Do you believe there is real racism within the black community (Intra-racism)? If yes, what can we do about? If no, how can we dispel this belief?

Bert’s Response

Color Me Good

Bert Reece

We come in all colors, shades and hues
We even come with our very own points of views.
We can be different in every kind of way
It’s our differences that make us so unique;
Our differences paint pictures of great beauties and diversities.
Blacks and browns, tans and creams
Even whites, yes white we can be.
We can blend into a crowd and you won’t even know that we are there.
We can stand out in a crowd and you can’t help but notice that we are there.
If by all of this we are so special and unique
Then why do we hate one another?
Why do we take away our own strength?
I might be brown and lighter than some,
But in that same brown skin I am darker than another one.
Some call our hate towards one another intra-racism or colorism.
I call it ignorantism
We really don’t know the beauty that we possess.
Because if we did we would criticize it far less.
Some say color me bad
But I say Color Me Good
Because God made black and black is good.

Since the times of slavery, blacks have been pitted against one another; the house slave versus the field slave and the lighter skinned slave versus the darker skinned slave.  It was a very successful tactic used by oppressors of that day.  It was so successful that we still fall prey to it today.  We still have the mindsets of the house slave versus the field slave.  Over the years we have gone from using the brown paper bag test to receive admittance into certain places to attributing the type of person we are to the texture of our hair.  We also have some that hate who they are so much that because of their fare skin are able to “pass.”  These that pass look white even though they are black.  They live under the radar of the white culture pretending to be who they are not. 

This tactic divided a nation; a black nation.  The slave owners knew that if they set slaves up to police their own kind, then slave owners only had to worry about half of the slaves instead of all of the slaves.  Since that time we have been divided.  Members of my family fill the entire color spectrum.  They range from the very dark to the very light.  When I look at us I don’t see color, I see possibility.  That is what we all should see.  We are a people of great strength, talent and brains. 

I remember the Spike Lee movie, School Daze, which dealt with this very topic.  At the end of the movie I remember the person screaming the words “WAKE UP!!!”  I can’t say it any better than that.  

Anthony’s Response 

Yes I do believe there is intra-racism within our own people.  If you look back in time during slavery we had each other’s backs.  There were no differing “social” classes within the slave community.  There was, however, a community of “skin” class; dark skin and light skin.  You could also use the terms house slave and field slave.  Society, over time, has shown and perpetuated the images that white is pure and innocent while black is dark and evil.  Sadly, then and now, many of us have grown to believe this horrible lie.  You have some young people who do not like themselves because they are too dark or too light.  Some of us even go as far as to dislike others simply because they might be lighter skinned or they speak correct English.  We say they are acting white.  Is that right?  No.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, we see a dark skinned person and think they are “ghetto.”  Is that right? No.  We have to learn to support each other as a people. We need to teach our youth that we as BLACK AMERICANS come in many different colors.  This is one of the many things that make our people so unique.  

We must be truthful in answering the following two questions: 1) Do we really support each other? If not, why?  2) Will we help each other?  If not, why?  I have been working since I was 16-years old.  I have seen a lot of racism, including intra-racism, in every job I have held.  I have seen lighter skinned people who did not deserve it, be promoted over darker skinned people who was much more qualified.  To make matters worse, I have also seen those who have been undeservingly elevated, treat those beneath them as if they were meaningless.  It was not until they saw how much THEY needed those that they mistreated that they started to act as if they cared.  At this point it became hard to trust this person because you knew they were only using you to elevate themselves even more.

 

We must learn how to uplift, support, and teach our youth that being black is not a curse.  We need to teach them that they came from Kings and Queens and no matter how dark or how light their skin is we are still BLACK and BLACK is BEAUTIFUL.

Rhonda’s Response 

“One of the prices that we pay for integration was the disintegration of the black community.” Ed Smith

The African Proverb “it takes a village to raise a child” was a saying that represented the foundation and principles of black communities. Prior to integration, black communities supported one another in business, education, community efforts as well as empowered one another to be their best and to strive to reach their desired goals. However, Ed Smith’s quote, “one of the prices that we pay for integration was the disintegration of the black community”, depicts the state of the black community today. The disintegration of the black community, I believe, has created real intra-racism within the black community. The black community has intra racism regarding skin color (light versus black) and progressive blacks versus those who are not. Whether we can do anything to solve this issue is up to the actions of people in the black community. The actions of black people who made the conscience decision to march against Jim Crow to make a better America for blacks as a whole demonstrated how actions can change a community. Personally I believe we won’t see a change until the rights of blacks are threatened again like the times of Jim Crow. 

The skin color (light versus dark) intra racism runs rapid within the black community. This is one of the intra racism’s that is displayed outwardly and inwardly. It is one of the main racisms that will cause some blacks to not interact with one another. I believe this racism was stemmed from the guiles of slavery where light skin blacks were considered “house slaves” and dark skin blacks were “field slaves”. This propaganda from slavery has had a detrimental impact on the black community. The only way to fix this is for blacks to acknowledge that we were mistreated and used as property to build America and make a conscience effort to move forward with gusto in order to make sure that history does not repeat itself. 

