Hype or are Black men really hurting? Weigh in

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Althea Ross Project Manager at HP Is it by choice!!!!!!!! Monday, May 3rd 2010 at 1:25PM

torin ellis sounds like a hot topic so far. I appreciate each comment. Althea, you posed an interesting and passion filled response. Do you think it's by choice? To each of you that have responed, forward the article to others. We here at HBCUConnect want to hear from the masses. Not because of any agenda but becasue we genuinely want to know how you feel. Keep talking - by all means, let's take action. Monday, May 3rd 2010 at 2:37PM

Althea Ross Project Manager at HP Yes I think @ least 5% of it is by choice Monday, May 3rd 2010 at 2:55PM

Dave Evans Project Manager HUD/HBCU at Virginia University of Lynchburg Some unemployment is, indeed, by choice. After all, when you have 3 babies each with different mommas, each wants child support. By not making recorded money, they keep what they make and dole it out their way. I have three sons with 12 children among them, only one lives with the current baby's momma. I try to explain that the Social Security system is based on what you put in. With all of them in their thirties, I bet combined they don't have more than $100,000 worth of reported income among them. One has a 4-year degree and stays home with the latest child, sending the momma out to work for them. Confusing? Yes. Frustrating? Yes. What does society do to correct this? It is our problem and will get worse, because one grandson is already thinking of ways to live off others, just like his role model, his father. Please let me know if anyone has a real answer to this pervasive problem. There will always be a segment of the population that wants to do it his way. Many will succeed but most fail. The failed turn to easy money, drug dealing, and other night time activities that won't stand the light of day. We as a society make it too easy for them to do that. So how do we handle it? Rather Not Say Monday, May 3rd 2010 at 3:04PM

Althea Ross Project Manager at HP I judge because it is what it is, and yes thank God I am fully employed. But my judgment stems from putting a black man thru school to only have him choose not to work full time. Monday, May 3rd 2010 at 3:17PM

Darian Doss I think a small percentage could be choice, Althea. And you have a front row view of that. But according to the article.. there is a very disturbing pattern pointed out over the years. We of color know there is racism in the job hunt advantage. Working harder, longer and being smarter is sadly what we must exhibit to play in corporate america. BUT, I would like to see the outcome of the investigation. I know PLENTY of black educated or skilled black men who could be used as case studies, because ALL of it is NOT by choice. Some are passed over or discounted solely on the color of their skin. Monday, May 3rd 2010 at 4:26PM

Alfonso Davis Bookkeeper Accountant at CWA LOCAL 1180 This issue needs to be addressed not ignored. I am in BIG favor for the United Nations to do an extensive investigation. I would suggest tracing back to slavery and also further back to biblical times when we disobeyed the Most High by eating the forbidden fruit. By reading and quoting Deuteronomy 28 about the blessings and curses of the Most High and also Revelatios 13: 10 about captivity proves the point. How on earth can we as a people can be unified and create healthy relationships with one another. I just wish this issue can be at the forefront like the need of health care and immigration reforms. Monday, May 3rd 2010 at 7:39PM

uriah yisrael Why in God's name would you chose to punch a clock to get mistreated, abused and overlooked for a mere pittance? Consider the oppression we suffer on these jobs only to be last hired and first fired. Many black men are not employed but venturing out on their own businesses. America has proven she can't keep our people employed, cant keep auto plants open, cant educate properly, cant manage money....maybe we can do a better job . Were are the black entrepreneurial success stories? Monday, May 3rd 2010 at 8:24PM

Samuel Burnham Associate at Chosen Agency I know this question was created to spark constructive dialogue, so...respecting that reason (and the person who answered it), I think we all know the question's answer before it was even asked. Our umemployment rates were always highest in America at any given point in U.S. history...regardless of if there was immigration or not. So the immigrants, in truth...illegal or not...having nothing to do with it except to be scape-goated by the White media. Especially considering the fact that the majority of America's employers are White-owned-and-controlled companies and multinational corporations. However, Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey, Runoko Rashidi, Keidi Awadu, Amefika Geuka, Chancellor Williams, Claude Anderson, and James Clingman are just SOME of the few who have shown us how to get out of this mess...and still showing us! Unfortuantely, as a colletive, too many of us Black folk are comfortable with being miserable to take serious action and join whith the members of the above-mention that are still alive and beating the drum of economic, education, and cultural self-reliance. While too many of us don't have money and jobs to offer, our atheletes, entertainers, and folk managing other ethnic groups multinational corporations screams that as a collective, we do have the capacity to create at least a few hundred thousand good paying "jobs" across the country for Black folk in general...especially Black men! For those interested in diminishing the unemployment rate in Tuskegee, check out the economic summit at the Tuskegee Fly-in. A link is listed below with the details. Also, I believe Imade a post on it. http://theblacklistpub.ning.com/xn/detail/... peace, Samuel Burnham Monday, May 3rd 2010 at 8:26PM

