In Case You Missed It: My Interview With Dr. Antony Davies And James R. Harrigan Regarding Immigration

As many of you know, I’ve branched out from the Big Words Blog Site into YouTube where I now have four channels. My original channel is Big Discussions76 where I now discuss general topics. I’ve had several guests visit my channels. Two recent guests on Big Discussions76 are Dr. Antony Davies and James R. Harrigan, the authors of Cooperation & Coercion and the founders of Words & Numbers Podcast. In this interview, we talked about the controversial and polarizing topic of immigration. It is a complex topic with multiple moving parts and Antony and James shared perspectives on it, that are not often discussed. Parts one and two are below. Please note that in order to like and comment on YouTube videos, you must be logged into a Gmail account.

Thank you for watching, and if anything in our discussion resonates with you, please like, share and subscribe to my channel. Also please consider joining the Big Words LLC newsletter. There you’ll get updates on my book project The Engineers: A Western New York Basketball Story and all my content. You can access it through this link. If there is an issue with this link for any reason, you can email me at bwllcnl@gmail.com and I will add you. Best regards.

A Discussion On Immigration With The Words & Numbers Podcast Part One

A Discussion On Immigration With The Words & Numbers Podcast Part Two

Tips For Grassroots Political Campaigning

Two focuses of my blog are General Education and Political Discussions. Many campaigns start on the grassroots level. There are keys to starting campaigns on this level and not everyone can do it. The following contributed post is entitled, Tips For Grassroots Political Campaigning.

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Operating at the grassroots level can be a challenge for lots of aspiring politicians and activists, but it’s where the votes are truly won and lost. It’s important to consider your strategy for grassroots campaigning and how you might ultimately get to where you want to be. We’re going to take a look today at some of the tips and strategies that’ll help most, so read on and learn more.

Develop Some Objectives

First of all, you should try to develop some objectives that you and your team can work towards. What are you actually trying to achieve and how do you see yourself eventually achieving it? If you can answer those questions, it’ll ultimately be a lot easier for you to start working on strategies that’ll help you get to where you want to be.

If You’re Leading a Group, Utilize Each Person’s Strengths

One of the toughest things to be in politics is a leader, there’s no doubt about it. That’s why it’s so important to hone your leadership skills if this is a role you want to assume. A huge part of being a good leader is knowing how to utilize the people you’re leading. Making the most of each person’s key strengths and capabilities will be what ultimately helps you stand out as a strong leader.

Listen to People

An underrated skill in politics is being able to listen. After all, you’re looking to represent people, do positive things, and hopefully make a difference in peoples’ lives. And in order to do all of those things, you need to be willing to listen to people and what they have to say. Only then can you get your ideas across and address the issues that matter to ordinary voters.

Image Source – CC0 License

Spread the Word with Posters, Signs and Stickers

Simply getting your ideas out there and making your strategy known will make the biggest impact. Good posters, political stickers and signs can have a real impact when placed strategically. It’s all about spreading the word and raising awareness. If you can do that, your political campaigning will end up being far more effective in the long run. There are plenty of resources out there for getting this right.

Build Connections with Other People and Groups

Building connections is something that can matter a lot when you’re building grassroots political campaigns. Networking and collaborating with people who have similar aims and interest is how you build a broader consensus and ultimately get your ideas and messages in front of more people. And that’s a huge deal in politics when you’re trying to grow a movement and ultimately achieve something significant.

If you’re looking to make an impact politically, whether that means as a candidate in an election yourself or simply raising the profile of political topics and subjects that are important to you, the ideas above will help you make an impact. Grassroot political campaigning is tough, but it’s often worth it in the end.

4 Tips For Improving Your Political Campaign

Two focuses of my blog are Current Events and Political Discussions. If you’re thinking about getting into politics and you want to run an effective campaign, there are several factors you want account for. The following contributed post is entitled, 4 Tips For Improving Your Political Campaign.

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Whether you’re running for house elections, local elections, or another type of election, your campaign strategy can make the difference between winning and losing.

The size of the electorate, the geography, the public’s mindset, the timing of the election, and the methods of voter communication used should all be considered when developing your campaign strategy.

Image credit

A specific election campaign strategy, influenced by the political climate in which it is conducted, is required for every election campaign, in short. And in a local election, gaining supporters is primarily a matter of winning over the voters in one’s community.

This post looks at some ways you can improve your campaign strategy.

Competitor Analysis

The evaluation of competitors is critical in any competition. A thorough understanding of your opponents’ strengths and weaknesses can provide you with a significant advantage in developing your campaign messaging, participating in head-to-head debates, and undermining their campaign message when it becomes necessary.

Make a spreadsheet with the strengths and weaknesses of all candidates, including yourself. Each candidate’s position on the critical issues in the election should be listed on a single spreadsheet. So you can identify your strengths and weaknesses and where you are vulnerable concerning your competitors, and you can communicate more clearly with your customers.

Phone Calls

Talking to your local community and the wider population will be essential to your victory. You need to be able to speak to and reach as many people as possible to persuade them to give you their vote. Working with Kaplan Strategies can streamline your phone calls and help you provide efficient outreach to your phone call plan.

Improve Your Campaign Message

The goal of a campaign is to establish the candidate’s personal identity. This includes the candidate’s educational and professional background and what makes them a good fit for the position for which they are running.

Your campaign will only be successful if it is tailored to the specific needs of its target audience. It informs voters about the critical issues and policies of the candidate. It is necessary to consider the viewpoint of the voter in this situation. Demonstrate that your victory will improve their quality of life to gain their attention and vote.

Creating Multiple Fundraising Channels

One of the most challenging tasks when running for a local office is raising funds. How are you planning on expanding the necessary funds to make yourself a viable candidate in the election?

Your campaign costs could range from a few thousand dollars to several hundred thousand dollars, depending on where you are running and the demographics of the area in which you are running. That’s why it’s so critical to provide as many opportunities as possible for people to contribute to your campaign as possible.

From selling merchandise to asking family and friends to setting up social media fundraisers and more, please find out how your demographic prefers to donate and make sure you have the suitable options available for them to do so.

Broaden Your Political Knowledge With These Vital Steps

Two focuses of my blog is Current Events and Political Discussions. Politics can be a very, very divisive topic and some would argue that it’s not safe to talk openly about it today. The more you know, the easier it may be to understand and discuss ideas with others. The following contributed post is entitled, Broaden Your Political Knowledge With These Vital Steps.

