Speak Out!
The Modern-Day Civil Rights Movement
Fri, 12/14/2007 - 23:09 | Civil Rights
In a USA Today commentary, entitled "Blacks' protests lack unity of purpose," the writer comments on the state of the modern-day civil rights movement:
Unlike the past campaigns led by Martin Luther King Jr., today's leaders forget that there is as much a need for cohesion and transparency as for justice. It is a shame that at a time when civil rights are eroding and blacks are willing to mobilize, this opportunity might be squandered because of protest overkill and frayed leadership.Is today's civil rights movement in disarray?
What I Know for Sure
Comments
Of course it's in disarray.
Of course it's in disarray. Because of people such as a John McWorther, Larry Elder, and Rev. Jesse Lee Petersen tricking the masses of Caucasian people, and some Black people with their same old books on (the ills) of Black America. What am I saying here? I mean to sum up their books, they are continuously saying 'Black people are racist; Black people are whining; Black people are acting like victims; Black people are killing each other; Black people are displaying selective rage when a Black man is murdered by Caucasian Cops;" etc. etc.
Well what the masses haven't figured out yet is that they can also write books on the ills in Caucasian culture, about the ills in Hispanic culture, and Asian culture as well.
In other words, In Japan there is Japanese on Japanese crime. In Russia there is Russian on Russian crime, the same goes for China, Central America, wherever. There is evidence out there that clearly says that there are ills in White America. It is simply handled differently in the Judicial System, not to mention from the first responders, the Cops. So according to the three stooges I mentioned above, the masses believe that we have nothing to complain about. Are things better, of course they are. But a dad who abuses one of his two children while treating the other child well is still a bad daddy.
So while we have made a lot of gains, there are still injustices based on skin color. Mainly in the Judicial System if you ask me. So therefore there is still a need to fight for such a thing as Civil Rights, at least for all.
The worse thing we did was
The worse thing we did was asked, fought, cried and died to integration. I'm a big believer in fair play and we have not gotten a fair shake before during and after the death of our black soldiers. Malcolm X said it best, integration would not solve anything and as you can see he was right. Has it stopped the black man from having the highest unemployment, death and prison rate? The answer is No.
Today they say we don't stick together like we used to, how can we do that when the people we look up to are just as much as a problem in our community than the white man. The struggle is different; back then, those who were fighting didn’t have much, so they didn’t have anything to lose, but today silk suits, million dollar homes, and corporate sponsorship controls their actions so they are more of a problem than the system that we are under because they are the watch dogs for the system. It would be very hard for you, me and anybody else to give up their fame and fortune to get out here and stick their neck out for a race of people whom they even look down on. Things don't change unless you fight for change and we really don't have the balls for that.
I think that today's civil
I think that today's civil rights movement has no direction. Today's "Leaders" are out of tough with today's society. Granted we do need people to defend us but aren't there bigger issues than nappy headed hoes and rap music?
That's another reason that black leaders are not standing behind Barack Obama, because he threatens their existence. What has Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton done to really make change in the black community lately? I'm so tired of them jumping at every photo op, but no one is doing anything about the real issues.
I was really surprised at Cornell West's comments. What has Obama done for the black community? Have you even done the research? They want him to really embrace black issues in the primary which will pigeon hole him into being the "black" president instead of a president who's black. Not only will he not get elected that way- hello Jesse Jackson and Al Sharton, but do we really think that he would not fight for issues since he and his wife and his kids are black?!?!
Come on people; this is why we haven't accomplished anything in a long time. We have a chance for a black president and our civil rights leaders have turned into uncle toms, shuck and jive Maxine Waters and all the black churches that kiss the Clintons' behind and for every other prominent black person, Bob Johnson, keep selling out, but the young black people in America aren't fooled and were voting for Obama 08 not in 8 years Mr. Young! Martin Luther King said we will not be told to wait! So how could you, a former civil rights leader, tell us to wait to vote for Obama. I'm sure King would be turning over in his grave if he knew you were selling out for personal gain. So in closing, the young people are tired of the uncle toms who claim to look out for us. The country isn't the only thing that needs to change!!!!!!!
The movement if it were a
The movement if it were a computer is in sleep mode. We remain a deeply divided people. That will need to be energized once again. MLK speakers are far removed and playing politically safe. African-Americans are targeted by predator lenders in terms of housing, credit cards and automobile purchases. Yet the system that promotes this is the same system that accidentally or purposely penalizes the community for failing to read the bottom line or fine print.
