As  approaches birthday number four,
we once again find ourselves at odds with Harvard University. In this
issue's Freedom Rider column,
Margaret Kimberely writes about self hatred at the venerable institution.
Nothing can ruin a Sunday morning like a New
York Times magazine article with a dubious title such as, “Toward
a Unified Theory of Black America.” The alarm bells are immediate
because the Times loves to give attention to black people who are
either in jail or on welfare or who have impeccable credentials
but who are horribly confused.
The New York Times, a mechanism of systematic
exclusion, chose not to print the following letter about the
so-called "Unified Theory of Black America" from
one of the most eminent Black thinkers
of our era, Harvard professor, Dr. Martin Kilson.
The New York Times Magazine Lexington, Mass.
229 West 43d St. 02421
New York, N.Y. March 22, 2005
Sir:
I thought Stephen Dubner’s article “Toward a Unified Theory of Black
America” (March 20) was quite strange. I was expecting an account of
the ideas comprising the young African-American economist Roland Fryer’s
unified theory of Black America, but Dubner does not do this. Instead
Dubner’s article relates how a talented African-American youth overcame
a difficult childhood and teenage hood to achieve a doctorate in economics
and a three-year fellowship at Harvard. When Dubner does inform us
about Fryer’s ideas, I found them quite astonishing. “I basically want
to figure out where blacks went wrong,” Fryer tells Dubner. How can
Fryer possibly achieve a “unified theory of Black America” by posing
this historically vapid question.?
It was America and its racist system that went wrong, Professor
Fryer! What about over two-hundred years of American slavocracy and
a century
of authoritarian and terrorist-riddled White supremacist practices
that systematically denied African-Americans’ human rights and basic
citizenship rights like voting and equal opportunity in America’s overall
socio-economic life? Curiously, Fryer considers his “where blacks went
wrong” vantage point intellectually courageous because 1) he thinks “Blacks
and whites are both to blame” – in equal measure presumably – and because
2) he thinks genetic explanations should be studied, telling Dubner
that “As soon as you say something like, ‘Well could the black-white
test- score gap be genetics?’ everybody gets tensed up. But why shouldn’t
that be on the table.?” It shouldn’t be on the table for the very same
reason that the Creationist view of the universe shouldn’t be on the
table or the neo-Fascist view of the Holocaust shouldn’t be on the
table – they’re wrong.
Finally, Roland Fryer suggests in his interview with Dubner that
he is a legitimate disciple of W.E.B. DuBois. I disagree. DuBois
would
not have endorsed Fryer’s thinking, such as discouraging African-American
families from giving children Black-ethnic names. By the way, does
Fryer discourage Irish-ethnic names, Jewish-ethnic names, Italian-ethnic
names, etc.? Nor would DuBois attack affirmative action practices.
DuBois favored public policy experimentation in order to reverse
the oppressive legacy of American racism.
Sincerely,
Martin Kilson
Frank G. Thomson Professor of Government
Emeritus – Harvard University
Dr. Kilson has been a contributing thinker to since our second
issue. Kilson received his BA degree from Lincoln University, Pennsylvania,
and his PhD from
Harvard
University,
where
he taught
from 1962 to 1998. He was the first Black granted full tenure at Harvard.
Kilson is a Frank G. Thomson Research Professor, Harvard, and his
two-volume study, "The Making of Black Intellectuals," a
22-year labor of love, will be published this year.
Dr. Kilson's three-part series, "Probing the Black Elite's Role
for the 21st Century," begins April 7 in .
Freedom Rider Fan Mail
From Baltimore, Maryland, reader Gwen Barbour felt right at home
with Margaret Kimberley's piece "Bread
and Circuses".
As I read Margaret Kimberlys commentary it was as though she had
been sitting in on the discussions my family members, friends and
I have
been having over the past few days. She is as usual right on target
and her "take no prisoners" hard hitting prose needs to be
read by every thinking person in this country.
We are in deep trouble
because far to many of us swallow the misinformation dished out
by the "popular "media but are too lazy or too complacent
to seek out alternate sources like .