The intra racism of progressive blacks versus those who are not is a continuous issue within the black community. Progressive blacks many times may be labeled as those who have furthered their education and work in professional jobs. Those who are considered not to be progressive are many times denoted as those with small town goals to stay where they are and do not desire to move beyond their current circumstance. This ideology is not different from the assertions made by mothers who decide to stay at home versus those who desire to work. Until the black community can learn to respect each other in all facets of their life and success; this issue will continue in the black community. 

All in all, I do believe there is intra racism today. I witness it daily and the attitude of blacks on dealing with intra racism has to change if we as a race want to move forward and be an impact as those who fought during the Civil Rights Movement. We will not solve the racism’s we as blacks face daily from other races if we don’t acknowledge the intra racism and fight to change our actions to mitigate this within the black community. This will enable us to band together as a unit to defeat systems that initially did not include us. We have to get back to creating strong foundations where we exhibit the African proverb “it takes a village to raise a child” because once we do this the black community will be stronger and will enable us to use our strength of numbers to make laws and rules that will work in our favor.

With a rise in suicides, depression, and low self esteem, how can music be a remedy for some of these issues?

Bert’s Response

Music In Me

By Bert Reece

Music is my soul remedy

It heals and soothes

It even makes me move

It changes my heart condition

And gives me a new disposition

It opens my mind to a whole new world

It even calms the savage beast that lives within me

It helps me to mellow out

It is the rhythm of my heartbeat

It is the sensitivity of my pulse that speaks

It is my universal voice

It is the music in me

Music does calm the savage beast in all of us.  It is the one constant that transcends all cultures.  From the young and unruly to the old and restless, music has the power to change all dispositions. 

People are hurting all around the world and the byproducts of that hurt are things such as low self-esteem, depression and the ever permanent solution, suicide.  People are looking for anything that might remove the hurt or dull the senses so they cannot feel the hurt.  Many are turning to the wrong devices such as drugs, alcohol, promiscuous sex and friends that act as leeches; they takes from you but do not give anything back to you.  These things make matters worse not better.  

How can music be a remedy for these issues?  We can be deliberate in what we choose listen to.  With the advent of ipods and mp3 players, we have more control over what we hear and the order in which we hear it.  Instead of listening to the radio, we can create our own playlists with music that uplifts and encourages us.  We can control what goes in to us, thus attempting to affect what potentially comes out of us.  Joe Madison (the Black Eagle) was discussing a topic similar to this topic on his Sirius XM radio show.  He noted that the music of his day, which included James Brown (I’m Black and I’m Proud), Marvin Gaye (What’s Going On) and Aretha Franklin (Respect), had an impact on his generation, so why would the music of our day not have an impact on us.

It also goes well beyond just simply listening to music in order to change your state of mind.  There are many of us who are creative in the area of music and can actually create the music that we desire to listen to; making it possible to purge negative energy that might prove toxic to our minds and our bodies.  Music has a great healing effect like nothing else in this world outside of God.

My grandmother just recently passed away at the age of 95.  Her life was not easy, but she did not let it get her down.  She always had a song to sing whenever I saw her.  I truly believe it was the music that God placed in her that kept her with us for so long.  She had Alzheimer’s in her later years, but still had the joy of music in her heart.  She could not remember a name, but she could remember a song.  How amazing is that?

God has placed the power of change right at our fingertips when it comes to music.  We must acknowledge the effects that what we read, listen to and watch does play a huge role in our day-to-day psychological make-up.  With this in mind, we need to ensure that we are putting things into us that build us up and not things that will destroy us.  More importantly, we must look outside of ourselves and identify the things that will destroy us and avoid those things.  I believe we have a current culture of young people listening to music that is killing them from the inside-out and they don’t even know it.  It is the only music that they have ever known.  Some have not been exposed to anything thing else while others who have been exposed to other music has found the other options to be foreign to them.  Life is the music in you.  Be careful about what you allow in.  God Bless You.

Anthony’s Response 

How can music be a remedy for low self-esteem, depression and suicide?  Well, as for me I feel that music is much more encompassing than the audible sound.  We hear music all day long.  You call a business and music is playing while you wait on hold.  You get in an elevator at a nice hotel or building and you hear music.  You go to the Dr.’s office and in the waiting room you may hear music playing there too.  Music hits you in the face all day long.  When you get home exhausted at the end of the day, after you have possibly been battered and abused by the daily grind, you sit down to rest.  You turn on the TV and bam, music is blasting from every channel you turn to.

Music can be beautiful, but it can also be noise if you let it.  It has the power to heal, but it also has the ability to steal your peace.  We sometimes have to search for the peace in our music.  With all the different kinds of music and sounds that we are exposed to, we have to learn to choose the music wisely that will lift up our spirits and affect change in our attitude in a positive way.

