Posted on 07/08/2005 8:34:29 AM PDT by rightwingintelligentsia
MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - Two days before the oldest and best-known U.S. civil rights group holds its yearly convention in Milwaukee, black leaders in the city say their community is being torn apart from the inside.
Civil rights leaders like 57-year-old Prentice McKinney, who fought to free Milwaukee's blacks from the ghetto, say gangs, drugs and violence have left those who still live in the nation's urban cores in fear of the next generation.
"Back then, the enemy was clear, it was white racists, and racist police officers," said McKinney, who was a black teen-age "commando" in the 1960s and now runs a tavern once frequented by fellow activists.
"It was a legalized system of segregation. And so, the challenge was between the white establishment and the African-American population. Today, the African-American population is being destroyed by its own youth ... an enemy from within."
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.myway.com ...
Didn't Bill Cosby say this too?
I wonder how long until the grand chastisement comes down from on high, and these honest folks are silenced or forced to offer a significant backpedaling retraction.
This free think cannot be tolerated if one is to be a victim.
The decline of the black family has lead to the inner city problems. This goes the same for any social group as well. The rest of America isn't that far behind.
They fear the younger generations, but still blame the whites.
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This guy now runs a bar in the hood? You gotta love it...
How you do "win economic equality for blacks?" Does that mean holding out your hand waiting for government to fill it with money? If that is what it means, Mr. Gordon is going to be very disappointed.
Something like 85% of blacks in prison are there because of black-on-black crime...you can't paper over those stats..
Nice to hear some honesty once in a while. Bill Cosby thankfully has some backup these days.
I'm afraid that until any victim group stops blaming others for their problems they're not going to see any solutions soon.
A willingness to become educated is another issue. It is not "acting White" or "selling out" to learn how to speak correctly, or learn how to add or subtract. The problem is not poor schools, but a disinclination amongst many of those in the ghetto to become educated.
At least he runs something. That puts him ahead of some of his peers.
an enemy from within
Can you say liberalism?
*shrugs*
Hopefully it will continue.
Milwaukee still has a terrible inner city, but I was shocked this last week when I went home how much some predominantly black neighborhoods have improved. Homes have been improved, yards are clean and flowerbeds are full. If you haven't lived in Milwaukee, you don't know how big of a step this is.
Even MLK Blvd which years ago I would not even drive down has some good areas of development taking place.
There is I think a certain pride being restored in parts of the city of Milwaukee and I think leaders in that community are starting to realize that, YES some of the problems are of their own doing.
I can only hope that things continue to improve. Statements like those in the article give me hope for Milwaukee yet.
Self inflicted slavery of ignorance.
Haa Haa Haa - Wait till the first crack house is busted and something goes wrong. Wait until an honor student shoots at a cop and gets killed!
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