Is Marriage for White People?

Author Ralph Richard Banks wrote a controversial book entitled “Is Marriage for White People”. Throughout his works he is calling for interracial marriage as the solution for black women who cant seem to find a black husband.  Let’s consider some facts; there are more black women than black men in higher education, according to the results of a study conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education & Information Studies. Studies performed by “The Sentencing Project” in Washington DC show that 1 in 4 black men end up in jail in the United States. According to Michelle Alexander Author of “The New Jim Crow” there are more black men in jail or prison, on parole, or on probation than were slaves in 1850 given the percentages from The U.S Bureau of Justice. So the reality is, most black men are in jail, uneducated, unemployed or in the streets.  Let’s face it, these numbers are depressing! But what kind of burden does this reality put on black women who hope to marry a black man? It puts a very heavy one indeed. As a result, Ralph Banks who is a black man married to a black woman calls for interracial marriages. Banks states “It time for black women to stop being healed hostage by the deficiencies of black men”. Although I may not be in full compliance with Banks, I understand that we as black males sometimes put black women in a position where they have to either marry an “no good” brother or marry outside of the race. Personally I think there is nothing wrong with marrying outside of the race, but Bank’s studies in his book show that most black women would rather marry a black man. As I travel I am confronted with the fact that there is a demand for black men in almost every field. There is a desperate need/want for black men in Education. There is a need/want for black men as mentors.  Black men are wanted even in HBCU’s. Personally, I believe one of the causes of this issue is the result of an unjust nation that seeks to incarcerate black males as a new hidden/evolved Jim Crow. However I understand that another solution to this issue lies in men “stepping our game up”. It’s a shame when we have brothers who would waste their funds on a new video game, the latest shoes, huge car rims, and unnecessary services in the dark pursuit to become a famous rapper. To often this is done at the expense of and valuable education, child support, and basic living needs. How can we expect to make it in a half unjust nation if we are destroying the other half by oppressing ourselves with a terrible mindset, which leads to terrible decisions? Not just black women, but also society deserves better for what black men have to offer right now. Unless my thinking is off I am convinced that black women contribute to this problem also. There seems to be women dwelling among us with standards that only Jesus can meet. This causes them to over great men, because there are some great brothers with us. But for the sake of the article focus, I will tend to the male portion in the issue. Brothers, at the end of the day you must answer the question “What am I doing to give society what it deserves?” It’s not until then when we shall see change! Brothers lets step it up. I’m Tairu and this is my truth!

Bread for the World National Gathering (Reflection #2)

On June 11-14, 2011 I had the honor of attending Bread for the World’s National Gathering at American University, Washington DC. Bread for the World is a inclusive faith based organization that urges our nations decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. By changing policies, programs, and conditions that allow hunger and poverty to dwell. The tactic that bread uses is what they like to call “Offering of Letters” where they and thousands of people across the nation write personal letters to their representatives in Congress and also meeting with them. What I like most about this group is the fact that they are more interested in fighting the root of the hunger/ poverty issue as opposed to tending to the manifestations of it. This brings a personal hope that the problem can be alleviated.  

Two activist and myself

On the first day we had orientation where they explained to all of the new people (as me) the 5 W’s and H of the organization. Rev. Dr. Frank Thomas spoke a great message to the people. I’m not impressed by many pastors of today but this guy really delivered a practical message that called for personal activity. DAY TWO we attended workshops, the two I attended were about mobilizing your community and your campus to get involved with the cause. DAY THREE we meet with other international organizations at the renaissance hotel, there they provided us with knowledge about how important a child’s first 1,000 days of their life are and nutrition for mothers and children. While at the hotel there was a session for African American leaders and such. While in that session most of the attendees were quite older than myself, but it was very informative. We engaged in dialog about how it is imperative for our people to have some knowledge of Africa. LASTLY on June 14^th we put our faith to action and had a lobby day, where we meet with the House of Representatives and the senate on Capitol Hill!

Throughout the conference I meet some great people and made a lot of connections in the name of the solution. I enjoyed the diversity of the gathering. I came across some Christians, Messianic Jews, Catholic, Muslims, and people who just loves God and understands that there are hungry people out there and unless we do something we will never experience the change we want to see. Above all I enjoyed this gathering and I look foward to doing more work with Bread for the world in my community and campus. Food is a basic need to sustain life and everyone shall have the right to it!

                                                      Miss Black Illnois delegate, President David Beckman and myself.

" Pre Black History spill"

Black History is Dead!

       By: M. Tairu

Year after year during Black History Month we lift up and celebrate prominent figures within the black community who went beyond the call of duty for Negro rights and justice. Throughout this month we speak of people like Medgar Evers and his courageous acts as he fought to the point of his death during the struggle for equal rights. He often did small things that resulted in a big impact, things like standing up for blacks in Mississippi with anti-segregation speeches and marches. Also Harriet Tubman, who understood that workless faith was dead, so she put her faith into action and helped over 300 people escape slavery through the Underground Railroad. We lift up the intellect of our founder Mary McLeod Bethune who visualized and brought that vision to life by starting an institution for higher learning for black people with only $1.50, five little girls and faith in God.

There have been many more influential people who helped lay the ground work so that we may have the freedom and opportunity to achieve a successful and fulfilling life. The issue however is that our people have become content in only discussing the Black accomplishments of the past rather than fulfilling their destiny and establishing a legacy.  If we were serious about black history we would work diligently for change, so much that we would not accept anything less than excellence. We would work so that communities would change, and the dream Martin Luther King Jr. had in 1963 would be a reality in 2011 instead of yet another recurring dream. The reality is that we claim to be thankful for these influential black figures, but we spit in their faces and on their legacy with our actions and ignorance. I believe that we have a moral duty to go beyond the mere celebration of black leaders of the past, because doing so has only lead us to a state of euphoric inactivity. Gratitude goes far beyond having a couple of black campus events during the shortest month of the year. Let’s change the monotony of “Black History Month.” Let’s dive deep into the mind of a people long oppressed. Let’s dissect the philosophy not only of those black leaders who stood on the forefront but of those who stood their ground while they supported each and every movement such as SCLC, SNCC, and CORE. We must appreciate the very things they brought to life and make sure they do not die.

I challenge you to educate yourself not only about the injustices of Black people but about the success that we as a people have achieved. I dare you to be better. Use your gifts, use your intellect, be that change that you want to see, because the civil rights leaders were NOT the last critically thinking Negros. So think, analyze, challenge, and never except mediocrity!

Reflection #1

Reading the paper today on my commute to work I became interested in a article that was explaining that a group of Muslims were arrested because they were planning to break into a Danish newspaper center and shoot as many people possible. The newspaper company was publishing funny cartoons about Allah (the God of the Muslims), thus cause them to become angry and plan the immoral shooting. I believe that these Muslims had a right to become angry, however not to the point of taking peoples life though. Although these Muslims were taken into the Danish system so that “justice” will be served, I think this newspaper company needs to be dealt with also, or the cartoon about Allah needs to be discontinued. Gannet we all have a right to freedom of speech and all that BS, but not to the offence to ones personal spiritual beliefs. This would a prime indication of democracy getting out of control. Just because we have something doesn’t mean we can do anything with it! The reality is that we all have a right to choose a lifestyle and who are we to challenge someone else’s in a unpleasant and laughing matter?