uriah yisrael I wonder what you "edumacated" strong black people would do without the white economic system to lean on and blame for your problems? Monday, May 3rd 2010 at 8:47PM

omar wassan Texas Southern University class of 1997 You have have %70 of black house holds headed by unwed mothers while in the 1960's you had %70-80 of house holds headed with two parents.They say the mother spoils her son and raises her daughter and the father spoils his daughter and raises his son.which means is the mother prepares her daughter for the challenges ahead of her especially her survival skills while she babies her son turning him into a momas boy.When the father is in the househould he counters that and gives him his manhood training and survival mechanisms for copeing with white america.A man must have skill,trade,profession or become a business person or be a statistic in the prison industrial complex working slave labor for multinational privatised companies in pison.The black community is faced witha internal challenge and a real designed external threat the problem is that Black people the world over can not for the life of them define a enemy and determine intent.When dealing with a enemy you deal with three types of attack 1)DIRECT ATTACK 2)INDIRECT ATTACK& 3)THE COMBINATION OF DIRECT AND INDIRECT ATTACK. The people who deal with these attacks on the Black community are ou elite class it's like chess know your position everybody is out of position the warriors position is drowned out by the uncle toms and boot lickers while the cowardly opertunistic race pimps our the signifying monkies that dance to the tune of there puppet masters.They allready too out wood shop metal shop drafting etc. out of many of the jr. high scoll and sr high school.When you take out this classes your taking out the base of the skilled trades like carpentry,plumbing,electicians etc. and what you have left is the white collared jobs in management etc.blacks are not applying themeselves in science and math there overly represented in plitical science,music and easy casses and degrees.I cou go on and on but the main theme is there is no agenda for the black male they are warehousing him in school without counselers giving them any direction on his future life goals for gainfull emploment he's not prepared. Tuesday, May 4th 2010 at 12:42AM

omar wassan Texas Southern University class of 1997 It's late at night so i had a few run on scentences and typos excuse me it's late and I'm about to go to sleep peace. Tuesday, May 4th 2010 at 12:47AM

Gary Butler Teacher Asst.with Mont.Co.schools at MCPS AS an educator I am deeply concerned about the plight of our future generation of leaders as current students.While the comments given do not miss the mark,one must consider the impact of our current educational system and its failure to adequately prepare our students for postsecondary options and career transitions in the 21st century.Yes,I believe illegal immigration is a part of the problem as I have spoken to older brothers recieving only piecemeal contracts in the trades compared to past history.I firmly believe that we should strive for at least 23% of all existing jobs to match our numbers in the general population.And make no mistake,there is still discrimination in the work place,perhaps there always will be.Since Ive been involved with students in secondary ed. for a number of years,Iam also convinced that we reclaim our stronghold in our communities via small business development "Buy Us for US",as well as thru the corporate ranks."Power concedes nothing without demand." Perhaps I am an idealist, but our haves must also be willing to reach out to our have nots as we must realize that integration has to a certain degree,hurt us as much as helped us.We no longer bare the responsibility to sustain our own communities and our legacy to successive generations has fallen on depth ears for a number of years.Peace & Blessings,Gary B. Tuesday, May 4th 2010 at 2:07AM

IT Support Specialist at Huntington Bancshares There is/has always been a direct correlation with the rise of racism when there are problems with the economy. With the election of President Obama to office there suggests a rise of attack on Blacks in general in the US. The unemployment rate for Blacks in the US is 14% as compared to Whites. I run into Black folks everyday that have been laid off everyday and many have Bachelors degrees like myself. The jobs that are posted on most of the job sites pay between $8 to $11 an hour; how can most educated Black Americans live off of this kind of wage. Tuesday, May 4th 2010 at 10:37AM

Darian Doss I agree " G. Calloway", the job is made unappealing by the wage or you are over-qualified. I've enjoyed reading the opinions of everyone on this article. I've also mentally entertained the questions posed as well. Great discussion so far! Tuesday, May 4th 2010 at 10:44AM

uriah yisrael Imagine what our great grand parents must think of our "edumacted" and "indoctrinated" children begging their "former" slave masters for work. With all the sacrifices they made do we really believe Massa's jobs are the answer? Corporate America don't want you and they can barely take care of their own...wake up! Tuesday, May 4th 2010 at 12:06PM