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You have a lot to think about when it comes to improving and broadening your political knowledge, and this is something that plays a massive part in this. Try to focus on doing as much as possible to enhance and improve your political knowledge so you are more aware of what is going on in the world and how global events are going to affect you.

Make sure you focus on doing as much as possible to improve your knowledge and keep yourself informed as much as you can. Try to focus on being able to come up with the best ways of achieving this, and you need to come up with the best ways of doing this. Here are some of the best ways of being able to broaden your political knowledge this year.

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Read up on Global News

Reading up on global news is vital because you need to know what is going on in the world, and not just where you live. Global events impact the entire planet in some way, so you should educate yourself as to what is happening in the world. There are also important global publications covering news and current affairs in particular countries, such as The Times Kuwait, which covers Kuwait news and events. This is particularly useful for Kuwaitis living abroad and wanting to stay in touch with developments back home.

Study Manifestos

Another great way of broadening your political knowledge is to read the manifesto and policies of the parties or candidates in your country. Familiarise yourself with what these policies are, and try to do your best to make sure you understand them and what they are about. Having knowledge of the political stance these people or parties are taking is important for helping you to make informed decisions when it comes to voting. Most party or candidate manifestos are going to be available online to read at your leisure, and this is something that you have to try to do as best you can.

Listen to the Other Side

One of the biggest problems with modern politics is how tribal it can be, and this can so often create a toxic environment. So it is imperative that you take the time to listen to other opinions and motivations that people have for their political viewpoints. There are a lot of benefits to this, and it is really important to make sure you listen to other people and debate with them. Ignoring or shutting down conflicting opinions only causes them to fester, and this can often make the whole situation worse. Debating people and showing them the merits of your beliefs is the best way to encourage them to come around to your way of thinking, and this is something you should be looking to do.

Try to do the best you can to improve your political knowledge, and these are a few of the best ways of being able to achieve this. Politics affects our lives in almost every way, and due to the growth of social media, politics has become a wider issue than ever before. So you need to brush up and know your stuff so that you are able to improve upon the best ways of being able to approach political topics, as well as chatting about this with other people.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Final Vision And Dr. Claud Anderson’s Prophecies

“In a race-based society, it’s what you own and control that determines your opportunities, rights and privileges! This doesn’t have a darn thing to do with Civil Rights! That’s a waste of time! It doesn’t have anything to do with voting!”

“I fear, I am integrating my people into a burning house!”

Before I start this piece, I want to acknowledge the creator of its primary image. It was generated by “Creative Designs” by the very talented Tamara Coleman. If you want to learn more about Tamara and her work, contact her via email at: Tammy-cole@hotmail.com.

This Black History blog post falls under my principles of “Critical Thought” and “Financial Literacy/Money”. Here on my blog and on my YouTube channel, Big Discussions76, I challenge readers and viewers to question things and not just accept the images and messages presented to them. This is particularly important for this election year where we voters are sure to be slammed with all kinds of propaganda and biased reporting by the mainstream news sources.

One of the interesting things about history is that he or she who controls the narrative controls the minds and the perceptions of the masses regarding what happened for a given person or event. Some argue that all the technology we have today has made the world worse, and there are cases where that’s true. I usually counter that sentiment by arguing that in some ways it has made it better. One way it has made the world better is through the ability to share information, so that more accurate and complete stories can be told.

When we think about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we often think back to his historic ‘I Had A Dream’ Speech, his philosophy of non-violence, the marches, his time spent in jail and then his tragic assassination. But there was so much more to the legendary face of the Civil Rights Movement. In my 2019 blog post entitled, Whose Job Is It To Teach Black History?, I discussed Dr. Michael Eric Dyson’s revelation that Dr. King had extramarital affairs and why I thought it was important to know about them – something also depicted in the movie “Selma”.

Another important revelation for me regarding Dr. King was my mentor sharing that just as many black people wanted to take his life as white people, if not more. It’s odd (and unsettling) to think something like that could happen, but information and perspectives that are being shared now may give insight as to why. Something that classically hasn’t gotten as much exposure, but which is now gaining traction in certain circles today, is Dr. King’s final thoughts on his life’s work.

Dr. King’s signature victory was the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but it turns out that before his death, he wondered if he’d spent his life fighting for the wrong things. He pondered if he’d led his people in the wrong direction as discussed in the opening quote of this blog post. This is a good place to ask an important question. What exactly happened in 1968 that warranted Dr. King’s assassination as opposed to one of the previous years? A prevalent theory is that Dr. King’s focus had shifted from social integration and desegregation to economic and financial equality/power and empowerment. His final effort was in fact the “Poor People’s Campaign”.

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“In a race-based society, it’s what you own and control that determines your opportunities, rights and privileges! This doesn’t have a darn thing to do with Civil Rights! That’s a waste of time! It doesn’t have anything to do with voting!”

At this point I want to introduce Dr. Claud Anderson and then I’m going to bring the two men together at the conclusion of this piece. For those unfamiliar with him, Dr. Claud Anderson is an author/economist/historian and a former cabinet member of President Jimmy Carter. For 40 plus years of my life, I was unaware of Dr. Anderson and I only became aware of him due to the vigilance of Dr. Boyce Watkins, who I watch regularly on YouTube and who I also follow on Twitter. This, in part, underscores the good our new technologies have done.

Dr. Watkins is unapologetically black, a staunch advocate of black love, is considered controversial by some, and while he regularly weighs in on some of the social issues of the day (recently Lizzo for example), his background is in economics, money and investing. His core messages are thus about black people learning how to invest and build businesses. He’s very, very passionate about black kids learning to buy stock and build businesses as early as possible and he has programs for teaching such skills to both children and adults. He argues that this is more important than our kids learning to do the latest dances or excelling at football or basketball.