When I am feeling down or depressed I go silent.  The music of my choice is the melody of my thoughts.  The rhythm of life transcends the audible sound of music.  I choose the rhythm of positive melodies to change my state of mind.  Being blessed by the heartbeat of life is what drives me to feel better about whatever it is that has gotten me down.  And even when silence gets to be a bit too much all I have to do is go outside and listen to earth’s beautiful natural melodies.  The sound of the wind in the trees, the melodious sound of the birds and sometimes the sound of the hustle and bustle of cars that go by.  I am not your ordinary person, but music is not your ordinary healer.  It is universal.  It is unique.  It is what you choose it to be.

Rhonda’s Response 

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” Plato

The history of music can be learned by evaluating the six periods that define it. The first period is the Medieval Era. It lasted from the year of 800 to 1400. The music during this time revolved around the church and was sacred. “In the earliest part of this era most music was monophonic, meaning that it had one melodic line without accompaniment. However, by the 1200’s polyphony became popular. This is two or more melodic lines heard at the same time.” (Reference)

The second period was Renaissance. It lasted from the year 1400 to 1600. During this time, artist were given more freedom of expression and this is when secular music was founded. Secular music is music that is not centered on the church. The third period was Baroque. It lasted from the year 1600 to 1750. The music during this period was intense and extravagant. This is when opera and orchestra music was introduced. The fourth period was Classical. It lasted from the year 1750 to 1820. During this time orchestras became more prevalent and music was dominated by the “homophonic style, which featured one melodic line with accompaniment.” (Reference)

The fifth period was Romantic. It lasted from the year 1850 to 1920. This was a time for musicians to have creative freedoms. They changed the tonal relationships and length of their music pieces. The sixth era is the era we are in today, the Modern Era. It began in 1900, and today music has overwhelmingly diversified with new genres of music that were created from the inspiration of music forged from earlier periods. Technology is used to produce music and instrumental sounds and the topics of music have grown from those of the first period that were church based. It is good to know that the reason for introducing music during the first period still holds true today. Music was introduced to honor or invoke feelings in people and today that idea has expanded. Music is a great story teller and has played a pivotal role in our historical existence. Be it a healer during difficult times or leisure listening, it is an art form that has progressed from past periods.

One story that demonstrates how music can play a pivotal role during hard times is the story of John Newton. John Newton was a slave trader. In his own words John Newton stated, "I sinned with a high hand, and I made it my study to tempt and seduce others." During a difficult time in Africa, he was transferred to a ship that was in a tumultuous storm. He had been reading Thomas A Kemps Imitation of Christ. He converted to Christianity during this storm. As he continued to serve as a Captain for many slave ships after his conversion, he thought he could make a difference by setting the example for his crew and treating the slaves with some form of humanity. While on those ships, he wrote words that expressed his feeling which became the well-known song Amazing Grace. It represented a “message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of sins committed and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God.” (Reference) John Newton abandoned his moral compass because of his circumstance but through a dire time he turned back to faith to help him through, and the writing of musical lyrics sustained his faith.

Music is the only constant element in the world that does not discriminate by race, wealth classification, political beliefs, education, sexuality, and/or occupation. Music provides a creative catalyst to discuss sensitive topics that invokes an emotion from the listener to agree, disagree, or agree to disagree. There are many layers to a song where a person may like the lyrics but not the arrangement of the song or the instruments. Another person may listen to that same song and have an opposite feeling where they like the instruments and music composition of the song but not the lyrics. Music is like art, the interpretation of the song by the listener may be different from that of the songwriter. However, it is in those differences and interpretations that invigorate lovers of music. People of different walks of life and backgrounds can come to the same spot and enjoy something they both love, music, without judgment.

Not only is music nondiscriminatory, it is also healing. Instruments that make up music have its own unique purpose in a song. And how a song combines those instruments can invoke different feelings from the listener as well as thoughts of remembrance. The emotion and reminiscent thoughts by the listener can be of sadness, happiness, love, grief, advantageous, courageous, fearful, or strength. The emotions can go on and on but the best thing I love the most about music is when people start to make great strides towards their personal goals and achievements, a song that once sparked sadness can bring happiness to that same person. This is because they have persevered past where they were emotionally when the song made them sad.

Music has definitely been a healer for me. I have been writing my own songs since the 6th grade and find music the catalyst for motivation, creation, or getting through difficult times. When I feel anxious and need to be calm and clear my mind, I listen to classical music. Rachmaninoff is one of my favorite composers. When I want to get pumped for an outing with my girlfriends, I will listen to upbeat music (Rhythm and Blues, Hip Hop, etc…). Many times turning on the radio and listening to current music meets this need. When I am sad, fearful and need to hear encouraging words, I listen to Christian or Inspirational music. This music helps to catapult me out of those emotions and into a place of optimism. A few songs that I listen to a lot are I Chose to Worship and Welcome to this Place by Wess Morgan. I also listen to a song I wrote called A Stronger Love. When I write a song it encompasses an emotion that I have to release so it won’t fester. Many times these songs become an inspiration to others who may have gone through a similar emotion. There is no structure or guideline, just writing a song for an emotion in my life that needs to be released.