Darian Doss From several of your post "uriah yisreal" I'll assume and I ~could~ be wrong... that you do not work in corporate america. Are they hiring at your place of employment? I don't see so much blame being given as facts. It's in the statistics given in the article.. plainly. I would love to work for a black business.. but at the same time.. I have to be able to take care of my family and pay my mortgage. I have a 3 year old son that has Downs.. I need good health insurance.. I happen to have that on my corporate america job where I am the only african american in management. I happen to be female and a single parent. If I could get there what I get here..... I would gladly work for a black business! Including my own fathers.. he can't pay me close to what I need to maintain my household. But anytime he needs my services.. he has them free of charge because we are family! Tuesday, May 4th 2010 at 12:18PM

uriah yisrael Darian, i am sorry to here about your son. I am saddened to here the same ol problems laid out over and over again. The stats have always said "Last hired and first fired". During this time of trouble we need to recognize that corporate america is on life support and we need to reduce our "supersized" overheads and rely on ourselves for support. What other group of men complain and murmur so much. We should be ashamed to ask anybody for anything! BTW its only going to get worse Tuesday, May 4th 2010 at 12:46PM

Samuel Burnham Associate at Chosen Agency It's going to take the same type of strategies it takes when winning a war...or building a nation...to seriously reduce the unemployment of Black men. That answer is..."all of the above". Interestingly enough, there was no Black-owned-and controlled company willing and able to hire me as an electronics engineer when I graduated FAMU, so now I "work for the man" as an EE. But...whenever possible, I put that money in the hands of Black folk that show a genuine love and respect for my buisness and the Black community. However, I found out that the reason for that there was no Black-owned company that could hire me with decent salary and benefits as an EE was for the same Black-on-Black pettiness, self-ishness, and short sightnesses that I see in the non-buisness related situations of the Black community...and of course, racism too. We have enough multi-millionaire atheletes, entertainers, and big shot money makers to create companies that can higher Black men and a decent middle class wage...thousands of us...what's lacking is the cooperative spirit and vision. A lack of vision that is fostered by too many of us waiting for "the man" to do right by us. What is to be done also requires an amount of risk and sacrifice to get stuff done. A group of people trying to take this risk and sacrifices will be meeting on Memorial Day weekend at the Tuskegee Fly-in on May 28th, noon till 5 PM. They will then continue to fellowship, enjoy one another, and build friendships and buisness relationships. Hope to see you there. Sam Tuesday, May 4th 2010 at 1:11PM

uriah yisrael Fam, i will not post anymore comments. I have obviously offended some people on this topic discussion. Now i know how some thought about Booker T, Malcolm X and Jesus. I am extreme...and we are in a extreme situation, and this will need extreme action. Enough crying about unemployment, prisons and broken homes...what are the solutions Paul? Tuesday, May 4th 2010 at 1:44PM

Andre L. Williams You know what, If I have to hear about how black men are the source of all the ills that effect black men, I gonna throw! I am so tired of hearing about black men having babies by different and various baby mamas. I’m not saying that that is not an ill that exists in our community, but that ill rests with both the mamas and the daddies and it has absolutely no bearing on the incidence of high unemployment in the black community and particularly among black men. The issue is and always will be the issue of education and how black boys are so quickly fast tracked to the juvenile justice system. Do you know that the projections for how many prison cells are needed are based on the 3rd grade test scores of black boys? Do you know that the Public School system is the 2nd leading entry to the Juvenile Justice system, 2nd only to the streets? Do you know that in most cities in this country we have a 50-60% drop-rate in high school among black boys ( and that’s a conservative estimate). Black men suffer from high unemployment because black boys suffer from under-education- plain and simple. And what I find amazing is that we as a race stand by and constantly want to blame the very group of persons that are suffering; as if they have a choice in this matter. A choice? Tuesday, May 4th 2010 at 3:36PM

Derron Simon Hampton University class of 1991 Thank you Andre for your comment. Finally someone seems to get it. Without educating our critical masses, how can we ever forge ahead. Instead of us castigating the babies having babies syndrome, let's try and turn this as an area of opportunity. I dare any of you to create scenarios or initiatives that addresses these young black men, builds them up and now we have a resource and pipeline of human capital to place in careers and jobs that we create or currently work for. Think of the NBA, NFL system. They have a pipeline of young boys starting from elementary who were these same baby momma offspring and have been reared and selected for greatness. I didn't hear anyone saying let's do this on the educational level. So I say this to inform all of you that their are solutions out there to handle this current crisis. But I also understand that we are only thinking about ourselves now and what we have to do for our families, everyone else will have to wait till I get time. Now ask yourself, could this be our real problem? Wednesday, May 5th 2010 at 12:06PM