I don’t recall when Dr. Watkins started bringing Dr. Claud Anderson onto his show, but once he did it was easy to see why, and why he looks upon Dr. Anderson with such reverence. I’d encourage any readers to look up any of Dr. Anderson’s discussions with Dr. Watkins, and then any of Dr. Anderson’s abundance of interviews available on YouTube. He had a powerful discussion with the popular ‘Breakfast Club‘, and over the holiday season I stumbled upon an interview of Dr. Anderson from 1995 in Detroit. He had another powerful interview with Rock Newman here in DC. I’d embed these interviews right here into my blog post, but I don’t want any kind of copyright infringement claims against me. I’ll thus share the links to the interviews:

Dr. Claud Anderson Discusses America’s Race Based Society, Powernomics + More (The Breakfast Club)
Dr. Claud Anderson on the Rock Newman Show
Powernomics – 1995 Detroit Black Journal Full Episode

What’s remarkable about the 1995 interview was that Dr. Anderson spoke on everything that’s unfolding today. One point was the efforts to bring in immigrants into the United States to undermine the black vote and I’ll leave that there. It’s a very polarizing topic as ironically many black people support the same politicians who are looking to enforce these policies. The year of 1995 was just prior to the internet becoming mainstream. Interestingly, even when transferring to my Historically Black College/University (HBCU), I don’t remember any mention of Dr. Anderson, which is very strange. As noted before, the same is true for intellectuals like Dr. Thomas Sowell and Dr. Walter E. Williams, black conservatives, but ‘intellectual heavyweights’ nonetheless.

Then again, it’s not strange as Dr. Anderson discussed how the individuals who decide which books will be used at HBCUs don’t want his books there during his interview with the Breakfast Club. While I recommended three of Dr. Anderson’s interviews above, and while I’m going to recommend his books below, in watching and reading Dr. Anderson’s content, I must warn you. If you’re a Barrack Obama enthusiast who was in love with the symbolism of his presidency, or even a staunch Democrat, his words aren’t kind to either. He’s not a pro-Trumper by any means, but he’s very open about the political class’ role in the state of Black America now. By the way, many, many criticisms of Barrack Obama’s legacy are emerging within the black community these days and can at least in part be attributed to what happened to Senator Kamala Harris in the Democratic primary.

With the videos I’ve listed, you can go watch and learn more for yourself. For the sake of this post, I’m just going to focus on three things. The first is Dr. Anderson’s plan for empowering black communities across the United States, much of which can be done by the communities themselves without outside help. He described the following points with hosts “DJ Envy” and “Charlemagne THA God” on the Breakfast Club. He described black economic empowerment (by the black community itself) as building a proverbial building with multiple floors:

First Floor– Build a community and practice ‘group economics’; particularly making the money ‘bounce’ in the community 8-12 times before it leaves (discussed below).
Second Floor– Politics; without economics there’s no ability to influence politicians or elections as a group; Voting is immaterial and a game of entertainment; You buy or rent the politicians.
Third Floor– Use the politicians to influence the court systems and law enforcement to decrease things like police brutality.
Fourth Floor– Media; If you don’t own media, you can’t organize, communicate or motivate.
Fifth Floor– Education; Interestingly the final level, but according to his logic it makes sense as there would theoretically be the existence of black businesses for our young professionals to start working in.

The second point I want to focus on is that of black people relearning how to ‘bounce’ their dollars in the black community as described above. In this context, bouncing simply refers to spending money within the community to give those there the opportunity to benefit from it long-term. Dr. Anderson argues eloquently that of all the other races and ethnic groups, the black dollar bounces the least within its own community before quickly leaving. In the Black History-related piece following this one, I’m going to discuss whether racial desegregation irreversibly started the process of destroying black businesses. An example of supporting a black business is patronizing the above-mentioned Tamara Coleman who created the primary image of this piece.

My final point regarding Dr. Anderson is that of ‘Reparations’ which is basically the reconciling of the debt and economic disparities by the United States believed to be owed to the descendants of slaves created by the ‘Chattel Slavery’ and Jim Crow. I’m not going argue whether black people should get them here, though it is interesting that groups like Japanese Americans got something following World War 2. Other groups apparently got similar severances. I’ll just say that Dr. Anderson is a staunch advocate of reparations and don’t be surprised to see a further fractured black vote in the 2020 general election due to this one issue which was in large part brought to the forefront by the Obama Presidency.

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I’d encourage readers to purchase copies of Dr. Anderson’s books which it seems are not available at HBCUs as described above. I asked for and received Dr. Anderson’s three books last year for Christmas: Powernomics, The Black History Reader and Black Labor-White Wealth. Again, he has in large part been kept out of mainstream media and, based upon his messages, it’s not surprising why. I would also encourage readers to visit Dr. Anderson’s “Harvest Institute” to learn more about his efforts and to make a donation if you’re motivated to do so.

So, what does all this have to do with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr? Well, it relates directly to his vision of the burning house. Were his efforts in large part directed in the wrong direction? Was it always economics? Did desegregation ultimately have harmful effects on Black America, causing all our black businesses to wither away and die? Also, have we become a permanent underclass as described by Dr. Claud Anderson?

In terms of reparations, based upon responses by then Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris, and remaining candidates like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, I’m not going to hold my breath for them. Part of Dr. Claud Anderson’s ‘Gospel’ regarding economic empowerment though is hopeful and suggests that black people as a group can still coalesce and build something. The question is ‘will we?’.

It would require a mass shift in mindset which is the hardest part. If you watch Dr. Boyce Watkins’ content, he’s shared frustrations numerous times about black people as a group not being interested in learning about economics and financial literacy. Some are, but personally I thought it was odd that it took something like Jay-Z’s ‘444’ album to get black people talking about these topics at least for a little while. Again, some of us are interested in this stuff and actively talk about it and study it, but the majority isn’t. A small group will thus likely thrive while the majority may not as much.

If money, financial literacy and business topics fascinate you, I have a wealth of content on that now right here on the Big Words Blog Site. As a matter fact, my blogging platform was rated one of the “10 Best Financial Education Blogs” by the company “Expertido” for 2019. I’ve written several ‘literary’ pieces about some basics of budgeting and topics regarding things like “Matching Contributions”. My pieces are usually personal stories discussing my journey learning these concepts.

Working with a collaborator, I’ve published profuse amounts of content in the areas of Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. These are smaller informational pieces you can read through in five minutes or less. Just go to the categories tab on my platform and choose one of those categories. I also discuss money topics on my YouTube channel entitled, Big Discussions76. Please stop by, subscribe and find the playlist entitled, “Big Discussions Financial Literacy”.

