomination of Obama. However, Jackson’s recent tirade has led many to question whether he is jealous of Obama’s progress toward becoming the first African-American president. Even Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., expressed his disgust with his father’s comments, stating they “contradict his inspiring and courageous career.”
Timing, Bush help Obama cut racial gap
July 21, 2008
Dawn Turner Trice, Chicago Tribune
- Last week, a New York Times/CBS News poll suggested that even though Sen. Barack Obama is poised to make history next month by becoming the country’s first African-American presidential nominee, it is difficult to ignore the issue gap that persists between black and white America.
According to the poll, nearly 60 percent of African-American respondents said race relations were pretty sour. Thirty-four percent of whites felt similarly. Forty percent of blacks polled said there has been no progress in recent years in eliminating racial discrimination; less than 20 percent of whites felt similarly.
One of the most striking (but maybe not really) findings of the poll was that although black and white Americans disagreed on almost all of its questions, blacks and whites did agree that the country was ready to elect a president who’s half black and half white.
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