I have referred all of my
relatives
and friends to the website. Thank you for all the hard
work you do to bring us the unvarnished truth. When you get discouraged
by the
immensity of the task that lies before you just remember that "truth
crushed to earth will rise again".
Margaret also rang the bell for M. Hureaux in Seattle.
On point as ever. Your stuff reads with the same sort of lyrical
rage one
finds in the works of Jayne Cortez.
Keep laying it down and tearing
it
up.
Picking on the worst of them
Our cover story this week answers readers who demand we call more
people out and push us to name names. This week's target is the
subject of our cover
story:
"The Worst Black Congressperson - David Scott" should make
such readers drool.
Printer friendly version of David Scott cartoon.
The other criticism we hear about from time to time falls into the
category of wanting to provide solutions. Here's some of what John
Wilson of
Washington, DC wrote on that subject.
I always find insightful, and thought provoking reading. There
is a consistent theme that I have observed with your writing, as well
as most of the progressive movement, that I would like to point out.
Consistently, your writing lacks solutions. You wrote a great piece
about the grand plan of Mr. bush, and the right wing thought police's
strategy to use the Black church and vouchers as entry into the Black
community bypassing the local leadership.
The unfortunate reality is most African American elected officials
are viewed as ineffective. Let me qualify by stating, I have worked
in the Clinton Administration as a political appointee, I have worked
at HUD for then Secreatary Andrew Cuomo, as well as having worked for
Congresswoman Maxine Waters, among other jobs, so I am hardwired into
Democratic poltics, I can tell what you already know, the DNC, DSCC,
DCC, DGA, and most of the democratic machinary do not have a plan!
They don't have a comprehensive, cohesive, plan, and certianly
not one that includes Black people (I'll talk about this dangerous
group
known as "progressives" which is usually code for white
liberals who think they know what's best for us...
Whether Democrats or Republicans are in charge it shouldn't make
a difference. Depending on the party in charge, our strategy to
accessing
resources for our community is the only thing that should change.
I believe the key is to have Black folks in the Republican Party,
new
people at the helm in the Democratic Party, in the lobby shops,
the associations, more think tanks to influence the process, and
to bring
back resources to the community. At the end of the day, the end
user, the person in the community doesn't care who provided the
help, they
simply need the help...
John Wilson has a lot of tracking and thinking
to do especially about his belief that it should not make a difference
whether Democrats or Republicans are in charge and labeling Maxine
Waters ineffective.
We at are doing our best to provide ideas and plans for change.
However, we can not make up for the dearth of Black leadership in the
United States.
We hope all readers
will line up to buy the book Co-Publishers Glen Ford and Peter Gamble
have
contracted
to write for The New Press. The working title of the book is: "Barack
Obama and the Crisis in Black Leadership". Publication date is
set for April 5, 2006 which also happens to be the fourth anniversary
of
.
Meanwhile, for readers who demand solutions, we cordially invite a
reading of our five
part series: "Wanted: A Plan for the Cities to
Save Themselves".
A solution to the David Scott problem is simple. Folks represented
by him should organize and get rid of him at the ballot box. The publishers
of do not think very many of our readers need instructions written
in crayon on how to take action.
On the topic of public/broadcast forums hosted by , reader Ron Gordon,
supports the idea.
Dear Black Commentator: How are you? I read with great interest
the request by Rev. Jeanette Pollard that asked why Black Commentator
should
not take the lead in assembling a forum somewhere to take on those
who would seek to destroy
what is left of the slim veneer of Black community spirit, pride,
and dignity.
I see the "call" as an urgent one. While Black Commentator
does a more than adequately excellent job of getting the message
across to those who are still conscious enough to read, listen,
and perhaps
act upon what precious ideas are laid out here in the Black Commentator, more is respectfully requested.
Why?
There is no one that I can reasonably say that is "speaking
truth to power" like Black Commentator is today.
That in and of itself is reason enough, I believe, for Black Commentator
to at least take a vanguard role,
just like many
other great African American leaders have done down through history
such as Ida B. Wells-Barnett, David Walker, Frederick Douglas, et. al.
