Is There Any Such Thing As A “Black Issue”?!?
by Guest Contributor Average Bro, originally published at Average Bro
During the campaign season, lots of folks were critical of candidate Obama for not speaking out more vocally about issues that pertain to the African American community. Many saw his race-neutral style as one that largely skirted his ethnicity, and focused perhaps too much on catering to “mainstream America”. In the end, all this panned out. Obama pulled 95% of the black vote, which sounds ultra-impressive, but is more or less in line with what most Democrats running for President have received.
Anyways, Barry is in office now, and going about the bid’ness of saving the world, yet many are still holding his feet to the flame on these “black issues” and exactly what he’s going to do about them.
President Barack Obama should specifically address disparities in black unemployment, foreclosures, education and health care, the National Urban League says in its annual “State of Black America” report.
Despite the progress represented by the election of the first black U.S. president, blacks are twice as likely to be unemployed, three times as likely to live in poverty and more than six times as likely to be incarcerated, says the report, which was being released Wednesday by the civil rights organization.
Obama has said that the way for government to help minorities is by improving things like education, employment and health care for all Americans.
But “we have to be more specific,” said Marc Morial, president and CEO of the 99-year-old Urban League.
“The issue is not only (blacks) doing better, but in closing these persistent gaps in statistics in this country,” Morial told The Associated Press. “Our index shows that the gap in African-American status is about 71 percent that of white Americans. We will not rest until that number is at 100, and there is no gap.”
I suppose I get Morial’s point here. A black President should be more compassionate about Black folks than perhaps, well, a white guy, which is what every President prior to Obama was. As head of the Urban League, an organization that actually does grassroots level community work (unlike, say, the NAACP, whose mission I’m not really sure of), Morial also has the clout to pull such a card.
On the flipside, is there really any such thing as a “black issue”? Aren’t “black issues”, just plain ole “American issues”, albeit on steroids? Seriously, is there anything that genuinely qualifies as a uniquely “black issue”?
The achievement gap exists between black and white students, true. But it also exists between White and Asian students. Perhaps most alarmingly, the achievement gap persists amongst girls and boys of all races and ethnicities.
Unemployment always hits the black community hard, but when it’s raining on the whole country, the fact that your shirt’s been soaked a few minutes longer isn’t gonna win you much extra sympathy.
Crime is universal. Folks get offed errywhere. Sure, it happens a bit more frequently in places with high concentrations of poverty, but murders are hardly an exclusively black province. I don’t need to tell you about drugs.
A lot of black folks took a bath via predatory loans that lead to the collapse of the housing market, but only 6% of such risky loans were given to minorities as a whole. A sh*tload of white folks are in shelters right now too.
Many diseases hit blacks at staggering rates, but few of them are exclusively “black” problems. Hypertension is an American problem. As much as I hate the vocoder and the way it’s destroyed black music, it too, is an American problem.
So, with all that said, what exactly is a “Black Problem”?
Question: Is there such a thing as a “uniquely black issue” or are Black America’s issues just America’s issues, times 20?
Urban League asks Obama to address black issues [AP]
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
miss a. wrote:
I definitely think that the fact that more minorities are incarcerated at a higher rate than the white population is an eyebrow raiser. I refuse to believe that black men commit more crimes than any other race/gender.
Posted 14 Apr 2009 at 9:40 am ¶
CVT wrote:
I would say that there are, indeed, “Black Issues,” but the key is that they and, say, “White Issues” are not mutually exclusive. The things that affect black folks in this country are problems for other groups, as well, BUT it’s not just about “multiplying by 20″ – because that leaves out the race variable. It’s largely BECAUSE of race that these issues exist to such a high degree for black folks in this country – and glossing over that fact won’t help, either.
That said, it blows my mind how many people forget that – at the end of the day – Barack Obama is a POLITICIAN. He can’t make sweeping reforms. He doesn’t actually have the power to suddenly take a focused interest on “black issues” – it’s only by staying neutral that he even got voted in. I’m sure that it kills him how people are going to rip him for not doing more for “his people” – but it just doesn’t work like that in politics. Politics is all about compromise. And there’s no room for heavy involvement in “black issues” in a compromise. Half-efforts won’t be enough.
Obama’s election was a symbol of hope. He’ll be a fine president. But it’s going to take another 50 years or so until this country is ready for a high-up politician to actually focus on race.
Posted 14 Apr 2009 at 9:49 am ¶
jsb16 wrote:
That. And by the time the country (and the world because it’s not just a US problem) is ready for the President to focus on race, the need for that focus will be diminished, because of the groundwork progressives have done to get the country ready for that focus.
