The Labor Department released its April jobs report Friday morning (May 3), highlighting a slight drop in the overall unemployment rate. With the rate dropping to 7.5 percent from 7.6 percent in March, jobless numbers for the African-American community remain at a sobering 13.2 percent.
A recent Labor Market Job Report shows that the unemployment rate dropped to 7.5%, but that it remained stubbornly high at 13.2% for African-Americans. I attribute this, from my own experiences and others around me, directly to RACISM. I presently live in Texas and I have always lived in the South. I am college educated and I can't count the number of times I have interviewed for positions with white recruiters, especially white male managers, who look at me with a wariness I discern as a "caution" in hiring blacks. One white manager, after I had interviewed for a position at a local insurance company, told me frankly that although my qualifications were great, the "last black person" he hired didn't work out. He then hired a white man for the position that I seemed to be a perfect match for.
There have been many other times when I had interviewed for positions and while walking through the company towards the recruiters office I would notice there weren't ANY black people in the office or in management from what I could see and immediately my heart would sink. I didn't get hired at those times either.
I was discussing my experiences after a trip home to visit my parents with a fellow African American on the plane and they told me that they too had experienced the same. They mentioned that they would call and inquire if companies were hiring and would be told yes on the phone by the lower level associate who would answer. Yet when they would arrive to fill out the application, the manager would take one look at them and tell them that they weren't in fact hiring. It's not that they weren't presentable as this man was well dressed, very articulate and well mannered. It was only because he was black.
Racism is not the only reason that the unemployment rate is higher for blacks, however, in my sincere opinion it is a dominant factor behind our disproportionately higher unemployment numbers.
I am tired of this and am starting to really hate this country. America has come a long way. But too many blacks still suffer, largely in silence.
It is time for black people to look at employing ourselves. There is no reason why we own less than 1% of 1% of companies within our own neighborhoods. Whenever I drive through predominantly black neighborhoods here in Dallas, I am always dismayed at the number of stores and restaurants that directly serve us but are owned by non blacks, primarily Asians and East Indians. It is telling when black people don't even own the black hair care stores or soul food restaurants. These places are largely owned by non blacks who move into our neighborhoods, hire blacks to cook or to explain the products and sell primarily to us.
When an African American mentions this fact they are quickly shut down and accused by those non blacks who are profiting from our apparent lack of business acumen to be "race baiters" and told " let this thing be".
We simply can't let it be. We must take back our communities and start to serve our own. Time and time again we are forced to go to non blacks for any kind of employment and this simply has to stop. We are not benefiting. We face increased scrutiny in hiring and are usually the first people fired when the company starts to experience a hard time. We face racism in promotions and in pay. We are more adversely affected by criminal and credit checks than others. We are constantly put in positions when attempting to find work of being treated as if we are desperate which for many of us is true.
Someone has to stand up to fight for black ECONOMIC EQUALITY.
Our self appointed leaders are all raking in millions of dollars through their charities and foundations and media gigs. They are removed from our pain and our suffering. It's time we had NEW LEADERS.
I have never looked at the Black Panthers as I look and consider joining them now due to my white resentment and anger at how so many blacks live in this country. Now, I am not for crazed antics such as saying "all white babies must die" or any of that kind of foolishness but the black panthers are on to something. If they can increase their numbers, tone down their message of defiance and turn up their message of black empowerment, they may be able to really become more effective in bringing about some change. I believe that we can change the organization and put it on the fast track to be a much more effective tool for empowering minorities. The anger they have is much needed. Yet their message needs to be tuned.
One thing is for sure which is black people will have to find a way to mobilize and take back our communities and work for ourselves. We cannot continue to be put in positions were we are always forced to work for others for financial stability.
The Infinite One
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