Even though COVID 19 has limited our in person participation at lectures and discussions, Zoom has afforded us more diverse programs making travel not an issue. One can partake/ listen from one's own living room as Natureman and I did yesterday joining Madison's Diversity Forum of Town Hall Racial Injustice in America: The Evolution Was Not Televised.
"Social media and international televising of the tragic death of George Floyd rocketed the issue of racism and social justice to heights all over the globe. During the past century of racial struggle, Gil Scott Heron's prophetic song, The Revolution shall not be Televised which became an anthem of the Movement of the 70's, has proved prophetic. Modern media was the key to bringing the need of a social revolution into focus. The unending evolution of racism and resulting social injustice has always been real to its victims but remained a myth to the skeptical masses. The recorded documentation of countless incidents now make injustice undeniable, but for African Americans experiencing the daily terror, tragedy and trauma, there was never a question of how it came to this. A panel of African American men- the most frequent targets discuss pervasive racism and how to change direction."
These men are in the screen shot below from L to R top row:
Dr. Ruben Anthony, President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison
Moderator :Dr. Jerlando F.L. Jackson, Vilas Distinguished Professor of Higher Education in the UW–Madison School of Education
Joshua Hargrove, Wisconsin Criminal Defense Attorney
L to R: Second Row
Mandela Barnes, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
Elizer Darris, Minnesota’s ACLU Smart Justice Campaign Organizer
Before the panelists spoke, we had a quick history lesson re: the "unique slave system in the Americas with the unprecedented scale of enslavement and death of 12.4 million people removed from Africa with a mortality rate of 5 to 6 million. 'Our' slave trade had an inheritable, perpetual bondage, race based, normalized chattel slavery and no prescribed exit process."
Examples of laws with White over Black as an example from the state of Virginia)
and a look at our very own Constitution as a Pro Slavery document
In a nutshell our panelists spoke of the following TRUTHS :
*White People do not have to think about the issues being status quo
*Black parents have to have the talk with children- ie re: Police contact and how to behave.
*Danger of burning out from the burden of demands on Black spokespeople for these race injustice conversations.
*Mental health status of Black Males is also threatened from having to be the strong warrior
* Physical complaints for people of color not taken seriously by White health officials.
* A crippled legal system, high incarceration % of Blacks
*Importance of Black involvement in the political arena, showing up at protests, town hall meetings and then holding elected officials accountable
* Poverty +Systemic racism = inferior education, higher dropout %
*Ballot Power -Voting, and a movement to insure parolees understand voting rights dependent on state
*Not just Civil Rights but Silver Rights- need to increase wage earnings, ensure lower bank loans, fostering of small Black businesses
Just to name a few...
Yes, the conversations are difficult but if not Now, When?
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