Posted 14 Apr 2009 at 10:18 am ¶
Brooklynperson wrote:
It’s largely BECAUSE of race that these issues exist to such a high degree for black folks in this country – and glossing over that fact won’t help, either.
I agree with CVT with the caveat that’s it’s going to be difficult only because no law can demand that people stop stereotyping, being prejudiced and making the judgements about others that lead to biased behavior. Of course you can make behavior illegal. It’s the mindset behind the behavior that’s the gist. What law is applicable to a mindset?
And how would Obama be able to change that, exactly? The changes have to come from within the people who hold the mindset, and that can’t be forced.
Posted 14 Apr 2009 at 10:34 am ¶
Winn wrote:
@CVT,
Cosign completely. You could play a semantic game, replacing “black issues” with something like, “issues that disproportionately affect people of color, primarily African Americans”, but that doesn’t change the fact that race is often the tipping point in both the specific ways in which communities are impacted by poverty, crime, limited access to healthcare, etc., and the degree to which those communities are affected. There are also historical antecedents rooted in prejudice and racism that may continue, by benign ignorance or unquestioning perpetuation, like residential housing discrimination or using social service programs to engender dependency and learned helplessness in communities of color specifically, black communities in particular. That’s why these claims that class trumps race and that socioeconomic factors should take precedence over racial ones in college admissions ring largely hollow. The education gap between whites and Asians is hardly marginalizing whites and preventing their social or economic advancement. We are all struggling economically, but when blacks continue to be the “last hired, first fired”, regardless of educational or experiential qualifications, it will take a lot longer for any economic turnaround to reach the black community, which will continue to support the persistent wage gap that exists between whites and blacks. And that wage gap bolsters the gulf in the accumulation of and ability to pass along wealth to future generations. Sorry, but that’s not exactly irrelevant, nor is it “America’s problems, times 20″. It is a problem that manifests economically, but is rooted in race. It is thus, a “black problem”.
It’s not irrelevant or reductive to point out that some social issues have a disparate and disproportionate impact on the African American community, and ignoring that will fail to address the roots of the problems or to get at real, sustainable, effective solutions. What responsibility Obama has to address these issues specifically is largely defined and constrained by the fact that he is no longer a community organizer, state senator, or even Congressperson, but President of the United States. Politics is about compromise, concessions, collaboration, and sacrifice. Ralph Nader showed his political cluelessness (along with some other, less admirable traits) when he tried to call Obama to task during the campaign for not speaking out enough on black issues. I’m sure Obama didn’t need Ralph Nader to tell him his job, just like Nader shouldn’t have needed anyone to tell him that what he was calling on Obama to do would have been politically foolish. These issues are going to have to benefit from a trickle down effect: social and public policies designed in an expansive, race-neutral way provide resources that can be targeted and implemented in a more specific fashion by workers and operatives on the ground and in the community. Obama’s job is to make it easier to get the kindling, but it is our job to light the fire and keep it going.
Posted 14 Apr 2009 at 12:21 pm ¶
lunanoire wrote:
It would be nice if the Obama administration was willing to send a representative to the summit on racism.
Posted 14 Apr 2009 at 12:50 pm ¶
Latoya Peterson wrote:
@lunanoire – open thread on that tomorrow.
Posted 14 Apr 2009 at 1:03 pm ¶
Tracey wrote:
I just want to start by saying there is a difference between compromise and selling out, not having any principles to stand on, giving in, pandering and etc.
With that said, I think a lot of the issues that disproportionately affect people of color need to be handled at the state or local level. I do believe there are things that could and should be done nationally but I understand how they might not be a top priority at this time (though I think they should be).
For instance, this ridiculous disparity in sentencing for cocaine and crack possession needs to be done away with. While there needs to be policy to address this issue that can be enacted nationally, there is also the problem of police discrimination which cannot be necessarily cured with legislation. For instance, while the sentencing disparity is atrocious, it must be considered that at one point A.As accounted for 40% of crack users but 80% of those serving time for crack possession. That figure probably results more from discrimination by cops and judges than the sentencing disparity. And to be honest, I realize that addressing legislation to end the disparity and focus more on rehabilitation would only turn into a “soft-on-crime” sideshow featuring a bunch of right-wing pundits and politicians (who probably use cocaine or know that their overworked staff does). Yeah, rehab is cheaper and shorter than prison sentences (way cheaper), but even if Obama cares about this he might see what it would turn into, a distraction from economy and war, even if it would help economy in long run (saving on prison sentences, increasing jobs in health care etc).
And I do believe injustice in the education system disproportionately affects people of color, but that’s another issue that could be seen as a distraction, is better handled state and locally, and that honestly Obama doesn’t seem to have a good mindset towards ( in regards to Head Start which should be scrapped due to it’s ineffectiveness).