Music changed the world in the earlier periods and today it is still changing the world. It is enlightening the people and is the universal language that all cultures, all wealth classifications, and all races can relate. Music will be around when this Modern Era ends and a new period begins.

“Music is Therapy” by Rhonda B. Reece, 2013

“Music is the pulse of the nation. It is the voice of the people. It is the cries of the hurt and the happiness of the free. It is the strength to the grieving and the motivation to the creative. It is the song of nature. The calmness of the sea. It is the healer of a nation. Because it definitely heals me.

Let music be your therapy.”

With all the school shootings that have taken place around the country, the right to bear arms has come under heavy scrutiny. Should teachers, who have been properly trained, be allowed to arm themselves in the classroom?

Bert’s Response

I have thought about this question for a long time now; even before it was posed on this blog.  I am the father of three girls.  When I saw the story on the Newtown, CT shootings, my heart dropped.  Every day that my children leave my home, I pray to God that He will protect them and bring them home safely.  It scares me on a daily basis to know that I have to place three of the most valuable persons in my life in the hands of another.  I am horrified to think that they could go to school and have to sit in a classroom with a teacher who might be armed.  I am strongly against teachers being armed in the classroom.

Teachers are there to teach.  If we truly believe that children are our future, the various states need to make sure that school districts are funded enough so that they can have adequate police security on campus; whether it is the school district police or city police.  My wife is a school teacher and based on some of our conversations, I have realized that some teachers have horrible classroom management and are not mentally fit to be in the classroom, let alone, to be considered responsible enough to operate a firearm in the presence of children.  Who is to say that this type of teacher won’t get so frustrated with a child who refuses to be obedient that he/she pulls out that weapon in class to bring that child into submission?

In talking to my 8-year old daughter, I asked her what she thought about the issue in terms that she could understand.  She is aware of all of the school shootings that have occurred.  She asked me if the teacher would have access to a gun to shoot the students.  That is a legitimate fear of any child sitting in that environment.  How do you think that might affect his/her ability to learn or concentrate knowing there is a gun in the possession of his/her teacher?  I think the person who came up with this idea is so far disconnected from the real world that it is ridiculous.  I think the National Rifle Association could care less about the safety of our children in its efforts to fight potential gun laws.

Where is the common sense in all of this?  I don’t care how much training a teacher might have.  There are too many intangibles that exist that make this a very dangerous idea/situation; from the teachers’ mental capacity to be responsible with how they store and handle the weapon all the way up to students possibly finding and accessing the weapon.  Classrooms and guns are like oil and water; they don’t mix.

Anthony’s Response 

This is a very touchy subject for most people.  On one hand, some would like to see teachers be able to defend themselves and their students.  On the other hand, others are strongly against teachers carrying any type of weapon in school; regardless of them being properly trained or not. 

 I am on the fence regarding this subject and I am having a hard time saying yes or no to teachers being armed in the classroom.  I have three wonderful nieces.  If something happened to one of them in school and I were made aware that a teacher or school official could have done something to stop it and for whatever reason was unable to; it would truly devastate me.  Because I am on the fence, a part of me does feel that teachers who have been properly trained should be allowed to have a firearm in the class. 

 Why do I think teachers should be trained to use a weapon in school?  In all of the events that have occurred around the country, teachers have proven to be the first line of defense.  When schools go on locked down they expect teachers to get students in their rooms as quickly as possible and to monitor them so they will not be in the hall or roaming around the school. They are expected to protect the students until the issue is over.  During this time, teachers become the primary source of protection for the children in their care.  Because they are the first line of defense they should be trained to handle ANY issue that comes their way, big or small.  Regardless if teachers carry firearms in the class or not, they should always be trained and prepared for the unexpected.   

 The other side of me understands that not every teacher should be allowed to carry a gun.  You have some teachers that cannot handle the stress of carrying a gun and all the responsibility that goes along with it.  Some teachers have poor classroom management and are literally scared to correct certain children who might be misbehaving.  I really don’t believe that this kind of teacher can be properly trained to handle a firearm in a stressful situation.  I feel that this teacher would probably panic if a major issue occurred and more likely stands the chance of having the gun taken away from him/her.  If this were to happen, you would then have a situation going from bad to worse. 

 In reading my own response, I realize that I am really not on the fence.  I actually feel that having properly trained teachers or school officials with access to a weapon will be helpful in schools because they are our children’s first line of defense.  They may be the only chance to neutralize the situation before it has a chance to evolve into something worse. 

Rhonda’s Response 

“One of the ordinary modes, by which tyrants accomplish their purposes without resistance, is, by disarming the people, and making it an offense to keep arms.” 

(Constitutional scholar and Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story, 1840)

The second amendment of the United States (US) Constitution is the right to keep and bear arms. As most laws established by the US, the second amendment was based partially on the right to bear arms in English common law. It is part of the US Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments of the US Constitution), which was established to protect the natural rights of liberty and property of all citizens. The Bill of Rights guarantees a number of personal freedoms, limits the government’s power in judicial and other proceedings, and reserves some powers to the states and the public. Therefore, the second amendment, right to keep and bear arms, was afforded to the US citizens as a natural right of self-defense.