Robert Allen Sales Rep at HERTZ I love to see that now even black people have aped the rhetoric of white racist. Its always a moral issue. I use to buy into that hype. I am 27 years old, I have a B.S. degree, never been arrested, no babys mommas, and went to a "white" college. I graduated with a slew of young black men, who cant get jobs. Then people are telling us well you picked the wrong major, its the economy. I guess black America is going to take the stance of a black President, its all HYPE while black men cant find employment and if we just fix our moral condition we would be employed. Being a person who studied economics in college, maybe the headless households, incarceration rate and other piss poor numbers are an direct effect of not being able to find stable employment? Yeah, black people are now saying black men want to be unemployed, we want to be locked in jail. I appreciate that comment, next time I go on a job interview, I am sure comments like that will really help African American males who are doing the right thing. Wednesday, May 5th 2010 at 10:00PM

Robert Allen Sales Rep at HERTZ Why is it that a white man with a high school diploma has higher median income, than a black male with a college degree. America still has that Plantation Mentality. I am glad the United Nations care more about black men, than even some black Americans. I cant tell you numbers of young black men I see with degrees, with no out of wedlock babies who cant find jobs and are looking desperately. If 19% of African Americans have a college degree that means 81% dont. If 30% of European Americans have a college degree that means 70% dont. The gross disparaties are deeper than education and questionable morals. In 1968 when Dr. King was murderer, 70% of African American children were born into two parent household, and what as the the key issue UNEMPLOYMENT OF BLACK MEN. Wednesday, May 5th 2010 at 10:04PM

Robert Allen Sales Rep at HERTZ Anjaun, you wrote a blog, how many black men have your hired for jobs, or how many have turned you down for a jobs the last 6 months? Wednesday, May 5th 2010 at 10:06PM

Robert Allen Sales Rep at HERTZ If Education is the problem, why is it that black men with degrees cant get jobs. I saw someone mention Dr. Claud Anderson. I love the major argument, that VISA program hires asians over blacks with degrees in higher mathematics and science. I have a science degree, and I graduate with young black males who have degrees in finance, engineering, economics and other difficult fields who still cant find jobs. 9 out 10 black people who want to make this a moral issue, are happy to be one of the few blacks at their jobs. I use to be that arrogant as well, untill I got laidoff, and had to take any job I could find, and then have people not want to hire me because I was "over qualified". Dr. Claud Anderson tried to create a black business district in Detriot, to tackle high black unemployment, his proposal was reviewed by a constitutional lawyer, and guess how shot the plan down in a 90% black city? BLACK PEOPLE One thing about the blacks who tote the lines of moral decay, they are working for a white person 9 out of 10, and going to ape and parrot whatever white society says. I just to think it was education, untill I got replaced on my job with white female, with no degree, no computer skills whom I trained ironically enough!!!!! White males are what 47% of the work force, and 98% of Sr, Management, because they are so moral, honest and take care of their kids right. So god is going to bless them. After graduate school, I think I am headed to Africa or somewhere else. I am pretty much done with the African American community. This ignorant plantation mentality of everyone from Obama, Skip Gates to Farrakhan is going to end up with Black Americans being nothing more than a perm underclass, once those 11 to 20 million illegals are legal citizens, they will pretty much displace black issues, and all these token blacks at their companies, they will be replaces, when the unemployment rate hits the "educated" blacks, they will be on some we need to march, I will be in South Africa LOL!!! Around some real black people. Not these BLACK FACE, WHITE MASK. Wednesday, May 5th 2010 at 10:21PM

Samuel Burnham Associate at Chosen Agency Greetings, Robert Allen. This is Samuel Burnham again. One thing my associates have learned is that we have to attempt to create Claude Anderson's concept of an "Africa Town" in several different cities ...preferbably simultaneously, but whatever practical way we can. That way, when Uncle Tom's in cities like Detriot show they are working for "Masa" we can by-pass them in Tuskegee Alabama, Atlanta, or any other place where we strategize with a large Black population. James Clingman is an associate of Claude Anderson. He and several others are still in the fight (www.blackonomics.com). He will also be at the Tuskegee Fly-in this Memorial Day Weekend. Also, let me give you the website to our close friend and associate, Amefika Geuka, who also will elaborate (http://www.amefika.com/) This will be the last comment I make on this type of discussion, since I am reminded that most of the responses to topics like this are designed to create argument for the sake of argument, or just to cause further Black-on-Black disrespect. So I will stick to my previous solutions-oriented posts that I"m used to doing. If you are other like-mined brothers and sisters want to learn more, send me a private message and I'll do my best to show you what we are doing and attempting to do. Like you, I know plenty of qualified brothers in all fields who can't find jobs...and most of have better moral character than I see in most folk I meet of any race. Well, I'm singing off this discussion. peace. Thursday, May 6th 2010 at 12:00AM

ricky brown Do you include the amount black men who refuse to work. I would love to see that pecentage Saturday, May 8th 2010 at 1:31AM