As Black History Month approaches, I’ll be publishing another piece specifically focusing on whether Civil Rights and desegregation hurt Black America. Thank you for reading this piece. I want to thank Dr. Boyce Watkins for his hard work in trying to get his money messages out to our people, and for getting Dr. Claud Anderson out into the spotlight where he has always belonged. Again, for 40 years of my life I had no idea who he was and I’m not alone. That’s a major problem, but if you understand economics and media as I do now, it’s not unexpected.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. If you enjoyed this one, you might also enjoy:

Should HBCUs teach their students financial literacy and about the business of higher education?
Are you Cooning? Thoughts on Black America’s new favorite racial slur, critical thought, and groupthink
A Black History Month reflection on Percy Julian
A Black History Month interview with Dr. Vernon Morris
A Black History Month look at West Indian Archie
A review of Marvel’s Black Panther
A review of Hidden Figures
A review of All Eyez On Me

If you’ve found value here and think it would benefit others, please share it and/or leave a comment. I’ve recently started a YouTube channel, so please visit me at Big Discussions76. To receive all the most up to date content from the Big Words Blog Site, subscribe using the subscription box in the right-hand column in this post and throughout the site, or add my RSS feed to your feedreader. You can follow me on the Big Words Blog Site Facebook page, and Twitter at @BWArePowerful. Lastly, you can follow me on Instagram at @anwaryusef76. While my main areas of focus are Education, STEM and Financial Literacy, there are other blogs/sites I endorse which can be found on that particular page of my site.

A Discussion On Economic And Social Class In The Black Community

“Even though it was 1968, a period of unrest for many blacks throughout the country, Great-grandmother – like the blue-veined crowd that she was proud to belong to – seemed, at times, to be totally divorced from the black anxiety and misery that we saw on TV news and in the papers.”

Online Discussions Regarding Social Class

Every now and then I’ll venture into something social and political. I’ve been wanting to write something about ‘class’ in the black community for a while now, and Black History Month 2019 has finally presented me the opportunity to do so. Before I jump in, I want to acknowledge Rom Wills, a writer in the “Negro Manosphere” and a YouTube content creator who teaches black men about dating and becoming better versions of themselves. I can personally say that ‘Uncle’ Rom and his content have been critical in my evolution, in terms of manhood, and he’s helped me to better understand my journey – past, present and future. If you’re a black man, and you still feel lost in the dating world and in life in general, I recommend watching some of Uncle Rom’s content.

In his YouTube content, Rom Wills is very outspoken about the black community not acknowledging the role of ‘social class’ in dating and mating where it plays a major role, particularly in our bigger cities. He eloquently discusses what attracts black men and women together and why in some instances, some couples who don’t look like they should be together, end up doing so. He also discusses why some men and women pass over each other – potentially good mates, specifically to get to together with someone in their social class. He emphasizes men having some sort of vision, getting into the gym, and the concepts of ‘select’ and ‘non-select’ men.

Debutantes And Cotillions

I first became aware of social class in high school in my hometown of Buffalo, NY. Every spring, one of our black newspapers, the Buffalo Criterion or the Challenger, presented the ‘Debutantes’ and the ‘Cotillions’. The Debutantes were young ladies in high school, usually juniors and seniors. They were associated with one of the black sororities – probably “Alpha Kappa Alpha”. The ladies were all dressed in black dresses (and maybe pearls). They took lovely solo head shots and were presented as a group on the front page. One year, one of the girls was a classmate. There was also a formal event where these girls were ‘presented’ to the world.

I first heard of the term Cotillion in high school as well. I had a friend who played on the varsity basketball team with me when we were sophomores. He stopped playing in our junior year, and a little while later, he started going on and on about some of the other guys in his Cotillion. One night when we were at a party, they did a ‘step routine’ of some sort, showing they were also affiliated with a ‘Black Greek’ organization. I think he later pledged “Phi Beta Sigma” in college.

There were two Black Greeks in my family. My eldest cousin in Georgia pledged the sorority “Sigma Gamma Rho”, and my father was a member of one of the more prominent fraternities which I’ll keep anonymous for everyone’s privacy. I interestingly have very little memory of him being active in his fraternity or regularly interacting with his ‘frat’ brothers. Later I found that there were reasons for this. I also later found out that this Black Greek world was in fact its own world within Black America.

Lawrence Otis Graham’s Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper-class periodically pops up in my writings. I read Member of The Club one summer, and then seeing him one night on Tavis Smiley’s show on BET debating Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, was a seminal moment for me. Highly criticized for celebrating America’s black upper-class, it was an important work for me personally. It let those of us who didn’t grow up in that class know that it existed – something, as a black person, you encounter and must reconcile in cities like Washington, DC, where I now reside. These people were born into the upper-class through generational wealth and inheritances, while others attempted to climb there through digging in and sacrificing throughout their lives.

While the book discusses the afore mentioned black fraternities and sororities, it also describes other clubs, groups and organizations within this upper-class such as Jack and Jill, The Boule, and The Links. The book also points out that being in the black upper-class isn’t simply a matter a of having money, as the ‘black elite’ don’t necessarily accept ‘new money’ celebrities, athletes and entertainers into their circles. Instead, there was a cultural aspect to their lives where individuals had to go to the ‘right’ schools and be a part of right clubs and families to be accepted. It might sound like a bit much to the outsider, but I find it all fascinating.

Why Does This Matter?

Why is this important? Well, as I discussed in my previous piece entitled, Who should or shouldn’t be in the African American History Museum?, there are numerous real divisions within the black race which are often overlooked. One of the big ones is social class. If you weren’t in the right circles in smaller cities like Buffalo, you didn’t really know debutantes and cotillions existed, or of the opportunities offered through participation in them. Since ascending in education and living in Washington, DC where the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference takes place every year, and attending the affluent church that I attend, you can see the delineations in social class.

And as Rom Wills, whom I discussed above states, you often see it in the dating arena. Men and women in some instances pick each other based upon their educational and social pedigrees and backgrounds. Likewise, if you’re not from those types of families with certain types of training, it’s important to understand how to socially mingle and carry yourself in certain circles when those instances arise.

Economic Class

I’m going to close this by saying that I didn’t really have a concept of ‘economic class’ until my brother commented amongst our friends when we were younger. He stated that we were ‘lower middle class’. Economic class is typically delineated by household income, healthcare and overall quality of life. Both my parents were college educated, they both worked, and I grew up in a house as opposed to the housing projects. We weren’t poor, but we also weren’t rich either and this does influence social class.

All of this is interesting to me because it suggests that we’re all different, despite being grouped together based upon skin color. It also explains much of what we see now in terms of variability in our personal natures, how we navigate the world, available opportunities for advancement and political agendas. We’re seeing many of these class divisions bubble to the surface now in politics. That said, skin color does factor in as well, and once you throw ‘Colorism’ into this discussion, this all gets further complicated.

