racism

EXCLUSIVE: Camille Cosby Speaks to the Black Press About Hate Groups, Racism, History and Voting Rights

Following the murder of her only son, Ennis Cosby, more than 20 years ago in Los Angeles, Mrs. Cosby wrote an essay in which she spoke fiercely about America’s hate and racism. She blamed America for teaching her son’s killer, Mikail Markhasev, to hate black people because of the various and pervasive forms of racism in our society.

Racial Pride Enhances Collaboration

Black Lives Matter.  The name itself tends to debunk the myth that America is race-neutral.  Similarly, the Black Lives Matter Movement is s helping to expose the nation’s refusal to acknowledge racism and white privilege that is reflected in the fabric of this country from its inception. There has always been talk among liberals, human relations specialists and others about the damaging effect of “identity politics” on inter-ethnic cooperation.  Even though identity politics, racial politics and ethnic politics are never clearly defined, they are nonetheless characterized as a negative to be universally shunned. Proponents of ethnic neutrality tend to minimize

Racism’s Ongoing Devastating Impact

Racism is as real as ever and Black lives have always mattered. However, most people, including many Blacks, deny or minimize the devastating effect of racism and tend to act as though somehow, Black lives are less valuable, even less sacred than white lives. The Black Lives Matter movement has the potential for strengthening sustainable unified Black leadership which would distinguish it from the many failed attempts to build a Black united front since the civil rights era. Hopefully, it will succeed, but remaining unapologetically Black is a daunting challenge and time will tell.

Remembering the Million Man Match: Reflections on Memory and Mission

There is so much damage done to memory and mission in our lives and to our sense of self by large and small conces­sions to the constant call to let go and move on re­gardless of what is lost or left behind. We sacrifice so much in our rush to for­get, stay in style or keep in harmony with the official writers and rulers of so­ciety. However, whatever we are and will become, we must give appropriate attention to our history, in spite of all the counsel from outside to forget the past, worship the present and forfeit our future for things embraced and en­joyed now.

21st Century Challenges Require New Mindsets and New Behavior

Demographic changes in California and throughout the nation are profoundly altering the political landscape. Not the least of such changes is the impact of the huge increase in the Latino population. Cleary, Latinos are already asserting their new found political strength. This threatens many African Americans, who rather than work to strengthen relations with Latinos, for mutual benefit, seem determined to cling to their own highly limited  past political and economic gains, real and imagined. 

Race Has Always Mattered

   The institutionalization of racial difference codified white peoples’ refusal to grant Blacks such basic democratic rights as citizenship, access to the legal system and the right to vote.