NewView

Reality Check

“The real distinction is between those who adapt their purposes to reality and those who seek to mold reality in the light of their purposes.”

--Henry Kissinger--

“Power never takes a back step - only in the face of more power.”

--Malcolm X--

“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy.”

--Ernest Benn--

Okay. Enough already!!!! People please quit asking Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and the rest of the presidential hopefuls questions regarding what they are going to do to eliminate racism and sexism. They are running for the President of the United States. They are not running for Master Supreme Ruler of the World. They are not running for the supreme ruler of all of our hearts, minds, and emotions.

Contrary to what the dozen or so people that have applied for job of President of the United States of America would like “us voters” to believe, our government, which includes the Office of the President, has its limits. Completely eliminating racism and sexism is beyond the power of anyone in government regardless of whether that person holds an office in government at the local, state, or federal level.

The presidential campaign is nothing more than an extended job interview. Just like in any job interview every person running for president will try to make “us voters” believe that there is nothing beyond their power to effect as long as they are given the job. They want to sell “us voters” the unrealistic notion that they have the power to do all things. They want to sell “us voters” that the solution to all of our troubles rest solely with the power of our vote . . . for them.

That is not reality. Yes. It definitely matters who we put into the White House and send to Congress. However, the truth is that all of our power does not begin and end with our vote. Our power rests with our voices. Our power rests with our collective wisdom. Our power rests with our creativity. Our power rests with our will to make our society a better place and in the African-American community our will to build and maintain political, cultural, and economic power.

To me racism and sexism are systems that operate to oppress people based on race (which is a social construct- but I digress) or gender. Neither can exist in absence of an inequity of power between the oppressors and the oppressed. Yet, the government cannot completely bridge the gap in the inequity of power.

There are things that the government can and should do. The government can pass and enforce laws and regulations that give oppressed groups (like us black folks) an opening of opportunity, but like an offensive line, the government can only give “us” “six inches of daylight” and we must do the rest.

People please quit asking easy interview questions of the people that have applied to become our next president. Maybe we should ask more concrete questions like whether they will be willing to better fund government agencies that address the symptoms of racism and sexism like the EEOC, Department of Labor, and the civil rights division of the Department of Justice. Maybe we need to ask them how they intend to encourage our public school systems to better educate all of our children, instead of just an elite few. Maybe we need to ask them whether they intend to fully fund educational programs that have a track record of providing positive results like head start. Now that is something they can do.

Education: the Right Tool For the Job

“The strength of the United States is not the gold at Fort Knox or the weapons of mass destruction that we have, but the sum total of the education and the character of our people.”

--Claiborne Pell--

“The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.”

--Herbert Spencer--

“Education is a method whereby one acquires a higher grade of prejudices.”

--Laurence J. Peter--

Education is a tool that is to be used for a lifetime. I wrote that sentence several weeks ago in an article that I wrote that was directed toward our youth. In that article I gave advice to the young brothers and sisters. I want to expand upon that sentence in this article.

The word educate is defined as either to formally train someone in a profession or trade, or to mentally or morally develop especially by an institution. (See Merriam Webster Dictionary online.) There are differing accounts of the origins of the word educate. One theory of the origin of the word educate is that it comes from a word that means to train. Another theory of the origin of the word educate is that it comes from a word that means to bring forth that is within. The current definition of educate essentially incorporates both meanings. Yet, it seems that when it comes time to get our “education” many of us do things that are counter productive to our goals.

Most people, children and adults alike, look at education as a means to get a job, which most of “us” think will bring happiness. I think that is a mistake that many of us make. First, there is a big difference between a job and a career. A job is something that a person does to make money. A career is an extension of a person’s soul. Second, education is more than a bridge to just a job. It is a tool. Education is a tool to a career. Education is a tool to a lifetime of problem solving skills. Education is a companion on the lifetime road to self exploration. However, like any tool, the task dictates the tool.

There is a saying that “if during your life you have no regrets then you have not lived.” Well, I guess I have “lived” because I have a few regrets so far in my life. The biggest regret I have is how I approached getting my education after high school. I made a very common mistake. I chose to go to college and I chose my college major solely based on getting a “good” paying job upon graduation instead of paving a road to a career. I never gave any thought to what I wanted out of life beyond making money. I never gave any thought to what made me happy and how I could fashion my life to allow me to do that while still supporting myself.

Dr. King once said “be the best of whatever you are.” I submit that it is impossible to follow that advice if a person never takes time to determine “who they are.” An education is a very personal thing. It means one thing for one person and entirely something else for another person. It also means one thing for a person in one stage of their life and something else in another stage of their life. Any time a child, parent, student or teacher treats education as a “one size fits all,” then that person has set themselves and the student(s) up for failure.

The first step in getting a good education is asking the right questions. Once that happens then the next steps should fall into place. Any inquiry must start with what that person wants from their education. Once that has been determined then a map can be effectively drawn to get that person to where they want to be. For instance, if a person just wants a “good” paying job then first they must fill in what good paying means, what it takes to get this job, and is that what they really want. After that the rest is easy.

I guess my advice to young brothers and sisters can be summed up in one sentence. Please choose the right tool for the task. The best way to do that is to determine the task that you are interested in and how best to achieve it.