March 30, 2014
Dog Whistling Along
By Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

(TriceEdneyWire.com) -  I remember my first exposure to a dog whistle.  It was an interesting little tool that was often used maliciously by the young boys in my neighborhood.  On an otherwise tranquil afternoon when, as the old folks said, "Nothing was stirring", it wasn’t unusual for the boys to choose that time to blow their dog whistles.  Unlike whistles you hear at athletic events, the only sound you heard from these dog whistles was a rush of air.  Instantly, all of the dogs in the area would begin loud, raucous barking that was rarely tamed quickly.

The reason for the barking was the high-pitch sound emitted by the whistle that was inaudible to humans, but it greatly annoyed the dogs.  While we took the whistle for granted, the dogs heard it very clearly.

Whether having seen the real dog whistle or not, most now understand the term to refer to a political pronouncement spoken with the impact of a double-entendre -- having two meanings; one heard through the filter of one's intellect and the other heard through the filter of one's bias.

Recently the dog whistle of racism was blown again, but many either missed or ignored it.  Republican Congressman Paul Ryan said in an interview with Bill Bennett, "We have got this tailspin of culture in our inner cities, in particular, of men not working and just generations of men not even thinking about working or learning the value and the culture of work."

Immediately challenged for the racist nature of this comment by his congressional colleague, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Ryan protested that he may have spoken inarticulately.  While it’s impossible to evaluate anyone's heartfelt intent, the impact of a statement leaves little to question.  I do question Ryan's explanation of speaking inarticulately since, later in the week, a surrogate spokesperson, George Will, justified the comment with his own spin on the cultural malaise in the Black community.

I have no need to engage in a lengthy diatribe about the message heard in Ryan's statement.  Anyone sensitive to its stereotypical implications or desiring to endorse his words understands that Ryan has leveled a broad and sweeping condemnation of the African American male, specifically, and the African American community generally.  Intellectualize as he may, Ryan threw blood into the water inciting the sharks of racism.

I could attempt to refute Ryan's statement with a discussion of the educational disparities, proximity to employers, the disparate impact of law enforcement and the resulting job disqualification, but those and a multitude of other elements have been discussed ad nauseum.

I would argue that while condemning the inner cities, in particular, Ryan has incorrectly drawn the boundaries of the chronically unemployed.  This problem impacts EVERY community that is suffering from the neglect of those who make public policy and believe the poor to be expendable.  To paint this as a problem of the inner city alone is as disingenuous as Ryan justifying his comment as inarticulate.

Again, his argument seems to support and reinforce his Ayn Rand-based justification of denying assistance to those he has determined to be undeserving.  In what may be his ultimate insult, his dog whistle of racist condemnation, whether by intent or result, is purposed to exploit the fear, insecurities and, yes, the racist beliefs of those who disregard the value of life other than their own and those they liken to it.

If Paul Ryan truly wants to gain insight into the culture of the African American community, I enthusiastically refer him to dialogue with Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad, Director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.  I encourage my readers to enhance their own understanding of OUR community by accessing Dr. Muhammad's interview with Bill Moyers at:

http://billmoyers.com/episode/full-show-confronting-the-contradictions-of-america%e2%80%99s-past/

(Dr. E. Faye Williams is National Chair of the National Congress of Black Women,
www.nationalcongressbw.org. 202/678-6788)

March 30, 2014

Unequal Education: Is Anyone Listening?
By Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.  

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - The Department of Education just released its annual study on civil rights in our education system. The report, Attorney General Eric Holder summarized, “shows that racial disparities in school discipline policies are not only well-documented among older students but actually begin during preschool.”

Pre-school? Yes, from preschool on, boys of color are disproportionately afflicted by suspensions and zero-tolerance policies in school. They are more likely to be disciplined, more likely to be suspended, and more likely to be held back a grade. Suspended students are less likely to graduate on time and more likely to be suspended a second time. They are more likely to drop out, and to end up in trouble. The report shows that preschool is not a reality for much of the country, particularly in poorer districts.

Where it does exist, students of color — Blacks and Latinos — are more likely to be suspended. This has been documented repeatedly in older grades, but now we learn it starts even in preschool. And that’s not all. The report documents a continuing and shameful catalog of racial disparity: Black and Latino students are more likely to have teachers with less experience and lower pay. African Americans, Latinos and students with disabilities are less likely to have access to the full range of science and math courses. Why? Schools with large minority populations often don’t offer the most upper-range curricula in those areas. They’re also less likely to have a full-time counselor.

Zero tolerance. Inexperienced and poorly paid teachers. Less support. Less access to advanced courses. The odds are stacked against these kids from preschool on. And that isn’t all. Children of color are more likely to grow up in poverty, less likely to have adequate health care, less likely to have good nutrition, less likely to live in safe neighborhoods and more likely to be homeless. African Americans still have less access to credit and were often targeted for dicey mortgages in the housing bubble, and they suffer higher rates of unemployment and mortgage foreclosures. None of this is a surprise. None of it is in doubt. The report isn’t a revelation; it is a validation of a “whereas” that is already known.

What has been lacking isn’t evidence of disparity, it is evidence of action. The “whereas” is supposed to lead to a “therefore,” but we’ve seen precious little of that. Is anyone listening? We are condemning another generation to poverty, despair, broken homes and broken families. We are writing off children — starting in preschool — without giving them a fair shot. We have a continuing racial crisis in this country — or rather, a crisis of class and race. Schools of poor children are shortchanged. And children, particularly boys of color, face even greater odds against them. We need remedy for these racial disparities and resources for these class disparities. Parents need to challenge aggressively discriminatory discipline practices.