 Many times Americans state the second amendment as the right to bear arms but the key word “keep” is always overlooked. The word “keep” strongly sets the tone for the posed question, “should teachers, who have been properly trained, be allowed to arm themselves in the classroom?” In order to keep, or retain possession, and bear arms as a natural right of self defense means a person needs to have the arm (i.e. gun) with them in order to defend themselves. The criteria on being trained to use the gun efficiently, effectively, and with good judgment falls back on the individual. Other laws handle those who misuse this right. In order for one to defend themselves and others in dire times, the arm has to be available. This is why I do agree that teachers, only if properly trained, should be allowed to arm themselves in the classroom.

 The history of school shootings have been recorded since the 1760’s. A reference that displays some of the statistical data of the school shootings recorded in the US can be found at  US Reported School Shootings. This reference consists of incidents where a firearm was discharged at a school infrastructure, including incidents of shootings on a school bus or near school property while school is in session. The list includes incidents that occurred on the campuses of K-12 public and private schools, colleges and universities. This reference notates 320 deaths from US School shootings. The 320 count does not include all of the earlier school related shootings recorded since the 1760s. Ask yourself this question, what if a teacher was armed during some of these shootings? Could this number be decreased? Could lives have been saved? Would the shooting have happened if the perpetrator knew that they were not the only ones armed?

 Studies have shown that perpetrators of violence minimally act against individuals who bear arms versus those that do not. There is a higher threat that they may be unsuccessful with their violent task or lose their own life against someone who has armed themselves versus those that do not.  This is another reason why I agree that teachers should be allowed to arm themselves in the classroom.

 Schools should be a place of peace, education, social engagement, fun, learning, innovation, and creation of ideas that will aide in shaping and molding the minds of the current and next generations. The fear that school shootings have impelled onto today’s society is changing the definition, culture, and environment of schools. Allowing teachers to arm themselves in the classroom not only will reconstitute the culture and environment of schools, but will bring a sense of protection and safety to those who are arming our children every day with the knowledge they will need to carry this society forward for the next millennium.  

The Supreme Court continues to hear cases regarding Affirmative Action and reverse racism. They, the Supreme Court, have asked the question, should Affirmative Action be modified from its current state of implementation or should it be done away with all together?

Bert’s Response

Affirmative Action was implemented to create a level playing field in America that slavery and Jim Crow had for so long dominated.  Slavery and Jim Crow together have stymied numerous generations of economic and educational growth in the black community.  Some modern day civil rights activists like Rev. Al Sharpton have stated that Jim Crow might be dead, but his son James Crow, Esq. is still alive and well.  As I thought about how to answer this question I wondered what the following individuals would have thought about it:

• John Howard Griffin, author of Black Like Me, published in 1961 he was a white male from Mansfield, TX who wanted to truly understand the black experience so much that he underwent medical treatment to temporarily change the color of his skin to become a black man.  He was so affected by racism and civil rights abuses that even while knowing that his situation was only temporary, noticed a look of defeat and hopelessness on his own face only after a few weeks as a black man.  It became so bad that he would stop the treatments that turned his skin black so he could go back to being white for periods of time. (http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/blacklikeme/)

• The 14 blacks, who in December of 2012, reached a settlement with a South Dallas, TX Mill company for exposing them to violent, racist graffiti and racial slurs by co-workers.  The mill agreed to pay them $500,000. (reference)

• The 51 black applicants who, in November of 2012, were denied employment on the loading docks by Caldwell Freight Line, a now defunct company, even though they had prior experience.  Caldwell Freight Lines was ordered to pay the applicants $120,000 for their refusal to hire them. (reference)

• President Barak Obama, who since he became President of the United States has seen the number of anti-government groups grow more than 800%.  (reference  as heard from the Joe Madison Radio Show)

 Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Sonya Sotomayor both believe in widening the net so that Affirmative Action includes all disadvantaged groups regardless of race.  Clarence Thomas, however, believes that we should remove the race factor all together; whereas Sonya Sotomayor believes that race is still very important to consider.  Both have benefitted from affirmative action.  Clarence Thomas, for his own benefit, wants to close the door behind him; while Sonya Sotomayor wants the door to remain open so that others can have access to opportunities that otherwise would be denied to them because of their skin color. Affirmative action was never meant to place someone in a position they are not qualified handle, but rather to give those that are qualified a fair chance to be considered.  Until you have walked in the shoes of a person of color, you can never know why we feel affirmative action, based on race, is still needed.  Reverse racism in my opinion would be to go back to the days of old, where the good ole boys club trumps righteousness.

So to answer the question asked, I would say the day that we as people of color no longer have to teach our children that they have to be two or three times better than their white counterparts just to be considered equal is the day that we no longer need affirmative action as it currently exists.  Today is not that day.

