May 31, 2004
Equality is just as much a black responsibility as a white one.
Dr. Carol Swain, law and political science professor at Vanderbilt University, is putting the big hurt on the black educational status quo, much as Bill Cosby did a couple of weeks ago.
Swain was a part of a panel that met in New York City shortly after the 50th Anniversary of the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, to talk about some of the obstacles facing students and schools in the urban landscape.
Swain identified affirmative action as currently practiced by universities -- lower admissions standards for blacks and Hispanics -- as part of the problem. These policies, she said, have "created a negative incentive structure for African-Americans who have either internalized societal messages about inferiority or have chosen an easier path of not exerting themselves too vigorously" since they don't have to meet higher standards.A columnist for the Boston Globe later asked Swain in an e-mail exchange if she felt that she was being "used" by agenda-pushing conservatives -- not unlike so many liberals that feel that black conservatives do not have a mind of their own; that conservative blacks cannot come to conservative conclusions by themselves. Those same liberals, both black and white, use some of their most vindictive rhetoric against independent thinking black conservatives.
"Do liberal blacks worry about being tokens for the status quo?" she replied. "I doubt it. I call things the way I see them."Indeed. Posted by mhking at May 31, 2004 07:46 AM
I can't stand it when blacks with a different opinion from the mainstream are asked if they're being used as the "white man's tool." The same can be said--and is often true--of black liberals. Thanks for the link to Swain's remarks.
Posted by: La Shawn Barber at May 31, 2004 09:32 AMDoes anyone know if Dr. Swain has a weblog? It would be an informative one to follow, I think.
Posted by: Indigo at May 31, 2004 08:32 PMIt's hard to get a consensus among us about anything. Hell, if you take a poll and ask "Do UFOs regularly visit Earth you'll probably get about a 60/40 split.
There may be no evidence that supports it but people will still believe almost anything because it hasn't been proven untrue to them.
Yet, in Iraq, Saddam got 97% of the vote a few years ago and 100% last time. How the hell did THAT happen?
Fear, that's how.
So, we look at African-American voting patterns where they vote for Democrats in the 92+ per centile and what are we to think?
Fear is the weapon of the Democrats.
They've fed the lowest impulses of humanity and emotionalism down the throats of strong men and women and have successfully made them weak.
Liberalism impresses me because of it's eagerness to help it's fellow man. But it disgusts me when demogogues use a promised Assistance as a path to prosperity when it's only a dependence; all for the sake of a vote on election day.
If you tell someone that he's a victim long enough he'll believe it. I don't mind Democrats wanting to help a guy out. But when he becomes so intent on justifying his own proud existence that he's willing to create more victims than adults then I call do over!
Yeah!!! Our girl Dr. Swain breakin it down scientifically.......as always. Refusin to stick her head in the sand. (She is hell, pure HELL!! Gotta love 'er.)
I constantly wonder, how can our elders (born before 1960) expect ANY respect from us 35-45 blacks - among others - when they INSIST in wallowing in this angry, childish, self pity.........for what will soon be a *&%$in' half-century? (It's french)
So pitiful our so-called leaders are. I guess that's why they got so pissed off at Dr. Cosby for shining the light on their behinds......damn old liabilities need to go on out to pasture. Mfume. Waters.
Etc.