Posted on 11/17/2008 11:30:44 AM PST by mdittmar
NEW ORLEANS -- To Marc Lamont Hill, the election of Barack Obama proves black America can reach a goal once considered unattainable, but it doesn't end the fight on such issues as education reform, job creation and fair wages _ a focus of a State of the Black World Conference opening in New Orleans this week.
"Barack Obama is not going to change everything. But what he can do is be an ally, rather than an enemy to our struggle the way George Bush has for the last eight years," said Hill, an assistant professor of urban education and American studies at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Hill is among hundreds of black leaders expected in New Orleans for the conference, organized by the Institute of the Black World 21st Century.
The goal of the gathering is to devise policy initiatives that can be promoted nationally, from improving education to bringing parity in drug sentencing and cracking down on inner-city gun violence. They also want to capitalize on grassroots energy generated by Obama's election to push for more change in local communities.
Hill noted issues ranging from expansion of a living wage to strides in unionization and reaffirming a commitment to public education where he believes Bush has let urban, black and working-class communities down.
"Millions of people marched on ballot boxes because they had hope," said Ron Daniels, president of the institute. "Now, we want to translate that hope into tangible policies which will advance the interests of not only black people, (but also) Latinos, Asians, Native Americans and poor and working people in the middle class."
The conference, which opens Wednesday, will seek the viewpoints of veteran civil rights leaders such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson and up-and-coming leaders like Hill and Veronica Conway. Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan is expected to speak Sunday, the final day of the conference.
Conway, a career and life coach in northern California, said Obama's election left a "profound imprint" on the nation and opened up new possibilities. She likened it to the running of the first 4-minute mile.
"I think that the issue of race has always been very polarizing (but) I think it's becoming less so," said Conway, 41. "I think black's becoming the new white, like, it's kind of cool to be black now."
However, she plans to issue a call to action during the conference.
"I think, very often at black conferences, we talk about our issues ad nauseum. We don't leave with any action accountability," she said. "That's not good enough anymore, business as usual in the black world."
She said there must be an end to blacks' historical assumption they are victims, and moves to act progressively without "permission from the dominant culture."
Obama's election also marked a "moment of redemption for white people, quite frankly," she said.
"A lot of people were very relieved. There's something that got healed, I think, in this moment," she said.
Obama's win, the breaking of that barrier, also provided youth _ who often see hiphop stars as powerful _ with an alternative image of a strong man, she said.
Bringing in the younger generation, whose texting and YouTube ways of communicating are in contrast with traditional mass marches of civil rights advocates, will be key to continue making strides in pushing for change, Conway and others say.
Hill, 29, who considers the 67-year-old Jackson a friend and mentor, said having an intergenerational dialogue _ learning from veteran leaders, understanding what they accomplished and what they endured _ is critical.
"In the history of America, I would argue, there's never been a battle that we've fought for that we didn't win, and there's never been any social victory, or any victory, that we didn't fight for," he said. "So, fighting's not only desireable, it's necessary. It's our obligation, and when you understand it as an obligation to our ancestors and to our children, it keeps you going."
Here is the slant that I don’t quite think you are picking up on-
Let ‘em play victim. But if that’s what they want, that’s all they get.
“Oh well. You’re screwed. Because of slavery, you’re doomed to a hopeless life of begging for handouts. Same with your kids. Same with their kids. And so on, for ever. There is nothing you can ever do about it.”
Then they may ask themselves at some point, “hey wait a minute. I CAN change things around. I can take responsibility for myself if I want to!”
If they reach that point, great. If they don’t so what? At least we can end the discussion.
-”It’s over. You right. Slavery ruined you and all of your progeny for time everlasting. Now that we settled that, waddaya wanna talk about next?”
What if whites were to meet to discuss the rising tide of black racism? What would the MSM say?
The problem is, their claims of racism and victimhood=increasing discrimination of whites, redistribution of their property, their children wrongly passed over for places in universities, for jobs, being unable to speak honestly without social approbation or even a material price to pay, and a thousand other ways we pay for their self-imposed victimhood. If we didn’t have to pay the price, I couldn’t care less if they want to wallow in it, but we do.
Used to be Black nation, now it’s Black world. Used to be change and transcend, now it’s just change. Got bigger on one end, smaller on the other.
What got healed?
There are still as many black on black crimes.
There are still as many AA teenagers getting pregnant
There are still as many AA babies aborted.
There are still as many AA unemployed.
A bi-racial man was elected President. So all is better?
Until the AA citizens realize that these self appointed leaders and white liberals have been their problem not their solution, you could elect 100 AA presidents and it wouldn’t improve their lives.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.