What’s also fascinating is that we aren’t restricted by our social or economic class and don’t necessarily stay in them. There are instances where individuals in the upper-social classes have affinities for individuals in the lower classes in terms of dating and friendships. Also, individuals who have ascended into higher economic classes in terms of salary may still have the behavioral inclinations and vices from those in the lower-classes.

Modest But Privileged Beginnings

In writing this post, I am in no way complaining about my upbringing as I’m very grateful for it. One cousin recently actually told me that both my brother and myself had ‘privilege’ that she didn’t have growing up. Again, keep in mind that we weren’t rich, and we were raised by a single parent most of the year. The take home message here is that there are also delineations in privilege within a race even though we tend to think of privilege solely in terms of white vs. black.

The opening quote for this piece came from chapter one of Our Kind of People – a very fitting opening as we’re once again all different. I’m going to close by saying that social and economic class are real dynamics that affect everything from our quality of life, to dating/mating, to politics. These are just some of my thoughts on class. It’s something that I think we need to pay more attention to and acknowledge, and the sooner we do, I think the better off we’ll be.

An Important Discussion Throughout The Year

The original title for this piece was, A Black History Month discussion about race in the black community. I shortened it because this is a discussion that shouldn’t be restricted to one month. I want to thank Rom Wills and another YouTube content creator named BGS IBMOR for their work, and for helping many of us who needed these teachings to become better and wiser men.

BGS IBMOR authored the controversial “Octane Scale“, which we discussed on my original YouTube channel, Big Discussions76. It’s a concept that offends many people, but it’s a concept that I think is important nonetheless. Many of us didn’t understand the roles of social and economic class in our lives aside from the contexts of color, racism and prejudice, but they are real and they are there.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. If you enjoyed this, you might also enjoy:

Whose job is it to teach black history?
Who should and shouldn’t be in the African American History Museum and who shouldn’t?
Are you Cooning? Thoughts on Black America’s new favorite racial slur, critical thought, and groupthink
A Black History Month reflection on Percy Julian
A Black History Month interview with Dr. Vernon Morris part one
A Black History Month look at West Indian Archie: A story of wasted scientific potential

The Big Words LLC Newsletter

For the next phase of my writing journey, I’m starting a monthly newsletter for my writing and video content creation company, the Big Words LLC. In it, I plan to share inspirational words, pieces from this blog and my first blog, and select videos from my four YouTube channels. Finally, I will share updates for my book project The Engineers: A Western New York Basketball Story. Your personal information and privacy will be protected. Click this link and register using the sign-up button at the bottom of the announcement. If there is some issue signing up using the link provided, you can also email me at bwllcnl@gmail.com . Best Regards.

Political Correctedness Can’t Explain Increasing Hate Crimes Away

One of focus of my blog is Current Events. Throughout the history of the United States, there have always been racial tensions and discrimination, sometimes resulting in “Hate Crimes”. Hate Crimes are concern even in 2018. The following contributed post is thus entitled; Political Correctedness Can’t Explain Increasing Hate Crimes Away.

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Hate crime is a word we’ve heard a lot in recent years. While it looked like racial discrimination was at an end with our first black president, things couldn’t have changed more since Trump took the helm. Now, we’re seeing new racial slurs and undeniable hate crimes on a daily basis. It’s shocking, and many would argue that it’s a step backwards.

Of course, the news on this issue can be a little misleading. For one, it’s worth noting that crimes like these started a steady increase while Obama was in the White House. That amount has risen much faster under Trump, but this is by no means a new issue. The only real difference is that many of us are now becoming aware of the problem.

It’s also worth noting that hate crime still accounts for a relatively small portion of crimes across the country. In California, for instance, last year saw a total of 1,093. That may not seem like such a bad number until you consider that’s up 44% since 2014. Figures from across the country paint a similar picture in every major city.

Reasons for this rise seem to vary. A change in general outlook has contributed to more obviously hate-based crimes. Equally, an increase in minority groups seems to have played its part in these outbursts. Whatever the reason, though, this is not, as some believe, a case of ‘political correctness gone mad.’

Picture Credit

This is a statement we often hear, and it’s a worrying one. While there are those out there who want to address issues like these accordingly, others are more willing to turn a blind eye. In a way that’s understanding. The thought such violent crimes could be perpetrated from racial differences alone is shocking. But, denying the severity of crimes like these is a harmful approach.

To prove that this increase is nothing to do with sensitive political correctness, consider the definition of a hate crime. According to USA Today, ‘Hate crimes are considered criminal acts motivated by prejudice based on race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability.’ As you can see, definitions like these don’t leave much room for doubt.

Consider, too, that evidence needed to gain a conviction here also leaves little wiggle room. A defense attorney for someone facing charges here will fight against any judge who cannot prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that discrimination was behind a crime. If you want to know more about that, you can read about it here or do your own research on the subject. Either way, anyone would have a hard time arguing the increase here is just political correctness with that in mind.

As tempting as it is to deny the severity of cases like these, doing so contributes to the issue. Instead, we should be working to raise awareness of this growing problem, and ensuring those responsible gain the punishment they deserve. How else can we ensure that every U.S. citizen feels safe on these streets once more?

The Biggest Problems Still Facing The Country

Two of the focuses of my blog are Current Events and Social Discussions. We are currently living in unprecedented times, with new events unfolding every day within our country and around the world. The following contributed post is thus entitled, The Biggest Problems Still Facing The Country.

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It has been an incredibly strange year. As we get deeper into the second of 2018, it’s important to peel our eyes away from the drama that continues to play on the TV (or on Twitter) and to gain a little perspective. Here, we’re going to look at some of the biggest problems still affecting the country and what everyday people like us can do about them.

Image sourced by Negative Space

Safety in our schools
At the time of writing, there have been 32 school shootings in the country this year. If that statistic doesn’t highlight that we still have a huge issue with safety in our schools, then nothing else will. A lot of the debate around the issue has revolved around gun control, with even the idea of arming teachers thrown into the mix. The idea of teachers with a gun or having the permit for concealed carry weapons can leave us a little on the concerned side. It is not an ideal situation but the fact that an individual can cite the case District of Columbia v. Heller 553 deciding that individuals can bear arms for self-defence reasons means that there has to be another approach. However, the mental health aspect of our school safety issue should not be overlooked. One of the solutions that we might be able to push more plausibly than the tricky issue of the 2nd Amendment is the support and call for more school counselling programs.