Anthony’s Response 

Affirmative Action should never be done away with at all. In today’s society, we are still not playing on an equal playing field. We as black men, women, gays and overweight individuals are still fighting for our fair shake in corporate America. Powers that control the job markets are continually finding new ways to discriminate against, not only perspective employees, but also existing employees; Smokers, overweight individuals and those who become ill while employed are a few that fall into this group of new age discrimination.  If affirmative action is modified, it needs to make sure that those who fall into this new age group of discrimination are protected.  These people need to feel confident that they have a fair chance at finding stable, long-term good paying jobs.  Affirmative action is still needed to even out the playing field, but it should be modified for today’s time.

Rhonda’s Response 

“Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action their fruit behind it.” 
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Ralph Waldo Emerson always has a way with words that provoke thought and change. Although, the Supreme Court continues to hear cases regarding Affirmative Action and reverse racism, they should modify Affirmative Action to fit the demands of the people today. Although the definition of Affirmative Action has changed over the years, it sets a foundation of fair rules and regulations, creates a foundation for all classes to interact, and fosters healthy competition.

Affirmative Action has been around for many years but the way we know Affirmative Action today is not how it originally began. Although Affirmative Action today has a negative connotation as being an exclusive opportunity for minorities, its original inception was to set a foundation of fair rules and regulations between employees and employers. Affirmative Action was first introduced in the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 (approved July 5, 1935). It was enacted by National Labor Relations Board to serve as a way to give unions protection against management.  National Labor Relations Board vs. National Casket Company was one of the first cases to address “Affirmative Action”. This case set the precedent that companies could not discharge employees due to their participation in unions. During these times, unions were created to represent workers in all industries. The first union was created in the mid 19^th century. 

However, today, due to many definition changes to Affirmative Action, we know it to be the recommendation made by President John F. Kennedy in his Executive Order 10925 in 1961. That Executive Order was to “ensure that applicants are treated equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.” This Executive Order created a new definition of Affirmative Action that would become the pillar of new policies, committees, and laws that would range from labor equality to education equality. This definition helped to add a layer to Affirmative Action that would create a foundation for all classes to interact within the workforce. 

When there is a foundation for all classes to interact within the workforce, this also fosters healthy competition within the workforce. It creates an equal playing field for all men and women in various industries who have similar skill sets and education. No more will skilled workers with equal education and skill sets be denied an opportunity to apply for jobs that in the past they would not have the chance. No more will a woman be denied an opportunity for a promotion due to the “good old boy” system of companies without violating equal right rules and regulations. No longer will minorities be denied employment and/or promotions due to racial discrimination without those industries violating civil liberties and rights of those individuals. Affirmative Action modification in 1961 was made to create equal opportunities for all races, religions, and sexes within the workforce. Although, there is still more work to be done when it comes to equal opportunity of pay for women, society has come a long ways from where we were in 1935; due to the definition modifications made by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. 

History always teaches us ways to persevere in the future without repeating past mistakes. Although history is our teacher, the lessons learned from our past are the true testaments for us to forge ahead   and do our best to better ourselves and not repeat historical results. In order for us to change the connotation of Affirmative Action today, we must modify the definition to meet the needs of today’s society. Modifying the definition will ensure that the purpose of Affirmative Action stays relevant and fresh to set a foundation of fair rules and regulations, creates a foundation for all classes to interact, and fosters healthy competition for societies today.

Are the majority of the prejudices experienced in America a black/white issue or a young/old issue?

Bert’s Response

I do not think the majority of prejudices experienced in America are black vs. white or even young vs. old.  I think the majority of prejudices in America are more socio-economic based.  There has and continues to be a constant war of the haves versus the have-nots. 

The reason I say this is because most policies that are put into place have more to do with money than it does race or age.  Please note that I do understand that in making policies that primarily affect money, the groups that are largely affected will be people of color and people of older ages.  I also understand that if you are not a person of color or someone of an older age, but fall into that lower-class to lower-middle class socio- economic status, you too are affected whether you want to accept it or not.  In most cases it is proven that the rich always want to get richer at all costs; even it means sacrificing one of their own.  If you are a rich white person whose life is all about money and nothing else, you won't care that you discriminate against a lower class white person to get richer.  Likewise, if you are a rich black/African-American person who also has allowed money to become your idol, you have no problem taking advantage of another black/African-American person to get richer.  This is evident when you look at the drug situation in the inner city.  Although you have somebody at the top getting mega rich, the middle man out on the street corner is getting his share by exploiting his own kind.  On the flip side, you have a white businessman who sees a piece of property he wants to build on to get richer.  In order for him to get that property, he must invoke a policy like eminent domain to forcibly buy that person's property to build his money making empire.  He doesn't care that the person who loses his/her property is white; he just wants to make more money.

Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of black vs. white issues that are underlying to the socio-economic prejudices.  We must aggressively address those issues as such.  Using my eminent domain example above, if the person wanting the property offers a white person more money for their property than he offers a black person simply because of race, then that is racism underlined to the socio-economic reason that the person is losing his/her property.  Even the slave trade was more about money than it was color.  As well, the Emancipation Proclamation that ended slavery was not solely about slavery being wrong.  It was because the south would not conform to all that the north wanted, so the north took away the south's ability to make more money.  Slavery was ended to financially ruin the south.  It all boils down to "the love of money is the root of all evil."