Also, I feel that there aren’t so much as black issues as their are problems that disproportionately affect black people. I also feel that we cannot expect any politician to adequately address the problems and that many of them must be addressed through dialogue, consciousness building, and grassroots actions. For instance, I defiantly believe a lot of states do a criminal job when it comes to healthy sexual education, but I honestly don’t think knowledge alone will address the number of “unplanned” pregnancies in the black community. Honestly, when women who know about condoms have so little self-esteem as to play Russian-roulette with their lives by not using them, i seriously doubt there is a piece of legislation that can address that. When women who have access to birth control and choose not to use it, no legislation or politician can really do a lot to help. Defiantly increase education, but knowledge and access to preventive items obviously aren’t cure all solutions. There is only so much that comprehensive sex ed can do to address a situation in which women place value to themselves on their ability to attract and keep a man/have kids. And restorative justice based programs, rehab for first time offenders, while absolutely necessary isn’t going to stop bias of cops and judges.
Not to mention I still believe Obama is a capitalist whose interest is the preservation of the state and to expect a lot of him in terms of restructuring a system of injustice is drinking the kool-aid and smoking a joint afterwords. I hope I’m wrong but doubt it.
Posted 14 Apr 2009 at 2:49 pm ¶
PPR_Scribe wrote:
It would be nice if the Obama administration was willing to send a representative to the summit on racism.
And, get going on ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. (Somalia’s the only other country that hasn’t yet done so. I understand their excuse, but what is ours?)
Posted 14 Apr 2009 at 3:22 pm ¶
B. Canseco wrote:
My grandmother had a saying: “It ain’t an ‘epidemic’ till white folks get it.”
She was funny like that. But that was how she handled the hypocrisy of her day in terms of social issues.
Jesse Jackson used to say, “When America sneezes, black folks get the pneumonia.” (No doubt he and gramma crossed paths at some point.)
What I think folks here are quite often asking folks to do is to care about issues that don’t impact them until it’s too late. And it almost always is…
Posted 14 Apr 2009 at 3:38 pm ¶
B. Canseco wrote:
It would be nice if the Obama administration was willing to send a representative to the summit on racism.
====
If Obama can’t talk about race in america without sugarcoating white skin privilege in the name of not pissing off 60% of the population, what makes you think he’s gonna send a rep to an international summit on racism?
Obama’s the same guy who fired/removed/distanced himself from every “controversial” black figure that upset white voters during his campaign. He’s not gonna reverse course now by getting into a discussion on race, and definitely not one in which the parameters are set by any country other than the US.
Posted 14 Apr 2009 at 3:42 pm ¶
L. wrote:
Damn, I can’t do anything but cosign every comment above. IMO, if we did take more time to focus on “black issues,” (or any issues that disproportionately effect any group in this country) it would benefit the entire country.
Posted 14 Apr 2009 at 6:21 pm ¶
Meg wrote:
Does calling something a ‘black issue’ give the majority an excuse to ignore the problem though? If these issues were understood/argued in broader terms then maybe there would be more support i.e. it may be a black guy getting screwed today, but what if it was your kid – you know, justice, liberty, etc? Maybe that’s super-naive of me… or maybe it already happens and it doesn’t come through the media.
I’m not an activist so don’t really know, but always wondered if dividing issues along racial lines is sometimes, ‘pointless’ might be a bit harsh, i need a thesaurus….. but for e.g., if it was decided (by whoever) that public school education that gave EVERY student a fair shot at the best university entrance scores was #1 priority so that 95% of students graduated from high school and of those 70% went on to college or vocational training – so basically a blind program that had a goal regardless of community demographics. So school districts who already conform to this are left to their own devices, but those who are woefully behind get intense help and a lot of resources to achieve this goal. The consequence would be urban (and maybe rural) communities getting the most because they have the most ground to make up in the first place. Calling something like this a ‘black issue’ creates the impression to white families (wrongly) that this policy takes away something from their kids. So they instead prefer a program where every school district in america has their funding increased by 20%, which of course would maintain the existing gaps. I might be re-hashing a ‘white privilege’ argument, but my point is more that inequalities could be addressed without having to make race the dominant issue, b/c even without trying, addressing issues like poverty, unemployment, etc you would hit onto minority communities which needed assistance in those areas. I guess if you found that black students were still disproportionately dropping out of school you’d look at why, but the issue is that the educational system is failling in it’s obligations to these students, not that there is something peculiar with black students and they can’t be helped.
i’ve not really placed the effects of racism into my argument and have framed it in terms of getting white people on board – but i guess i’m giving benefit of the doubt that there is a way to get common goals across racial groups
Posted 14 Apr 2009 at 9:42 pm ¶
blackpride wrote:
I think that a black issue existed and still exists nowadays. The fact that Barack Obama was chosen president is only ameliorating it and proves that the society in on the right track.