This is systematic of how this same system refines itself as soon as African-American learn how it really works. Civil Rights leaders and movement pacers are not looking inward towards rebuilding a foundation that helps those who help themselves. There is a new version of discrimination that is trapping African-Americans that is poor credit records. This prevents them from obtaining employment that they may be suited for in terms of education and experience. The blame is itself the fault of the person that gets themselves in the situation. Prosperity and growth are slowed when we fail to learn from the past.
Civil Rights organizations can help in this area. 1) Reaching back into communities and building a base consisting of trust and confidence. 2) That we somehow bridge the mistrust that exists in the African-American community. 3) Educating both genders on the importances of life, personal growth and fitting into the global society.
African-Americans are 10% of the nation populace. In most companies African-American representation is less than 5% of the workforce. Diversity representation is based on the global community and not necessarily of the nation. The first excuse is we cannot find qualified applicants. Could it be that there is another reason. While a percentage of employment has monumental for African-American-American women, it is not for American-American men. This is not new, check history, other than the manufacturing community, military and in some cases USPS, where has the concentration of American-African males have been widely embraced. I'm sorry I left out incarceration facilities.
We are not considered not at a point in our country when an individual is hired based on their ability and education background, instead they are hired based upon their credit and medical record. I have always said that if you have a qualified African-American and a less than qualified White American 9 out of 10 times the White applicant be hired simply because they are white. As wrong as they may seem it happens. Background a friend of mine who is white indicated and not meaning he or I were racist, but indicated that he will get the job because he is white. How lucky was he? He got the job with little background or qualification.
Money-Poverty-Greed-Educated
Money-Poverty-Greed-Educated Negroes living the better life! How can anyone help a people who live in poverty as a people. The only way to get out is to steal-sell drugs-die-become educated in the ways of the White Man and how he likes his companies run-sport's-music-actors! The civil rights movement is so dead that it's shame on us as a people. What do we build as business people? What product do we market when whites take what we do and make it theirs-what do we as a people control? We can dance for them sing for them entertain them; we can go to jail for them while they make a profit on our dying young men and women who sold and are still selling their drugs on the street of america. CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT crack -vs- cocaine.
It has been roughly three
It has been roughly three decades since the major civil rights movement led by Dr. King and others. Although the issues we face haven’t qualifiedly changed, it should be expected that we as a community must regroup after lying dormant for so long. We must continue in dialogue in order to solve these problems. Yes, the issues remain multiple and we need to bring them all to the forefront in order to resolve them.
It is not a question of too many protests; in fact, often is the case that there is a failure on our part as citizens and part of the community at large in addressing injustice, discrimination, and the disparities that exist in our communities. Black folks in 2007 are more polarized than at any other time in our history in America. Undoubtedly, there is a need to organize our efforts locally, regionally and nationally; this is a process that will require a varied approach in the age of technology and our ever-changing communities. This issue does not solely rest with “leadership”; we have a responsibility to build bridges and reach out to each other beyond our comfort zones across the economic, education, and neighborhood lines. Check out the Advocacy Alert page focused on the AIDS crisis in our communities, it says, “we are the ones we have been waiting for”.
Six months ago I had the awesome opportunity to hear Mr. Smiley speak about civic responsibility and activism in Milwaukee, WI. He began his speech with “do what’s in right in front of you”, simple and effective. Unfortunately, ninety-percent of the people who most probably needed to be in attendance were missing in action. Three weeks ago, a cousin who resides in Milwaukee buried her twenty-one year old son, shot down in front of their home, senseless… I know his death was avoidable, as are the vast majority of the homicides we are experiencing among young black men in our communities. I am so very sick and tired of this, now is the time to speak out, not fetter in complacency.
I pray that we draw strength from each other, and remain steadfast in our well-doing. When we adopt this attitude, our efforts are not in vain, nor squandered; when we agree to commit to the fight as individuals working to correct our behavior as well collectively to improve our communities for however long it takes, change is imminent. The question is are we dedicated to do so and do we have the strength to endure?
Peace be with you
One major problem as I see it
One major problem as I see it is our folk cannot stand to take orders. I'm not sure if this is consistent with all people however, I do witness this often especially in our young people. And although I’m not all that young I include myself in this as well. (But when you know better you do better).
Now we incur a larger problem when our power structure has the same issue and refuse to bend to it or even acknowledge it. By power structure I mean African American Preachers, who in my humble opinion will not work together to build citywide, statewide, or even nationwide programs in order to further our cause. We cannot get together in a way conducive to achieve such a goal because someone has to be the leader. And I doubt these Kats that head their own mega-churches are going to follow nobody! Keeping in mind that preachers are only people, I just chose them because who better to understand that a good leader ought to be able to be a good follower. And with all of our billions of dollars in spending power, be careful; that money comes from white folk. We had better get busy. HOLLA!
