Watts Riots - Part Two

Remember the riots in L.A.?   Rodney King.  Black folks running down the street with stolen television sets. Bricks and stones breaking storefront windows. Liquor stores consumed by fire. The entire urban area rumbling. Packs of feral kids running wild on the streets. South Central / Watts as a disaster zone. Racism, again! And again! Yet many black Americans have pulled themselves up in society. They've conquered monumental odds to become better people. Despite all of the barriers, including the abomination of racial bias, and the evil leaders of the prejudice promoters - they've improved their education, found useful jobs, and become real and livable wage earners. 

But there are more black people living in poverty, unable to find jobs, and going to bed hungry in America - than there ever was in our history. We, you and I, have a serious challenge. The folks that HAVE must help those that HAVE NOT. The challenge hasn't changed in years. Except it's more important now. In the thirty or so years following 1950, our government leadership has attempted to focus on helping the American black community. There have been successes, failures, and frustrations. Our government has tried increasing welfare hand outs, job creation, ethnic favoritism and reverse prejudice, and the result has been way less than outstanding. Look at middle school or jr. high school students.  You can bet that they have discovered the mostly hidden racial barriers of America. As a selected age group, they are perhaps the most severely disappointed and discouraged of all. Most live in poverty and single parent homes, and more than 70% of them are born out of wedlock. 

In terms of "social worth" the family unit is from the past and no longer relevant. Behavioral problems become routine In middle school. Learning, social graces, traditional manors, and respect for authority are not  part of a middle school students agenda any more. The imaginary scholastic achievement bar is out of reach - still. Idiots like Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton fly all over America to fan the flame of racisim. Keep telling these folks how stupid they are, that "whitey" gets all and they get nothing, revolt, riot, break something, blame somebody else, collect your welfare and eat your watermelon. With leaders like the two mentioned, the politicians that buy black votes and don't support black efforts to improve, and reverse racists like the N.A.A.C.P. - American society remains biased against black citizens.

Someone with clout and horsepower needs to study the A.I.S.S. program in Orange County, CA. There are no scholarships, no free rides, and many requirements for eligibility. The A.I.S.S. focus is on High School students with a 3.5 GPA, a desire for a S.T.E.P. directed college or university education, who have parental support - but lack the required resources. Qualified young people are taught (in an extracuriculum course)  how to prepare themselves for a college or university education. They are taught precisely how to apply for admission to the schools of their choosing, and how to obtain scholarships for financial aid.

In the long run it will be these college and university trained black students that will lead the way to a color blind American society.