Gangs

Many feel that the major problem in the black communities is the lack of fathers in the homes. How did this happen? In the 60's about 25% of young women were having babies without being married and that has risen to 72% today. What changed? As part of the civil rights movement young women were told that if they had a baby, the government would set them up in their own apartment and pay all of their expenses. This told the young men that they were no longer needed and they felt rejected and responded by what has become known as dissing your women. Women were degraded by the young men in their actions and in their music. It was a cultural shift. As the men left behind their family responsibilities they joined gangs and got themselves in trouble with the law. In 1960 the incarceration rate among black males was 1,313 per 100,000 and today it is 4,500 per 100,000. Many of these young men see school as a waste of time and that limits their career choices and adds pressure to join the gangs.

Unemployment reform

The extra $600 per week added to the state unemployment compensation is due to expire at the end of this month. This extra benefit means that 70% of the beneficiaries are earning more by not working. For example if you were earning $15 dollars per hour or $600 per week your state unemployment would be $300 but you get an additional $600 from the Feds so your total gross income increases from $600 to $900. If they are going to renew this some suggest that it should be changed so that you cannot earn more by not working. In the above example that means the federal benefit would be $300 which would replace the persons lost earnings. That seems reasonable.

Fathers

I have always maintained that the root of the problem in the inner cities is the lack of fathers in the homes. Here is part of a speech given by Obama when he was president. Of all the rocks upon which we build our lives, we are reminded today that family is the most important. And we are called to recognize and honor how critical every father is to that foundation. They are teachers and coaches. They are mentors and role models. They are examples of success and the men who constantly push us toward it. But if we are honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that what too many fathers also are is missing — missing from too many lives and too many homes. They have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men. And the foundations of our families are weaker because of it.  You and I know how true this is in the African-American community. We know that more than half of all black children live in single-parent households, a number that has doubled — doubled — since we were children. We know the statistics — that children who grow up without a father are five times more likely to live in poverty and commit crime; nine times more likely to drop out of schools and 20 times more likely to end up in prison. They are more likely to have behavioral problems, or run away from home or become teenage parents themselves. And the foundations of our community are weaker because of it.

Faubus

The recent decision by Trump to send federal agents into certain cities has caused a stir among democrats. They say the local officials have not asked Trump for help and they do not want any of Trumps agents coming into their city. I am reminded of Little Rock, AR in 1957 when Governor Orville Faubus stopped black students from entering Central High School. Faubus said he did not need any federal assistance and didn't want any. The Governor told the Arkansas State Police to stand down and President Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and sent in federal troops from 101st Airborne. These troops were armed. Ike sent a letter to Faubus in which he wrote,"The only assurance I can give you is that the Federal Constitution will be upheld by me by every legal means at my command. This move was welcomed by liberals across the country and Faubus was a democratic governor. Much has changed since the 50's but the constitution is still the same.

Peaceful protest

Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter are two recent protest and this led to a discussion as to the difference between legal, peaceful protest and those which involve vandalism, burning, shooting and killing commonly referred to as violent protesting or rioting. In both of these protest the majority of people were peaceful but some were not and it is this minority that gets most of the attention at least on Fox. The old adage of, if it bleeds it leads in no longer the rule at other news outlets. A good example of peaceful protest was the Tea Party that started in 2009 and went on for over five years. These protesters were mostly white, middle income blue collar types composed of fundamentalist christian libertarian populist who proposed low taxes and limited government. At their peak they represented about 10% of the population. Their rallies involved speeches, carrying signs and flag waving. There was one report of a fist fight at one rally but for the most part things were peaceful.

Protest

Watching the news about the protest, both peaceful and violent reminds me of the Viet Nam protest during the late 60's. It is not that wide spread but in cities like Portland and Seattle it is similar. It those days law enforcement and local governments were on the same side trying to quell the violence but today the mayor and the police chief are on opposite sides and this leads to more violence. Portland was experiencing nightly disruptions for six weeks and recently federal troops were sent in and they are now blamed for the problem. As cities around the country begin to de-fund the police the violence could spread. Many feel there is a political component to the mess saying that the dislike of Trump has caused otherwise peaceful people to react violently. Trump is seen as the equivalent of the War in the 60's even to the point of burning the American flag. Some predicted this kind of activity if Trump had lost but few expected it with a Trump victory.

Names

Shakespeare said, what's in a name, and when a Muslim officer at Fort Hood raised his gun, shouted Ala Akbar and killed 13 fellow service men it was call work place violence and last night protesters in Portland broke into a building and set it on fire and this was called night time activities. The old Harry Truman approach of calling a spade a spade has been replaced with euphemisms.