Hurricanes Maria and Irma
The scope and longevity of the destruction caused by last year’s fall hurricane season is regularly underestimated. Not only is there still widespread damage done to the communities hit, with final fatality tolls still up in the air, we don’t give all communities equal attention. The Virgin Islands suffered their costliest hurricanes. Businesses like Cane Bay Partners have set up initiatives to help with the efforts of long-term recovery, as well as supplying generators, clean drinking water, and even temporarily housing displaced residents. If you’re planning on offering donations or even volunteering, Puerto Rico isn’t the only victimized community you need to consider.

Image sourced by Min An

The border
It’s a politically touchy subject, and many might support the greater efforts to enforce immigration control. However, the implementation has undoubtedly been a disaster with children held in shelters that have been seen to provide sub-par care time and time again. There are a host of charities like RAICES, providing immigrant families and refugees with affordable legal advice, and Border Angels, who fund education programs and immigration services to those in need.

Health care
The problem of how we deal with those in need of treatment they can’t access pops up yet again. The two parties fight over health care time and time again. There’s a growing 71% of the population in favor of changes like Medicare for All. However, while the political ball might take a long time to shift, there’s a lot we can do individually. Volunteering opportunities from Public Health involve not only volunteering free care for health industry professionals but efforts at places like shelters and hospices where even those without training can lend aid to the hard-working staff.

Getting caught up in the political melee can all-too-easily make us forget the real issues still affecting the lives of our countrymen. By getting a little perspective, we can contribute our energies and perhaps even a little time or money to really improving lives.

A Case For Making Schools Safer Revisited

“A caller recommended to journalist John Fund and the host that a way to make schools more secure would be to set up perimeters and having metal detectors in most schools.”

I originally published this article on the Examiner back in 2012 shortly after the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Conn. While much of the debate afterwards focused on the National Rifle Association (NRA) and banning firearms, someone suggested making schools safer – an approach I was in favor of even if American’s 2nd Amendment rights were taken away. After all, can the bad guys be legally prevented from getting their hands on firearms?

Recently after this most recent mass school shooting in Florida, the same debate has arisen. President Donald J. Trump set off a fire storm when he suggested arming teachers, and the NRA’s CEO Wayne LaPierre followed up stating that a more sound approach would be greater armed security at schools. Six years later, mental health is working its way into the discussion, but we’re essentially still having the same debate. As with many of my blog posts, the pictures used are courtesy of the Washington Post’s Morning Express.

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In the previous three articles, factors that specifically affected learning were addressed: attitudes, socioeconomics, and environment. In light of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. on December 21, 2012, this article will focus on thinking about how to create safer schools, and preventing similar tragedies. Admittedly, this is a very complex issue with no simple solution. The intent of this article is to add to a discussion which will likely continue for a very long time.

The majority of discussions in the media have focused strictly on the 2nd Amendment (the right to bear arms), and gun control. Discussions about making schools themselves more secure have been the minority. Predictably discussions in the social media world erupted in addition to the mainstream media demonizing the NRA and calling for stricter gun control measures. One of many threads on Facebook generated a debate of up to 80 comments about gun control.

On CSPAN the morning of December 18, 2012, a caller recommended to journalist John Fund and the host that a way to make schools more secure would be to set up perimeters and having metal detectors in most schools. Mr. Fund replied that it would be, “too costly and difficult to implement.” Even if that is true, isn’t protecting the lives of innocent children and faculty members worth the cost?

It has been 14 years since the middle school massacre in Jonesboro, Ark., 13 years since the Columbine high school massacre in Littleton, Colo., and 12 years since six-year old Kayla Rolland was shot dead at her school in Mount Morris Township, Mich., by another first grader. Each of these tragedies involved fire arms being brought into schools.

Whether it’s a shooting at a school, a Jewish temple, or in a movie theater, control of guns is clearly a daunting task. While the majority of gun owners are responsible, legislators on Capitol Hill cannot predict when an Adam Lanza, or some other assailant will go on a random or premeditated killing spree. While movie theaters, shopping centers and places of worship are difficult to protect, carefully policing who and what enters an elementary or high school should not be.

Whenever these shootings occur, innocence is further stripped away from everyone, especially from school environments. Our world is not the safe and secure place that it once was even in seemingly secluded suburban areas. Suburban schools may now need to be secured similar to their urban counterparts, and unless appropriate measures are taken, we may continue to see tragedies such as that in Newtown, Conn.

Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, air travel was forever changed. Because of those events, no one will ever again be able to fly commercially without having to go through stringent security measures. Millions of people fly every day, and it is now considered normal. Similarly, most state and federal government buildings require walking through metal detectors prior to entry for visitors. Isn’t it time to find a similar solution to keep our schools safe?

Thank you for taking the time out to read this blog post. If you’ve found value here and think it would benefit others, please share it and or leave a comment. To receive all of the most up to date content from the Big Words Blog Site, subscribe using the subscription box in the right hand column in this post and throughout the site. Lastly follow me at the Big Words Blog Site Facebook page, on Twitter at @BWArePowerful, and on Instagram at @anwaryusef76. While my main areas of focus are Education, STEM and Financial Literacy, there are other blogs/sites I endorse which can be found on that particular page of my site.

Are you Cooning? Thoughts on Black America’s new favorite racial slur, critical thought, and groupthink

“SEND UP THE COON SIGNAL!”

With a key principle of my blog being “Critical/Objective Thought”, I’ll occasionally jump off the STEM- and Financial Literacy-trains to discuss aspects of culture, current events, and politics as I did for Colin Kaepernick’s retirement.  Similarly, Black America’s adoption and use of the word “Coon” has been rolling around in my mind for a while and begging me to write a thought-piece about it.  Thus, at the risk of upsetting some people and sharing this with the “Dominant Culture”, I’ve decided to capture some of my thoughts and observations regarding modern day usage of this racial slur by the same people it was ironically first used against.  If you’re easily offended by the word Coon, you should stop reading now because it and others are mentioned quite a bit in this post.

Send Up The Coon Signal!

