Black Issues
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Tomorrow marks the end of Black History Month, and I think its important to stress that the fight is not over. I think some of us feel that because we have opportunities available (and indeed some of us have grasped some of these amazing opportunities,) we get comfortable and assume we have won in the area of equal rights.
Yes we have come a long, long way, but the fight is not over. Just because, you may own a big car and house, does not mean you should get comfortable and complacent. We owe it to our children to continue to fight for equality in areas of pay, education, economic achievement, justice and business ownership. We must call "them" out when we see blatant, subtle, and not so subtle discrimination. Many people criticize Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson for coming to the defense of victims of discrimination, but what would we do without them. These men continue to stay in the trenches and fight the fight everyday. And, they ought to be commended for keeping Black Issues in the forefront.
Some of us naively believe that Blacks do not have issues - That we are all facing the same issues. Not so. As we watch the candidates in their campaign for the Presidency , many people are concerned about issues that directly affect them. Women are concerned about the right to choose, and about unequal pay in the work place; Immigrants are concerned about fare laws for all and the possibility of amnesty; and Blacks are concerned about inequality in many areas. There is no reason to feel ashamed of this or to feel as though its taboo to discuss. We must continue to keep these issues in the forefront and demand that the candidates address them. Our forefathers fought for us, lets continue to fight for our children and for those whose spirit is too broken to fight. "Happy and Conscious Black History Month!!"
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