I watched most of the State of the Black Union on C-Span this afternoon. Great discussion on variety of topics. I missed most of the health care panel but caught the political panels. I took notes on the various speakers and will summarize for those of you who were unable to catch coverage.
The focus on the discussion was the formation of a "Covenant with Black America" that would encompass at least ten major issues black America would adopt as policy goals to be accomplished. Each speaker had several points to make.
Connie Rice is one of my favorite commentators. Hard to believe that she and Condi are cousins. Her points:
- Only through the blood of African-Americans has life been put into Constitution
- Story of black liberation struggles is story of success of America
- Successful blacks are doing quite well, but
- Blacks integrated into a burning house
- Poor Americans, blacks and 7 generations of poor whites have been left behind
- Poor blacks and whites have Africa-level standards of poverty
- Underclass has 70% incarceration rate
- Remove men from a community and the community dies
- Need to lift America up from bottom because all should be thriving, not just surviving
- Bush Admin is an unprecedented juggernaut intent on enriching few at expense of many
Bishop Henry Jackson was more conservative
- Founding Fathers created original sin when failing to include black Americans in Constitution
- Black people need to join with white Evangelicals for reconstruction of black family
- GOP doesn't need black votes and white Democrats come running at midnite before election for help
- Moral priorities of community need to be related to political parties
- The gay agenda held the black agenda hostage in last election
Keith Boykin is a gay author
- Gay marriage was a weapon of mass distraction in last election contrived by Karl Rove
- Should stop focusing on hierarchy of oppression because no one should be oppressed
- Stop gender, sexual orientation divions within black community
Louis Farrakhan was most well-received
- Jesse ran 2 times, yet still came with little to show from party
- Put the Bible on the table but religious leaders should stop "entertaining" with religion
- Hell with both parties, black people need unity beyond politics
- Plan education for black children beyond contrived (i.e., Eurocentric) white education taught in public schools
- Black people need 10 year plan for raising of spirit, morals, economic development and education
I didn't get many notes from
Al Sharpton but he noted
- Fewer African-Americans on DNC Executive Committee than at any point in 40 years
- He won more votes than Dean across South, yet black people shut out in DNC
- 'Leading' blacks (e.g., Powell, Rice) are not "black leaders" because they are not accountable to black constituency
Donna Brazile paid homage to her mentor Jesse Jackson and noted that he mentored many others
- Black agenda should not be structured to fit the Democratic Party
- Values for black advancement are based in the "movement," not the Democratic Party
Jesse Jackson was quite good.
- It is a strange alliance that would partner black ministers with white evangelicals rather than black educators and elected officials
- Spiritual message must stay the same no matter how large the congregation
- Gay marriage is a distraction from other larger issues
- Black people vote their interests, like other Americans and gave history of shifting allegiances to Dems and GOP
- OK for black conservatives to meet with Bush, but they MUST discuss black issues with Bush (e.g., Voting Rights Act extension)
- Building and maintaining prisons has become an industry in poor parts of America, reflecting bad morals priorities
- Tsunami was bad but America is indifferent to tragedies in Africa taking place in Congo, Sudan
Economist
Julianne Malveaux spoke of how
- the economy is the moral issue
- Black Americans should be more vocal about demanding "fair share" of economy, health care, and education
- African-Americans need to raise voices on global economy
- Global capitalist imperialism is taking over Africa
Marie Smith, President of the AARP stated:
- There is no crisis in Social Security
- System is good to at least 2042 as is, with CBO saying 2052.
- SS is most successful social program in world
- Raising 90K cap on FICA tax could easily make up any anticipated shortfall
- Black people need to put on "own oxygen masks" before focusing on multiracial coalitions
AME Bishop
Bishop Vashti McKenzie was pretty good.
- We need to ask "Who benefits ?" from Bush policies and follow the money
- Make efforts for ex-felons to recovery voting (and other citizen) rights
- We are fighting our father's enemies !
- Democrats need to stop just asking for ground troops from black churches and include in forming public policy
- New generation Hip hop leaders now need to be included on forums of black leadership
- Spiritual weapons (i.e., prayer) must also be used for justice
Newark former Councilman (and hopefully, future Mayor)
Cory Booker
- Black people need to make covenant with selves and community for personal responsibility to help, change
- Young are standing on shoulders of elders and new educated class needs to heed advice from wise elders
University of Pennsylvania
Professor Michael Dyson
- Black people need to think critically about strategic 'interference' (from white conservatives) in community
- God walks with pushers, hos, and pimps and we ought not to beat down the poor
- Public school education is in neo-apartheid stage with most black and Latino children attending segregated schools
- Gay people have been part of black movement (Lord, Rustin, Baldwin) and bashing gays has no place in comtemporary movement
Joseph Lowery, head of Southern Christian Leadership Conference was brief but said
Love based ministries needed more than faith based charities
Labor leader Pat Ford noted:
- Good union jobs will lift people out of poverty
- Unions need to be important part of any coalition movement for social justice
- Women are still earning 72% of men, and black women have always dome more with less.
Cong. John Conyers says
- Voter reform needs to top agenda in next Congress
- Republicans in Congress are not too eager to take up Bush's SS privatization scheme
So that was a brief summary. Lots of food for thought. Any comments ??