Posted 15 Apr 2009 at 9:09 am ¶
karak wrote:
What, exactly, does Morial want Obama to do? Obama is good, but I doubt he’s going to pull a plan out of his posterior on how to alleviate two hundred years of systematic deprivation and poverty.
Posted 15 Apr 2009 at 11:02 am ¶
lunanoire wrote:
At the Insight 2009 Policy Summit on the racial wealth gap in the US between POC and white people, Rep. Ellison said that b/c the $ crisis is hurting so many, POC can frame the debate w/ less dependence on allies b/c we’re all in the same sinking boat.
Posted 15 Apr 2009 at 11:57 am ¶
Rchoudh wrote:
I agree with many of what the previous posters have said. “Black issues” can really be framed around being known as “American issues” especially in this time of economic crisis. At this time not only are Blacks at a disadvantage, but also whites and other minorities. The disadvantages, especially economic ones, being experienced by many Americans right now is due to them all being of a certain class (middle to working class to poor).
With that said, CVT nailed it right on the head when he said that blacks have been facing alot of these issues for a long time due to the racism factor. How else can the harsher sentencing and mistreatment by police that blacks face be explained?
@Meg
If I understand your post correctly you’re basically saying that we should address these issues on a “colorblind” basis without dividing them up along racial lines. I agree with your point up to a certain extent. Unfortunately you’re right to point out that basing these issues around race leads to them being marginalized and unaddressed by greater society. Like another poster up above has mentioned you can change all the laws you want but at the grassroots how can you really stop someone from being racist. Like you can have all the laws available preventing employment discrimination, but really if a company doesn’t want to hire minorities and can find ways to not hire them without looking discriminatory, really how can the laws address that without trying to make closed minded people change their attitudes through discussions and discourse?
Finally I’d just like to state that unfortunately I don’t think the Obama adminstration is really serious about solving any issues affecting average Americans whether they be black, Asian, white, etc. So far his administration has hired former bankers to bail out the crooks on Wall street without them significantly changing the way they do business. Next his economic stimulus package is just a mish mash of proposals seeming to throw money at problems (health care, education, environment, etc) without fundamentally addressing at their core. For example his money for schools goes through the same system that favors funding well off schools from those in lower class urban and rural neighborhoods. And what’s worse is that all this spending could lead to inflation which will devastate the economy even more. America will thus have a much harder time trying to revive an economy that’s faced with a trade and budget deficit as well as runaway inflation.
Posted 15 Apr 2009 at 2:21 pm ¶
Meg wrote:
@Rchoudh: Your final points on the funding model which favours well-off schools was kind of what i’m getting at – if fighting for improved urban schools is seen as a ‘black issue’ over an issue that should unite families, then everyone else doesn’t care, or they get sucked into believing that ‘black radicals’ are trying to get something for free, when really their point is to improve urban schools. Which of course would benefit any student not just minority students. So maybe Pres. Obama stays away from changing this counter-intuitive funding model because he doesn’t want to be marginalised as ‘the black president’ and other politicians maybe don’t want to be seen as pandering to special interests.
but yeah, i can cop it if you think i’m arguing for a colourblind approach which may be dumb of me on a blog called racialicious
. I don’t believe race isn’t important, that people don’t see race or that race won’t come up within these issues. But i just think for political issues the sales pitch matters as much as the issue and so for some issues selling it as important for everyone could be more useful. So if your school has no AP credits, doesn’t have a science lab or uses textbooks which still refer to the USSR you’re pushing it up hill regardless of how white you are. And if in magical fairyland this was all fixed would we still see disadvantage caused by racism – probably, but it would be a lot harder to make excuses for why minorities are continually underrepresented in graduate programs and the like.
Posted 16 Apr 2009 at 12:50 am ¶
Rchoudh wrote:
@ Meg
Thanks for replying. I totally agree with what you say about having to couch one’s “sales pitch” of one’s issues in race neutral terms. If this is not done then unfortunately people will not take your concerns seriously which really shouldn’t be the case. If more people were more understanding towards each other’s concerns and aware of the effects of racism in society, then the Urban League for example would have had more people ( not just black Americans) paying attention to its concerns. Instead other people will deride the Urban League for bringing up “race” issues, especially in this time of economic crisis. And so the problems affecting African Americans will go unresolved.
Posted 17 Apr 2009 at 8:12 am ¶