African Americans are in need
African Americans are in need of an economic plan. Is there one? Yes, there is! Please
visit: www.famdo.com
Disarray may be too harsh of
Disarray may be too harsh of a description, I believe multiple disparities have caused us to lose focus. What appears to be chaos or disarray could simply be our
separate but collective attempt to manage, fix, and or cope with the various needs within our community.
"High horses need to be
"High horses need to be dismounted and ears must come to the ground to hear the whispers of those who have given up on power all together. The Church needs to re-inject morality, not "praisology" back into our culture. The leaders need to lead people to self empowerment stop leading them in slogan poetry. The intelligentsia need to see from the ground up and not ivy tower down. The politicians need to ride the elephant and lead the donkey instead of being trampled by the circus animal and having their face stuck up the ass."
HiddenVoice has spoken with a lot of validity. Many Leaders P.U.S.H (Protest Until Someone Hands-over-the-money) for their own ego, not the voice of the people. Maybe it's time to PUSH the out of step and out of touch to the side and allow the younger lions to lead the pack. Maybe it's time for them to "advise instead of despise the youth instead of holding on with the long old tooth"! (I ain't no Al Sharpton).
THE MODERN-DAY CIVIL RIGHTS
THE MODERN-DAY CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
Is today’s civil rights movement in disarray?
The only reason why the civil rights movement or any other black movement is in disarray is the simple lack of leadership WHO HAS an ear-to hear what the people are saying. We have people in leadership now that recruit your support but once you are under the umbrella for change-you find out that your microphone has been silenced and you can no longer be heard by the chief in charge.
Your opinions are like all the other opinions stacked in a pile of mail or in an inbox of emails waiting to be deleted. Leadership comes with a high price and I don’t quite think that our leaders get that. When you step into the shoes of Martin Luther King Jr. you better be prepared to be overwhelmed with questions that should be answered. I personally don’t feel like our leadership is humanly prepared to process the need and concerns of the people. First off you need staff that understands your vision and is well prepared as a disciple to accomplish that need.
I find it disheartening that we have a separation between the leaders/people ON EVERY CORNER. Instead of uniting the cause -the leaders are separating us all. There are a lot of pretenders/actors for the Civil Rights Movement. So many people are asking questions that will never get answered. It’s sad but it's protocol for today’s leaders.
Anytime you answer the call of advocacy –that call comes with a demand. If your staff is not large enough or sensitive enough to answer that call then something needs to be rearranged... The first thing you get when you try to contact these leaders is an automated response-cool-but what about the downtime in between- where some kind of response is needed. Is there no time allowed for a response? These are simple things that make people not want to be a part of a movement that seems to be overlooked -all the time.
There are far too many people out there that truly want to be a part of the platform for change but no one is listening. They are too busy planning the next show. They forget about who is part of the audience that they speak to. When you say disarray a state of disorder; confusion-yeah I can see that happening.
No one wants to listen. Even when you express your concerns over and over again no one is seriously there with a sensitive ear. Proverbs 18:19 and offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city. When we have absence of peace, we have confusion. Most people want to express how they feel on different situations so that resolutions can be made.
Numbers 20:12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land that I give thee. The leaders will not lead the people into the Promised Land or any other land without God.
I have learned that most leaders try to be too deep in theory -when the only thing that we ask for is the KISS RULE…KEEP IT SIMPLE SAINT. We don’t want you to go so deep that we have to get an interpreter to understand you language. Simplicity rules!
Have an ear for the people and not when you think that it’s convenient or the camera’s rolling. Be genuine at heart and the movement that is disarray will come together in unity. I get so tired of seeing a flashcard show with all the so called leaders scrambling for the spotlight while the people sit back in confusion waiting on GENUINE TRUTH.
Civil Rights Movement Leaders-SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT- Your voice is not the only voice…Stop ignoring the people! Don’t be so profound that you are no earthly good…
In my opinion the civil
In my opinion the civil rights movement has been in disarray since 1968. Our Black leaders during this period and past have expressed moving from ECONOMIC ENSLAVEMENT to ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT and we as Black Americans have failed there. We are the largest consumers in the U.S.A. and worth some TRILLION of DOLLARS plus BLACK America owns no hotels, super markets, malls, sporting arenas, convention halls, etc, etc.
ECONOMIC POWER should be BLACK AMERICA'S GOAL FOR OUR YOUTH and pushed by CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS and other interest groups.