Our enemies no longer hide like roaches in the night. No. They are
everywhere. It would also seem to me that time is illusory, meaning
that time is against us as we wait to determine our next move(s). Contemplation
means escalation to our enemies.
Whatever conclusion Black Commentator arrives at with respect to
leading a challenging debate about contemporary issues affecting
the Black
community, this is my small attempt at "thanking you for just
being there." You keep the way illuminated. Peace.
Please know that we at are sincerely thankfull for all those who
write us letters of support and encouragement. People who constantly
demand change are not negative people. One must
be filled with hope to believe striving
for social and economic justice is worthwhile.
Radio
You can visit the Radio
BC page to listen to any of our audio commentaries
voiced by Co-Publisher
and Editor-in-Chief, Glen Ford. We publish the text of the radio
commentary each week in this column.
Below is the script for the Radio BC audio commentary
of March 25 2005 entitled "Blacks and the Anti-War Movement".
It was by far the largest anti-war march in Harlem
in recent times. On the second anniversary of the invasion of
Iraq, between five
and ten thousand people marched from Harlem’s Marcus Garvey
Park, along famed 125th Street, down Malcolm
X Boulevard, and on to Central Park. This was a Black-led
march,
through very,
very friendly territory – because African Americans overwhelmingly
oppose the war. Just as they have opposed every U.S. military
adventure since the polling companies began paying attention
to Black opinion.
So, why are whites, a majority of whom still support the
war in one form or another, in the forefront of the national
anti-war
movement.
It’s a complex question, with many answers, all of them related
to white dominance in the society as a whole. We at BlackCommentator.com
think that a better question to ask is, Why aren’t Blacks
demonstrating in larger numbers about a whole range of abominations
committed
by the Bush regime – not just the Iraq war? That’s also
a complex question, with lots of answers. One of the answers,
we are sure,
lies in more than three decades of mass Black incarceration,
which has virtually swept the streets clean of young Black
males without
some kind of criminal justice entanglement. Mass movements
depend upon youth for energy and militancy. But if the youth
are shackled –literally,
in jail – or in a practical sense, by probation and parole
restrictions, there is less critical mass for public protest.
Another question that might get to the heart of the issue is,
Do Blacks and whites oppose the war for somewhat different
reasons? The answer is, Yes. African Americans understand the
racist imperatives
that American leaders harness every time they want to steal
something from people of color. As Richard Pryor said, we’re
the folks who rooted for the Indians at the movies, and against
the cowboys and
the U.S. cavalry. When it comes to American foreign policy,
most Black folks know the deal. In fact, it’s a no-brainer. “They” – the
white folks – are out to steal somebody’s stuff, again.
Most white opponents of any given U.S. foreign
adventure see things somewhat differently. They tend to think of
these aggressions as
mistakes, or the products of evil individuals and corporations
in power. These antiwar types believe that most Americans
would oppose these policies, if they only knew the facts. White
Americans
tend to be embarrassed by the evil behavior of their
leaders, as if it reflects badly on the essential goodness of the
country.
African Americans have no illusions about the actual
moral character of the United States – for obvious historical reasons.
And for
those reasons, it may be that many Blacks see little purpose in
appealing to the better angels of the white American conscience.
Unfortunately, only massive defeat will cause most Americans to
demand an immediate withdrawal from Iraq. And that will have nothing
to do with compassion for Iraqis, or recognition of their absolute
right not to be occupied. In Harlem, they demanded that U.S. Troops
Get Out Now, unconditionally. That is the only Moral position. For
Radio BC, I’m Glen Ford.
We thank each of you very much for your readership. Please keep writing.
gratefully
acknowledges the following Websites for sending visitors our way (listing
is in no particular order):
http://www.commondreams.org http://www.informationclearinghouse.info
http://www.bartcop.com
http://membersf.blackplanet.com
http://buzzflash.com
http://www.democraticunderground.com
http://www.cursor.org
http://www.liberaloasis.com
http://www.villagevoice.com
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