In the aftermath of the events in Charlottesville, VA there was controversy, of course, surrounding President Donald J. Trump and his comments on the clash of protestors – particularly that there was wrong doing on both sides.  There were quite a few criticisms of his remarks; what he said, how he said them, how quickly he said them, etc.  Midweek after that a Facebook “friend” (a fellow African American) posted the link to an article entitled, “Black Christian Leaders Detest Claim That Trump Is the ‘Driver’ of Racial Division in America”.  The individual who posted the article wrote joking language tagging another friend and saying to, “Send up the Coon signal,” followed by a number of other posters who contributed numerous pictures and GIF animations about black people and cartoon characters “Cooning”.

I had mixed feelings when I saw the responses, but I was not surprised.  On the one hand, yes, it was funny.  On the other hand, here was another case of black people ripping other black people because of ideological and philosophical differences.  I shared the article on my page to see what would happen, and a good number of other African Americans in my network saw the article and expectedly became angry.  Most felt betrayed that these black clergymen and women would defend “#45” as he’s referred to now in many circles.

While this post was in part inspired by Donald J. Trump, it isn’t about Trump per se.  It’s about black people lashing out and ridiculing one another due to differences of opinion and points of view.  Unfortunately, this is actually common as discussed on one of Mumia Obsidian Ali’s podcasts titled “Dumb it Down”, where he discussed how most of Black America – some of our most respected intellectuals and scholars included, can’t have diverging viewpoints without resorting to personally attacking the opposing side or as we call it in the black community, “Playing the Dozens”.

In the podcast for example, Ali cited Dr. Michael Eric Dyson’s attack of Dr. Cornel West following West’s criticism of the Obama administration – not addressing any of West’s criticisms directly, just verbally attacking him and his character.  This squabble between Dr. Dyson and Dr. West represents a toxic dynamic in Black America today – philosophical and political disagreements resulting in emotional backlashes against black people who diverge from the “Social Justice” narrative, and then calling the person a “Coon”.  It’s very fascinating to witness when it happens.

Ali further described how individuals including: Dr. Thomas Sowell, Jason Riley, John McWhorter, and Dr. Glen Loury – all great black thinkers and writers have been regarded as “Coons” because of their independent/conservative, and non-social justice ideas and views.  Interestingly growing up on Buffalo’s eastside, I’d never heard about Dr. Sowell, the elder of the names mentioned.  I was ironically introduced to one of Dr. Sowell’s books, “Inside American Education” by a Greek-American classmate at the University of Michigan one day when discussing politics as we ran our experiments.  I didn’t hear anything about him either at Johnson C. Smith University, the HBCU I attended.  Anyhow, in his podcast Ali further stated that within Black American social media circles, that it is not uncommon to be met with the term “Coon” for merely disagreeing with a person’s particular personal experience/position or the prevailing zeitgeist of the black community at large.

Taking Ownership Of Racial Insults And Slurs

“Hey!!!  What about me?  Don’t you hold out on me you big Dummy-Nigger!!!  Ha, ha, ha, ha…….”

“Wild Bill” Wharton’s racial slur against John Coffey over not getting any cornbread in The Green Mile features another once humiliating word Black America has taken in as its own.  Just like “Nigger”, “Coon” was also a racial slur used against blacks by whites in the Jim Crow era.  Actually the Coon was a bigoted caricature of black people with the defining character trait of laziness.  I tend to think of it when I think of the old “Minstrel Shows” where in some instances white people would dress up as black people (“Black Face”) and act like clowns and buffoons.  In some instances, real black people participated.

In the 1990s, Hip Hop artists like Tupac Shakur took “Nigger” and transformed it into “Nigga” (Never-Ignorant-Getting-Goals-Accomplished), glorifying and popularizing the term, setting off countless debates both within and outside of the black community about who could use it, and if it should be used at all.  Recently Bill Maher re-sparked the debate culminating in Ice Cube stating, “It’s our word now,” on Maher’s show.  Then as now, some black people found it offensive and demeaning, while others felt as though a negative had been turned into a positive.

Some blacks felt and feel that it’s an accurate descriptor for the worst behaviors of our race – something echoed by many of our most popular comedians.  Overall black people couldn’t and can’t seem to agree on it even today.  Actually most black people do agree that it’s very offensive when other cultures use it with the exception of maybe Dominicans and Puerto Ricans due to some similarities in lineage and culture.

My First Time Hearing About Cooning

“You’re a COON!!!”  I may have been out of the loop, as per usual, but I first heard the modern contexts for “Coon” and “Cooning” when watching one of Tommy Sotomayor’s YouTube videos.  He’s one of the many black male YouTubers that I watch.  I won’t go into too much detail about Tommy, and I may lose some readers here, but yes I have become a regular viewer and a fan.  I don’t know that I would start a show saying the things he says, and in the ways that he says them, but personally coming from my background, he and others like him help explain a lot of things – particularly some of the pathologies in black communities across our country.

In most cases he holds our people responsible for their destructive behaviors and doesn’t blame white people, or dwell in the past.  He focuses on what not to do.  Tommy does lean conservative and he’s particularly hard on black women – I’m sorry, some black women.  Those who regularly watch the show understand the “not all” distinction.  He draws more than his fair share of backlash and death threats, and regularly gets accused of “Cooning”.

“Coon Train is coming.  Coon Train is coming.  Coon Train is coming…”

Tommy’s arch-nemesis, a “Pro-Black” gentleman named Tariq Nasheed, created the “Coon Train Awards” similar to the “Soul Train Awards”.  Someone created a jingle with the above words and a montage including Tommy Sotomayor and Jesse Peterson among others.  The song is actually funny, and it sometimes pops into my mind.  The actual use of the word does make me bristle though, especially when the person called the name is only asking a question, or is thinking differently than the person assigning it.

What is this modern day definition of a Coon?  It’s usually angrily and viciously unleashed upon blacks perceived as having ‘white’ points of view in the eyes of ‘woke’ black people.  It’s the modern day incarnation of an ‘Uncle Tom’, or ‘Oreo’, or ‘House Nigga’, or the character ‘Uncle Ruckus’ from The Boondocks who usually comes up when someone has been called Coon.  It’s someone who is thought to be betraying the race for ‘White Supremacy’.  One of the biggest contradictions is that it’s often used by those who would consider themselves pro-black (some of whom themselves indulge in colorism and bigotry against other brown skinned people).  Consequently, both Coon and Nigga are terms designating one’s blackness, but in different ways – Nigga having good and bad contexts.

