Today, I was invited to be part of a conference call between Rev. Al Sharpton (head of the National Action Network), Ben Jealous (President of the NAACP) and Marc Morial (President of the Urban League). The conference call was designed to brief the media on the context of
the meeting that these three had with President Barack Obama this afternoon. I was shocked to hear that they were having a meeting on a day when the weather was so terrible (I am personally stranded in Texas, since all of the east coast airports are shut down), but I applaud these men for their commitment to getting to the White House for this very important meeting.
During the call, I should have changed my name to "Fly on the Wall," since I simply listened. I've given my point of view on a regular basis, so I wanted to hear what these men had to say about their meeting with the president. I have respect for these men, although I am fearful that the NAACP and Urban League might be too entrenched in corporate money to be able to engage in the kind of activism needed right now by the African American community. At the same time, their connection to the establishment opens doors to meetings with the president, which can be incredibly effective when it comes to getting things done on a larger scale.
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Blacks in the News
Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network and National Urban League president Marc Morial, right, talk outside the West Wing of the White House following their meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010. Obama met with African American leaders in the Oval Office to discuss the economy and jobs.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
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Blacks in the News
Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network and National Urban League president Marc Morial, right, talk outside the West Wing of the White House following their meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010. Obama met with African American leaders in the Oval Office to discuss the economy and jobs.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Blacks in the News
National Urban League president Marc Morial walks down a snow covered driveway of the White House following a meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010. Obama met with African American leaders in the Oval Office to discuss the economy and jobs.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Blacks in the News
FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2009 file photo, Sen. Roland Burris is interviewed by the Associated Press in his Capitol Hill office in Washington. The U.S. Senate, historically an all-white club, appears set to lose some of what little diversity it has after this year's midterm elections, because two white men will compete in November for President Barack Obama's old seat and several minority candidates face difficult races elsewhere. That could leave the 100-member Senate with no blacks next year because Sen. Roland Burris, the lone African-American member who was appointed to Obama's seat, didn't run for a full term. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)
Blacks in the News
Governor Schwarzenegger swears in Brigadier General Mary J. Kight as the first female adjutant general of the California National Guard and first African-American female National Guard adjutant general in the nation during a ceremony at at Mather Air Force Base Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010 in Mather, Calif. Kight, 59, has spent nearly 25 years with the California Guard after seven years in the Air Force. (AP Photo/Office of the Governor, Justin Short)
Blacks in the News
This Oct. 15, 2008 photo released by the University of Alabama shows Paul R. Jones. Jones, an African-American art collector who donated troves of works to universities in Delaware and Alabama, has died. He was 81. Jones died in Atlanta on Tuesday after a brief illness, said University of Alabama spokeswoman Angie Estes. The university established an art collection in Jones' name after receiving some 1,700 pieces valued at $5 million in 2008. (AP Photo/University of Alabama, Zachary Riggins) **NO SALES**
Blacks in the News
Jerome Valcke, FIFA's secretary general addresses a press conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010. Football officials say one-third of World Cup tickets remain unsold less than five months before the tournament begins. FIFA said in a Wednesday statement that South Africans and Americans led the 1.2 million ticket bids in the third round of sales which will be settled by lottery next month. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Blacks in the News
Jerome Valcke, FIFA's secretary general addresses a press conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010. Football officials say one-third of World Cup tickets remain unsold less than five months before the tournament begins. FIFA said in a Wednesday statement that South Africans and Americans led the 1.2 million ticket bids in the third round of sales which will be settled by lottery next month. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Blacks in the News
Jerome Valcke, FIFA's secretary general addresses a press conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010. Football officials say one-third of World Cup tickets remain unsold less than five months before the tournament begins. FIFA said in a Wednesday statement that South Africans and Americans led the 1.2 million ticket bids in the third round of sales which will be settled by lottery next month. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Blacks in the News
From left, Horst Schmidt, chairman of FIFA's ticketing sub-committe, Jerome Valcke, FIFA's secretary general and Danny Jordan, chief executive of South Africa's 2010 World Cup Soccer organizing committee, address a press conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010. Football officials say one-third of World Cup tickets remain unsold less than five months before the tournament begins. FIFA said in a Wednesday statement that South Africans and Americans led the 1.2 million ticket bids in the third round of sales which will be settled by lottery next month. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Blacks in the News
From left, Horst Schmidt, chairman of FIFA's ticketing sub-committe, Jerome Valcke, FIFA's secretary general and Danny Jordan, chief executive of South Africa's 2010 World Cup Soccer organizing committee, address a press conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010. Football officials say one-third of World Cup tickets remain unsold less than five months before the tournament begins. FIFA said in a Wednesday statement that South Africans and Americans led the 1.2 million ticket bids in the third round of sales which will be settled by lottery next month. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Blacks in the News
The meeting seemed to be productive, as the president gave an hour and fifteen minutes to the meeting. The length of the meeting surprised me, but makes sense, given that President Obama got roughly 25% of his election support from the African American community (his approval ratings in the Black community are over 90%). Marc Morial actually brought forth a six point plan to create jobs for his constituents, showing that he has a commitment to aggressive and systemic action. Morial is correct that targeted action is necessary to correct the traumatically disproportionate impact that the recession has had on African Americans. When you help Urban America, you are helping Black America, and Morial understands that.
The question that froze the entire crew was asked by Adam Howard of MSNBC's TheGrio.com. Adam asked whether anyone addressed the president's lack of willingness to speak publicly about the severe impact that the recession has had on Black people. Marc Morial took on this question, and he answered it as best he could.