Communities need to join together to demand an end to the savage inequality in schools. We need more resources targeted to the schools with the most need. A sensible public program would ensure the poor children have the same opportunity that affluent ones have. They would get the most experienced and skilled teachers, not the least of them. Their schools would get more resources to have smaller classes, particularly in the early grades, and modern facilities that include counselors and host after-school programs, parental engagement and education.

We’d take aggressive steps to ensure that children have secure housing, good nutrition and high quality health care. And we’d crack down on the discriminatory and destructive discipline policies that are discarding our children rather than taking them in and lifting them up. This is a moral disgrace. It is also a national folly. Children of color are together the future majority, not the minority. Our country’s future will depend on educating them well, and ensuring that each can reach his or her full potential. When we discard them in large numbers, we are discarding our own future.

Yes, America has come a long way on issues of race, but we still have structural disparities that have not been erased, and in some ways, have grown worse. We don’t need more reports. We don’t need “model” programs. We need a call to action and a serious commitment to redress this injustice. 

Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. is President/CEO of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.

March 24, 2014

Black Leaders Critique Obama’s ‘Brother’s Keeper”, Relationship with Black Community
By Jacqueline F. Taylor

National Urban League President/CEO, Mark Morial, also a presidential advisor for "My Brother's Keeper", spoke as a sponsor at the 'Stateswomen' event. PHOTO: Mark Mahoney/Trice Edney News Wire

Barbara Arnwine and Julianne Malveaux were among five panelists headlining the "Statewomen for Justice" panel discussion, moderated by Omarosa Manigault. PHOTO: Mark Mahoney/Trice Edney News Wire

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - A Women's History Month/Black Press forum to respond to President Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative ended up being a critique of his administration over all.

“I’ve had the feeling that he’s been running from us. There was pressure to act like he was not the Black president,” said award-winning journalist and author Dr. Barbara Reynolds. “I understand that you had to put us at the end. But establish something that will last in every governmental department.”

The annual commemoration of Women’s History Month, sponsored by Trice Edney Communications & News Wire, is called “Stateswomen for Justice”. It drew an audience of 200 to the Ballroom of the National Press Club March 20.  This year’s forum entitled, “How to Move from Chaos to Community: Our Response to My Brother’s Keeper,” also drew responses to President Obama’s style of leadership.

Referencing the 1970's song by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, “Be Real Black for Me,” Dr. Julianne Malveaux, syndicated columnist and president Emeritus of Bennett College for Women, stated: “If I had an opportunity to talk to President Obama, I would engage him in a slow dance and say be real Black for me.”

Malveaux continued, “Because the fact is that he ain’t been real Black just yet. He’s been great and late with 'My Brother’s Keeper' and he has been missing in action with Parent PLUS [an education loan program] which has caused us in HBCU land to lose over 16,000 students.” Parent PLUS recently tightened lending practices for parents with financial shortcomings.

The forum, featuring five women panelists, all renowned for their leadership, was moderated by reality star Omarosa Manigault, also an educator, activist and former White House appointee. It was also a celebration of the 187^th anniversary of the Black Press by focusing on those issues written about daily in Black newspapers.

“My Brother’s Keeper” is a White House initiative that addresses current risk factors affecting the success of boys and men of color in society. According to data released by the White House, 86 percent of African-American boys and 82 percent Hispanic boys are reading below grade level by the fourth grade. Half of White fourth graders read below grade level.

President Obama held several meetings and conversations with heads of major Black organizations as he prepared to roll out the new initiative, which was announced early this month. On the “Stateswomen” panel, those leaders also gave sober advice.

Panelist Melanie Campbell, President/CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and Convener of the Black Women’s Roundtable, who met with Obama only days before he announced the initiatives, wants the legislation to be in place beyond President Obama’s term. She also hopes that his administration will look to the local community.

“The initiative needs to be connected to the community, despite who is in office,” stated Campbell.  “The community needs to get the resources to run the programs,” she said.

Barbara Arnwine, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, first met with the President’s staff in 2009 with her concerns. She said there is a need to have targeted jobs programs that reach African-American youth. She emphasized that education needs to be addressed, especially among African-Americans without high school diplomas and GEDs.

Arnwine is fighting for additional dialogue on the local and state level regarding the reduction in incarceration rates among African-Americans. “We need a nationwide movement among African-Americans to stop…arresting people for things that we can give them citations for,” said Arnwine.

Panelists also highlighted the many contributions of Black women, who alongside their male counterparts, fought for freedom and equality.

Dr. E. Faye Williams, with the National Chair of the National Congress of Black Women, attended the White House initiative announcement. She does not want the role of women to be eliminated from the “My Brother’s Keeper” dialogue.

“Now just because there is a program called ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ does not mean that we sisters will not have to be our brother’s and sister’s keepers, but it sure is good to have some help…this year,” stated Williams.

National Urban League President Marc Morial, as a co-sponsor of the event, praised “My Brother’s Keeper” as a step forward for African-American youth.

“I congratulate the president for taking this issue on in such a public and forceful fashion,” said Morial, who is a financial advisor for the initiative. He encouraged individuals who are connected with organizations and communities that have initiatives that focus on boys and men of color to share their findings with the White House.

Dr. Reynolds added: “We are not only our brother’s keepers, we are our mother’s keepers, we are our daddy’s keeper, and children’s keepers. We will have to work together in unity to be keepers of our people.”

Malveaux concluded: “History belongs to she who holds the pen, so we have to continue to write our stories and tell our stories. In Women’s History Month, we have to remember that African-American women have been sidelined and we have to tell our story. And in regard to the President’s initiative we have to make sure that while we lift up our brothers, women are also lifted up.”