Jon C. Benefits Management Analyst at State of Ohio The problem is based on education. African Americans are more likely to be located in low-income neighborhoods with poor quality schools, and where the public education system is overburdened with other social problems. In addition to facilities & funding, there is also a problem of mindset / expectations. It is not poverty alone that causes problems; from 1900-1960 poverty in Black neighborhoods was higher, however employment was higher as well. Despite economic inequity it was very possible to obtain a high quality education and also obtain social mobility. Many of the public school systems have failed to teach their students, instead "warehousing" them until they are old enough and fend for themselves or enter the criminal justice system. A good portion of the drug and crime problems in urban neighborhoods is directly related to access to employment; a gainfully employed individual is much more likely to stay out of trouble with the law, maintain a stable family, and increase the life opportunity of his children. Saturday, May 8th 2010 at 12:16PM

Andre L. Williams When are we going to stop the baseless analogies that makes absolutely no since and understand that the state of the African-American is an insidious passion play designed to create a second-class community of people that can be controlled and have limited access to real political power and, therefore, threat less. It is true that some of us have managed to aspire to a better prospective of life, Some of us are able to believe that we can move beyond even our own imagination, and we were able to do that because someone instilled in us the power of education and the freedoms that are associated with knowledge. Make no mistake about it; education is the key to life itself. I don’t know how you, or anybody, can believe anything otherwise. I believe that the urban area schools that are situated in our communities are purposely underfunded and inferior by design. I believe that in issues of urban crime, although a problem that WE need to address, is overblown and a form of propaganda that is geared to keep our communities in a state of crisis. I believe that the pattern of constantly illustrating our communities as “war zones”, and not illustrating some of the positive and fruitful activities that our youth and young adults are engaged in is also by design. We need to first, stop buying into the stereotypical perspectives that are constantly reinforced by the controlled media. We need to stop being afraid of our own children and take back the control of our communities. We need to stress the importance of education and begin to demand better schools. We really need to hold our elected officials (I’m talking about our local representatives that we’ve elected) that unless the votes that they case, the arguments that they imitate, the legislation that they champion, speaks to our concerns, we will vote “they asses” out of office. We need to organize! We need to be serious! I’m just a black man who has worked as a governmental agency service provider for the last 20 years. I’ve worked in a number of communities on the West coast and am currently working in Chicago. I am educated, academically, socially, and urbanely. I’m not trying to say that I know everything, but I do know some things. We will only be as good as the least of us. Monday, May 10th 2010 at 10:59AM

Robert Allen Sales Rep at HERTZ Its time for a serious reparations movement, and holding corporations accountable for it. No more excuses, we are tried of the excuses of why the black masses are held out of the mainstream economy. My solution is a Marshall Plan for Afro Decendants just like the one black tax dollars went to israel. Wednesday, May 12th 2010 at 6:33PM

Adam Spencer North Carolina Central University class of 2008 I don't know. There a great deal of black men who are unemployed by choice. However, there is no measures in check prevent employees from not hiring black men specifically neither. Especially how the percentage of black men unemployed nearly doubled once affirmative action was no longer acquired. I would love for the UN to do an investigation on black male employment rates. Wednesday, May 12th 2010 at 10:18PM

Robert Allen Sales Rep at HERTZ People say things they hear, and are not true. Mexicans take jobs we dont want? So blacks dont want construction jobs and contracts, and black men dont want to be employed? It might be black men who dont want dead end low wage jobs, who want a living wage, thats one thing. I doubt there are "many" black men who want not to be employed. That is a ignorant comment. Thursday, May 13th 2010 at 3:30PM

ricky brown Let me ask you this, do you think that a percentage of black men are unemployable? Wednesday, June 2nd 2010 at 10:12AM

Robert Allen Sales Rep at HERTZ Black conservatives on a HBCU website. I think everyone on this site knows the problem isnt education, or morals. The Prison Population is NoT COUNTED in the unemployment figures. Unemployable? I would like a definition on that one. Well its going to be black people who are going to maintain the status quo in order to keep their positions in white society, then it will those of us who are honest, its amazing the disinformation and Conservative talking points on this site. That is good though, it will leave more opportunity for those who know the truth to get in the community and create a real organization. Thursday, June 3rd 2010 at 12:24AM

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