Anthony’s Response 

The majority of the prejudices in America today are black and white issues. I think racism is at an all time high, especially when you look at the actions of the TEA party who thinks that this country is being run into the ground by President Obama.  Where was the TEA party when BUSH lied to this country and sent sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, and their mothers and fathers to the front line to fight for a lie? He called them weapons of mass destruction.  Did we find any?

The TEA party has become one of the largest groups to protest President Obama and the Democratic Party’s ideas that have been brought to the table.  Are their views fueling the prejudices of today?  The Tea Party does have the right to assemble and protest, but at what point is it enough?  We all can agree that everyone in the world is not going to be happy about everything.  However, when your views bring out the crazy extremist I believe you should take a step back and look at your platform and make the necessary changes that will cause different reactions.

Prejudices do however go beyond black and white.  It can be conflict between young and old, party versus party, state versus state and probably one of the worst prejudices, black versus black.  In MY perspective, it is mainly a color thing.  I work in a building that used to have only 10 % of minority employees of any color.  In this building it was a white man’s world.  The company slowly allowed a few people of colors to become mangers.  Only when the chosen few did well, that others begin to get a chance as well.

America is a country that was built on the backs of slaves and immigrants.  We are one of the strongest countries in the world but yet we struggle to get along with each other.  We have proven to be prejudice of different races, ages and cultures.  If America does not open its eyes and the government doesn’t start working together for the sake of the ones that voted them in office, this country will continue to fall deeper and deeper into a spiral to the point that we won’t be able to recover.

Rhonda’s Response 

“…O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave…” (The Star Spangled Banner, by Attorney Francis Scott Key)

The Star Spangled Banner, the national anthem of the United States of America, ends each stanza with “O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” The Star Spangled Banner is sung at the beginning of many important events held in the United States (i.e. Sporting Events). However, as all who place their right hand over their heart and proudly sing the words to this song, the true meaning of why it was written may not always be understood.

The Star Spangled Banner was written in 1814 during the Battle of Fort McHenry. This anthem, originally a poem, was the accounts of the battle witnessed by Attorney Francis Scott Key. Although the soldiers fighting during this time were brave, slavery was still prevalent, prejudices were running rampant within America, and the country was being controlled by a small group of people who supported all of these injustices.

The Emancipation Proclamation was not signed until 1862 and slaves were freed in 1863. In 1931, the song was made the national anthem and during this time there were still forms of slavery going on in America. Jim Crow laws were very prevalent for the freed slaves. Black Americans were being slaughtered, hung, and not given the same opportunities as whites. No matter their social status, education, age, or profession; blacks were blacks and were disrespected constantly by whites.

However, we, Americans sing The Star Spangled Banner and close our eyes and proudly sing the last stanza with great enthusiasm “O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” This answers the question, are the majority of the prejudices experienced in America a Black/White issue or a young/old issue? I believe the prejudices experienced in America are a black/white issue. The most animosities reported regarding prejudices in various industries are those between blacks and whites. The foundation of our country started with a black/white issue (slavery) and will continue as we proudly continue to sing songs and recognize writings that were done during times when all Americans were not free and were treated as property.

We have to start anew and place old habits behind us and relish in the new accomplishments we have made as a country. Although we have come a long ways from the 1814’s, we still have a long ways to go which should result in new hymns to sing and new writings to be proud. No longer “O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave,” but the country who continues to thrive past incredulous prejudices and gets to the heart of all matters to make our country a free, safe, and proud place that all citizens (black, white, Latin American, Mexican, African, etc…) can call home.

Is the President (Barack Obama) moving this country into the right direction?

Bert’s Response

When you look at the hill the President was given to climb when he was elected to office, it would be easy for me to say no the President is not moving the country in the right direction.  However, looking at politics as a whole, he fell into an impossible task; One that time could only heal.  No President before him, with the exception of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, has ever had to attempt to do what President Obama has had to do.  The sad thing is that we as an American people refuse to move closer together to help find a solution to our current economic and social issues.  Instead of defining ourselves as Americans, we prefer to be known predominantly as Democrats or Republicans.  Democrats with all the power have refused to see the importance in looking across the isle and realizing that Republicans do have some good ideas.  Likewise, Republicans have gotten so fixated on regaining control in Washington that they too refuse to look at good democratic ideas as viable.  They find it too easy to say no.   The far left and the far right is not where real governing happens.  It’s in the middle.  We are losing all of our moderate republicans and democrats.  

My biggest issue with the President is that he is trying to make everyone happy.  Bill Cosby once said “you can’t make all of the people happy all of the time.”  He was right.  I want the President to make a decision and stick with it.  Do I agree with all of the President’s decisions?  No, I do not.  Do I think that he is doing everything wrong?  No, I do not. 

This is a very tough, but relevant question?  However I cannot answer this question with a yes or no because as a realist I understand that it is not all about the President.  There are three branches to our Political system in America.  I lay the blame on this country not yet going in the right direction on both the Executive and Legislative branches of our government.  Yes we do elect our President, but let us not forget that we also elect our congress who has to agree with the President before any real change can happen.  That real change won’t happen as long as the far left and the far right keep making all the noise, while the real work in the middle gets ignored. 