The problem that Black leaders are running into when it comes to getting the president's attention is that many of the issues that have a disproportionate impact on us are actually more related to our being poor than being black. So, any push for targeted economic policy must ultimately be cloaked by references to those with low incomes or in urban communities. One issue with that approach, however, is that even among middle and upper class African Americans, there are still significant disparities that must be acknowledged, and those inequities are not likely going to be addressed by our president.
One of the key points made by the group, with which I agree, is that targeted economic policy endorsed by President Obama cannot be race-based. The Republican party is doing all that it can to obstruct President Obama's progress. Any hints that the president is pandering to a black constituency will likely earn him an even greater degree of hatred from his adversaries. Those tea parties around the country are ultimately fueled by racism, and we know that.
One good thing about the meeting between Sharpton, Morial, Jealous and Obama is that it shows that President Obama is at least, on the surface, allowing certain members of the Black community to come to the table when important legislative decisions are being made. The question at this point is whether or not Obama's talk is going to be backed up by action. At the end of the day, that's all that matters.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
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Comments: (46)
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By: Marc on 2/13/2010 10:00AM
African Americas are known for being great athletes, entertainers, and criminals on the TV news.
Prominent African American leaders recently visited President Barack Obama to demand an economic agenda that is targeted to help African Americans. The great recession has been a greater burden for African Americans. The unemployment rate for African Americans is twice as high as it is for European Americans.
An obsolete public education model and a lack of “family values “are just two reasons for the high underemployment rate for African Americans. However, what is not discussed in the major media is our distrust of each other.
We will patronize African American owned beauty salons, barber shops, barbeque restaurants, and churches. Now when it is time to repair our cars and homes we are hesitant to hire a “Brother”. There are just not enough highly skilled and professional African American men that work with their hands.
Lower income African Americans are in desperate need of leadership. Leadership that will demand that African Americans stop having so many children out of wedlock. Leadership that will demand that low income African Americans value education, frugality and chastity. Leadership that will demand the public schools train some of our young men for jobs that don’t require four years of college.
An economic agenda that is targeted to help African Americans is necessary, but African American leaders should also focus on teaching young women how not to raise criminals. Every day we should be embarrassed that there are so many unemployable African American young men. We should be embarrassed that there are so many destabilize African American families and neighborhoods.
Marc Sims
willielynch2013@yahoo.com
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By: Rod Armes on 2/13/2010 11:02AM
As I see it, the biggest problem there is in the black community, is the constant effort to continue to make the distinction of differences, instead of striving to bond together in the struggles of humanity as a whole. There are haters of blacks, just as there are haters of whites, good and bad on both sides. Let's drop the pretense that the problem is still skin color and resolve to work together for the betterment of all! God did not create black and white, He created man & woman. I believe that last part I got from Dr. MLK Jr. and its true for me, can it be true for you?
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By: gary on 2/14/2010 10:49PM
This was a great post and a breath of fresh air on BV. Any medium or institution that is self serving or racially divisive is inherently racist. Rather than be the melting pot our nation was once to be, we have become more and more multi-cultural, and we allow those differences to divide us. The political correctness mentality serves to alienate the majority and has stifled free speech. Forget the fringe elements of all groups--the mainstream needs to work together to build a stronger America.
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By: patricia on 2/15/2010 12:09AM
Why are you's (begging) taking our Black problems to the president?don't you think, he all ready knows?DON'T U? the person they SHOULD be going to is MR.STEVE PERRY.WHY? when the solution is right under their nose,WHAT the HELL?,Mr.perry has a college prep school,or did NOT u's see or hear?,jealous and sharpton stop playing!here a man got young people looking and acting like people should,And NOway is he to strict,kids want to be told,when the person telling them cares about them,ALL of his students go-on to college,so,why are any of you going to mr.O. Handle it yourselves,see the man that can- make- it- HAPPEN!he even ask for a lab,get to that,really want to HELP?then GO SEE THE MAN-MR.PERRY.Or are you jealous or too sharp,let mr.o, take care of HIS business.PLEEZZZZZZZZ!
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By: grandparent on 2/15/2010 12:38AM
TALK-TALK-TALK-MR.Perry can't get those kids parents to stand with him,white parents would be all over him,and if something is not done they might get HiM,his mom was white,but he wants to give to the students that are being leftbehind(1word)leftbehind,cause the parents WON'T get to the school,so stop all the TALK-TALK-why this ,why that,no parent was in the bleachers only his staff.everyone think that we don't care,DO-WE???
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By: JEWELs on 2/18/2010 9:11AM
SIDDAN YOU MADE SOME EXCELLENT POINTS WHAT YOU DONT KNOW WILL DEFINATELY HURT YOU. AND GOD GAVE US LIFE BUT IT IS UP TO US TO LIVE IT TO THE BEST OF OUR OWN ABILITY. AS FAR AS POLITICS I WISH THEY WOULD END THIS WAR, ALOT OF PEOPLE VOTED FOR BARACK BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THE TROOPS WOULD COME HOME, I SAY WE NEED TO WORRY MORE ABOUT OUR OWN COUNTRY. WE HAVE POLLUTION PROBLEMS AND HUNGER PROBLEMS AND PRISON OVER CROWDED PROBLEMS NO JOB PROBLEMS. THEY NEED TO BE KEEPING TRACK OF WHO COMES INTO THIS COUNTRY AND MAYBE THINGS WOULD NOT HAVE GONE DOWN THIS WAR ROAD.
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