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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat Does It Take To Truly Be "My Brother's Keeper"
What Does It Take To Truly Be "My Brother's Keeper"
By Dennis Parker
<...>
In an address yesterday President Obama made it clear that there are too many "Kyles" being pushed out. The president set the stage by defining a problem "Boys and young men of color regardless of where they come from are disproportionately at risk from their youngest years through college and the early stages of their professional lives."
He then went on to outline the broad contours of "My Brother's Keeper Initiative", a program seeking to harness the resources of the federal government, the private sector and a number of philanthropic foundations to address the lack of opportunities available to young men of color in the United States. The details of the initiative have not yet been announced. As with any ambitious undertaking, it is on those details that the ultimate success of the program will depend. But although numerous questions remain, the president's announcement was encouraging.
Most encouraging was the fact that the president's statements were a frank acknowledgement of the inter-related and complex factors which disadvantage young men of color. Although the president has been faulted in the past for avoiding the particular, harmful role that race plays in American society, yesterday's address left no doubt that he recognizes that the obstacles to "ladders of opportunity" in American society were ones that were, "in the aggregate" more likely to confront Black and Latino young men. And the consequences of those barriers were clearly laid out. It was clear that higher suspension, expulsion and arrest rates for students of color lead inexorably to fewer life opportunities in education, employment and the opportunity to participate fully in the nation's civic life. Equally clear was that although the effects are felt most harshly by young men of color, the problem is one that affects everyone and that the nation as a whole suffers. His assertion of the importance of recognizing that "my neighbor's child is my child" was particularly moving in light of his recognition of the presence in the White House of the families of Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis, both of which lost children in a manner that raised questions about the extent to which the lives of young men of color are valued in American society.
Most heartening was the president's description of the issue of lack of opportunity for children of color as being one of the most important faced by his administration. It is hopeful that this emphasis will lead to the elimination of the barriers which limit young people of color and prevent us from being the greatest country that we could be.
- more -
https://www.aclu.org/blog/racial-justice/what-does-it-take-truly-be-my-brothers-keeper
By Dennis Parker
<...>
In an address yesterday President Obama made it clear that there are too many "Kyles" being pushed out. The president set the stage by defining a problem "Boys and young men of color regardless of where they come from are disproportionately at risk from their youngest years through college and the early stages of their professional lives."
He then went on to outline the broad contours of "My Brother's Keeper Initiative", a program seeking to harness the resources of the federal government, the private sector and a number of philanthropic foundations to address the lack of opportunities available to young men of color in the United States. The details of the initiative have not yet been announced. As with any ambitious undertaking, it is on those details that the ultimate success of the program will depend. But although numerous questions remain, the president's announcement was encouraging.
Most encouraging was the fact that the president's statements were a frank acknowledgement of the inter-related and complex factors which disadvantage young men of color. Although the president has been faulted in the past for avoiding the particular, harmful role that race plays in American society, yesterday's address left no doubt that he recognizes that the obstacles to "ladders of opportunity" in American society were ones that were, "in the aggregate" more likely to confront Black and Latino young men. And the consequences of those barriers were clearly laid out. It was clear that higher suspension, expulsion and arrest rates for students of color lead inexorably to fewer life opportunities in education, employment and the opportunity to participate fully in the nation's civic life. Equally clear was that although the effects are felt most harshly by young men of color, the problem is one that affects everyone and that the nation as a whole suffers. His assertion of the importance of recognizing that "my neighbor's child is my child" was particularly moving in light of his recognition of the presence in the White House of the families of Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis, both of which lost children in a manner that raised questions about the extent to which the lives of young men of color are valued in American society.
Most heartening was the president's description of the issue of lack of opportunity for children of color as being one of the most important faced by his administration. It is hopeful that this emphasis will lead to the elimination of the barriers which limit young people of color and prevent us from being the greatest country that we could be.
- more -
https://www.aclu.org/blog/racial-justice/what-does-it-take-truly-be-my-brothers-keeper
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What Does It Take To Truly Be "My Brother's Keeper" (Original Post)
ProSense
Feb 2014
OP
Maybe not Axelrod, but I suppose it could be Plouffe or Carney, but I don't think Carney would
madinmaryland
Feb 2014
#11
Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)1. Will Pitt?
ProSense
(116,464 posts)2. Thanks
for the help in kicking the thread.
Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)5. Will Pitt.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)6. Cult kick! n/t
Pretzel_Warrior
(8,361 posts)3. threadjacking?
Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)4. Sure. Why not?
Pretzel_Warrior
(8,361 posts)7. not providing a reason why or why not. just observing
ProSense
(116,464 posts)8. Conservatives Outraged Obama Is Addressing Problems They Blamed On Him
Conservatives Outraged Obama Is Addressing Problems They Blamed On Him
By Josh Israel
In the 2012 campaign, critics of President Obama attempted to dent his minority support by blaming him for high unemployment rates among women and racial minority groups. Now, as Obamas newly announced My Brothers Keeper initiative seeks to take aim at the challenges facing boys and men of color, conservative writers are attacking him as divisive.
<...>
But voices on the right have been hyping gender and racial differences as a weapon against President Obama for years, blaming him for unemployment rates among these groups. They include:
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/02/28/3346561/brothers-keeper-critics/
By Josh Israel
In the 2012 campaign, critics of President Obama attempted to dent his minority support by blaming him for high unemployment rates among women and racial minority groups. Now, as Obamas newly announced My Brothers Keeper initiative seeks to take aim at the challenges facing boys and men of color, conservative writers are attacking him as divisive.
<...>
But voices on the right have been hyping gender and racial differences as a weapon against President Obama for years, blaming him for unemployment rates among these groups. They include:
- Mitt Romney: In a July 2012 speech to the NAACP, he claimed that the economy was worse for African Americans in almost every way, including the unemployment rate, the duration of unemployment, average income, and median family wealth.
- Allen West: In an op-ed, then-Rep. Allen West (R-FL) wrote that Black Americans should support Mitt Romney because of the dire situation for their community: Black unemployment hovers around 14 percent, compared to 8 percent unemployment overall. For black teenagers, the number more than doubles, as 38 percent of black teens are unemployed.
- Tim Scott: In a press release touting Romneys Black Leadership Council, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), then a U.S. Representative, wrote, Black Americans are falling into poverty at an alarming rate, and unemployment rates are rising.
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/02/28/3346561/brothers-keeper-critics/
Yeah, like they really cared.
madinmaryland
(64,931 posts)9. I'll kick this for another 24 business hours, but not for Mr. Axelrod. nt
ProSense
(116,464 posts)10. ? n/t
madinmaryland
(64,931 posts)11. Maybe not Axelrod, but I suppose it could be Plouffe or Carney, but I don't think Carney would
hang out on DU.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)12. Again: ? n/t
madinmaryland
(64,931 posts)13. Oops. I apologize, Ms. Cutter, for mistaking you for Mr. Axelrod.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)14. LOL!