I am looking forward to the balance being somewhat restored in Washington.  I am a firm believer in checks and balances.  Full disclosure is warranted.  I am not a republican.  I have voted for republican candidates on the local level before.  I just think the President will have a much easier time moving to the center because he has no other choice with the House of Representatives now being controlled by the Republicans.  I feel the Democratic controlled House and Senate were holding the President hostage to the far left ideas.  In our newly elected scenario, if things still fall apart all the blame can’t fall on one party.

In short, do I think the President is moving the country in the right direction?  Not yet, but hopefully soon.  America is a big ship to turn around.  Change does not happen overnight.  Regardless of your political affiliation, there has to be some agreement on this.

Anthony’s Response 

As we enter 2011 and end 2010, President Obama has attempted to direct this country in the right direction but has been faced with many obstacles.  He has had to deal with disrespect in the White House.  Bills that he would have liked to have seen passed were blocked by republicans and some democrats.  He also had to deal with the Iraq war, where he promised to bring the troops home but instead had to take them from Iraq and place them in other places to fight. 

 With regards to the Iraq war we have lost so many lives over a lie from President Bush.  President Obama has kept his promise by ending the Iraq war and closing downGuantanamo Bay prison.  The promises that he made, and kept, have taken longer than what we all expected.  However he did keep them.  However, after all these promises our troops are still spread around the world fighting.  When will they come home?  When will those young lives be taken out of harms way?  We also have to remember that the Iraq and Afghanistan wars did not start with President Obama, but they are his problems now.  He needs to find a way to bring these men and women home safely.

Also, with his Health Care Plan he tried to help ALL in the USA.  What should the President have done for those millions of people who lost there jobs and health care coverage?  He bailed out the banks.  WHY not bail out the people?  He has to do something because unemployment is at its highest point in this country.  In the beginning of his term he received a check book that was overdrawn.  He was also left with one of the largest deficits since the great depression. The last time I checked President Obama was not a magician that he could waive his hand and make all that went wrong during the 8-years Bush was in office will be un-done.  The economy is moving in a positive manner, but it can be better. 

To wrap it all up, I have to give the president a C+ in his direction of this country. He has had so much to over come. We voted Him in to office, but during the last election failed to vote in the help he needed to pass some of the changes he wanted to make.  So now he has to play let’s make a deal with the republicans to get some of his items passed.  A lot of Americans were upset with him signing the extension of the Bush tax cuts.  He had to sign it so that millions of out of work Americans could continue to get a check every month.  I pray not only for the President, but for those who we VOTED in office and are running our country.  If we fight against each other all the time, what will get done?  NOTHING.  

Rhonda’s Response 

“Sometimes when people are under stress, they hate to think, and it's the time when they most need to think.” 
(Former President Bill Clinton)

As a young American with conservative views, I believe that President Barack Obama entered his term as the President of the United States of America wanting to change overnight decades of issues that have plagued our nation. His “Change” platform created hope in many Americans but the platform was fueled by verbal promises that did not have hard facts or resources to ensure these promises could be executed. We as Americans must always understand that America is the great country it is because we are composed of a melting pot of people. Yes, our country has and still experiences prejudices and hardships towards minorities, but thanks to leaders such as, Martin Luther King Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, Former Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, and others; many minorities have equal rights that were not afforded in the past. The American vote has turned into a routine process  where we vote, watch the elections, and don’t hold the elected  officials accountable for the day to day decisions that will shape and mold our country. Because many of us have not held our elected officials responsible for their decisions, the harmful decisions they make sometimes do not impact us as citizens until later (like today). Now our country is plagued at trying to find solutions to rectify many bad decisions that have created a dark whole for our nation (i.e the Financial Debt and Economic Crisis). Once a whole this large has been created, the citizens look to the president to lead us to new solutions and rectifications. But we also are hoping and depending on our leader to use facts and resources to ensure that the solutions provided will render possible results that can be calculated.

I say all of this to say that although President Barack Obama is a great orator and gives hope through his speeches, I feel that his programs do not have enough facts and resources to predict an outcome that will help to uproot America from the dark holes past decisions have created in order to lead us towards the greater nation we were centuries prior. A great leader understands how to work with others and compromise in order to make decisions. And if we as the American people feel that those individuals that we elected to make these decisions are not speaking for the majority but their  own agenda; it is our duty as American citizens to speak up and work to remove them from office. If we as American citizens do not start holding our elected officials accountable for their decisions, then we will find our great nation turn into a nation that will be dependent on others for economic, innovative, and natural resources that we no longer have the means to produce for ourselves. We need to have leaders who gather a team of people that will not be yes people to those they serve, but do their job proficiently enough that if it requires them to question decisions; they will.

All in all, is the President (Barack Obama) moving this country into the right direction, right now I don’t see a positive move towards a hopeful future but I hope that time will prove me wrong and we start to see remnants of greatness forthcoming for the United States of America.