|
In a nation where equality is touted, image is everything. So much of what we believe to be true is the façade we present. We skew the numbers, present the "facts"; we forget that "facts" are the fiction we tell ourselves so that we may secure an altruistic sense of self. We have never been a colorblind society though we tell ourselves we are. America has never been a "melting pot" of races and ethnicities. However, we claim this righteous position. The United States slams other nations for ethnic cleansing; yet subtlety, we do the same.
Erik Eckholm of the New York Times reports the "Plight Deepens for Black Men, Studies Warn". In this article the journalist points to studies that look beyond the glowing employment rates the administration offers as proof of how life is good and improving for all, even Black men.
Numerous studies, undertaken at various Universities, Columbia, Princeton, and Harvard demonstrate that in our nation's urban hubs, finishing high school is a rare occurrence. Finding work in a legal or professional trade is the exception and not the rule. Staying out of prison is nearly unthinkable. Though crime rates are falling, the jails are filled with young Black men.
Though this data is not necessarily novel, and is merely information that has long been ignored in practice, the recent findings give reason for pause, or at least, I hope it does. Experts see the situation as far more startling than imagined. Ronald B. Mincy, professor of social work at Columbia University and editor of "Black Males Left Behind" (Urban Institute Press, 2006) stated, "There's something very different happening with young black men, and it's something we can no longer ignore. The professor continues, "Over the last two decades, the economy did great and low-skilled women, helped by public policy, latched onto it. But young black men were falling farther back."
As reported in the New York Times, and other publications, the three studies reveal . . .
|
Subscribe to Site [RSS]