Cooning And Groupthink

Calling someone Coon makes me think about the concept of ‘Groupthink’.  A simple search of the term Groupthink on Google brings up the following definition:

“Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon within a group of people in which the desire for harmony and conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome.  Group members try to minimize conflict and reach a consensus decision without critical evaluation of alternative viewpoints by actively suppressing dissenting viewpoints, and by isolating themselves from outside influences.”

Groupthink is very dangerous and organized religion gets a bad rap from instances where groups of people have been mobilized to do evil deeds in a suicidal fashion (Jonestown), or against non-believers.  It’s simply following the herd without thinking.  It’s voting a certain way because one’s parents or race traditionally voted or believed a certain way.  It’s immediately calling someone a racist, a misogynist, or a sexist without analyzing all of the facts – usually responding off of pure emotion.  Groupthink prevents its believers from acknowledging when the other person/side might have good ideas or valid points, strictly because they’re on the other side.  These are all things I hear when someone calls someone else a Coon.

Interestingly, use of the word Coon seems to be an artifact of my generation and those behind us.  When describing this to my mother’s generation (Boomers) who lived through the Civil Rights Era, and who readily heard this word and others in their youths, many are surprised and disapprove – at least those I’ve talked with.  Some elders in general ironically loosely still use the word “Nigga” – sometimes in jest amongst themselves.  Perhaps it’s just in our nature to turn negatives into positives, and adopt words that were once used against us.

How Do You Know If You’re Cooning?

Are you Cooning?  How do you know if you are?  What warrants being called a Coon?  Again, it often involves being black and having independent thoughts and conservative values.  It could be a matter of criticizing Colin Kaepernick’s protest as Minister Jap and Oshay Duke Jackson did – both black men who were subsequently called “Coons” and in some instances “Klansmen” by some of their commenters – the majority black.

It could be something like saying the single-motherhood rate in the black community is too high and is the major impediment of the black race’s advancement in the United States.  It could be pointing out that black people can be just as much, if not more, bigoted than white people – not racist of course, because black people don’t have power.  It could be the belief that black people are accountable for their actions and that everything happening in 2017 isn’t the fault of white people.  It could be stating that you weren’t offended by the Confederate flags and statues.  Lastly, it could be citing and believing statistics arguing that there is an unusually high rate of black on black crime.  Cooning could be any of these things and much more.

“You’re a COON!!!”  Whenever the word is unleashed on someone there is a definite viciousness to it.  The individuals who use it always seem to be angry and have reached a level of frustration with the person they’ve ascribed it to, for not agreeing with their point of view.  To see such a display, look up Roland Martin’s show where he hosted the “Prince of Pan-Africanism”,  Dr. Umar Johnson.  In a panel discussion about the state of Black America, Dr. Johnson readily unleashed the word on some of the other panelists all of whom were black.  Martin, who aligns with the Democratic party, bristled at the use of the word, and constantly reminded Dr. Johnson not use it any further.  The entire exchange was amusing, but at times shocking to watch.

Have I ever been called a Coon?  Yes, I have on Twitter, but it was by someone no one takes seriously.  Considering myself an independent – one who doesn’t belong to either political party, and who questions things, I’ll probably be called it to my face before long, but that’s okay.  The important thing for me is to think critically and objectively – not solely off of emotion if I can help it, and not necessarily following the herd for the sake of following the herd.  So if that makes me a Coon, then so be it.

Conclusions On Cooning

I’ll close by going back to our 45th President.  As I told a cousin who insisted he was a racist over a fiery Thanksgiving dinner discussion prior to the 2016 election, I’ve never heard Donald J. Trump say “Coon” or “Nigga”, but I’ve certainly heard black people say them to other black people quite often.  It’s kind of contradictory right?  It’s like ‘Pro-Blacks’ mocking other blacks because they’re too dark.  I guess it’s okay as long as we’re doing these things to one another.

“You’re a COON!!!”  Do I expect the people who enjoy using the word to stop?  Of course not.  While I stated above that the word is often used out of anger, those using it also seem to get a certain amount of enjoyment and satisfaction from using it.  Interestingly, ‘Coon’ in its modern context offends me more than ‘Nigga’ does.  So no, I don’t expect much of anything to change, but perhaps I’ve raised awareness here to some degree.

A cousin donated the meme at the beginning of this post in a Facebook thread I was tagged in, started by another cousin who really, really wants President Trump impeached.  I used pictures of Dr. Ben Carson and Sheriff David Clarke, Jr. in this post because their books just happened to be in stock at my local Barnes & Noble recently.  The same is true for Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, though I couldn’t find a good picture of Dr. Thomas Sowell.  The newspaper photos were courtesy of the Washington Post’s daily morning express edition handed out during my morning commute.

Both Carson and Clarke are well known for different reasons, and both are considered Coons.   Sheriff Clarke is unashamedly conservative and strongly believes in law and order.  I saw Dr. Carson speak live during graduate school for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday when he still had his legendary status.

He’s intriguing not only because he’s also a Michigan alumnus, but because this brilliant and gifted neurosurgeon has fallen from grace in parts of the black community due to his conservative politics, traditional values, and his working in the Trump administration.  In the eyes of many, his medical and scientific accomplishments are now forever tainted.  Lastly, while I’ve discussed only men in this piece, there are black women who draw similar criticisms – Deneen Borelli, and Stacy Dash come to mind.

I want to thank my brother and a group of friends for being my test audience for this potentially volatile topic.  We collectively discuss these issues all week long.  I especially want to acknowledge the Gaines brothers for turning me onto Tommy Sotomayor, Obsidian Radio, and the other black male YouTubers.  Without the discussions on their channels and podcasts, I wouldn’t have known most of this stuff was going on, and I wouldn’t have had the perspective to craft this post.

Thank you for taking the time out to read this blog post. If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy:

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The benefits and challenges of using articulate speech
Challenging misconceptions and stereotypes in academic achievement
Challenging misconceptions and stereotypes in class, household income, wealth and privilege
Who will benefits from Apple’s $350 billion investment?

If you’ve found value here and think it would benefit others, please share it and/or leave a comment. I’ve started a YouTube channel which is entitled, Big Discussions76. To receive all of the most up to date content from the Big Words Blog Site, subscribe using the subscription box in the right hand column in this post and throughout the site, or add the link to my RSS feed to your feedreader. Lastly, follow me on Twitter at @BWArePowerful, on Instagram at @anwaryusef76, and at the Big Words Blog Site Facebook page. While my main areas of focus are Education, STEM and Financial Literacy, there are other blogs/sites I endorse which can be found on that particular page of my site.