Just like young people should be taught about Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., they should know about Mandela and the struggle of Blacks in Africa against the European Colonization of Africa, which basically relegated Black Africans to slavery or near slavery in their own land. South Africa received the most notice but there are problems in Africa today, which is a result of the European colonization.
The sponsors of the event were: The Pittsburgh Black Political Convention, The A. Phillip Randolph Institute, and The United Steelworkers and TransAfrica. Actor Danny Glover heads TransAfrica and he spoke at Mt. Ararat. He is to be commended. He could be like most entertainers, and that is just collect the money and the lead roles without speaking out on issues, which are important to the world. I know it has hurt him in the fickle entertainment world in which he hasn’t received certain roles because of his political stands, but he continues to be vocal not only about Africa but many other key issues.
Congratulations also goes out to Vice Admiral Michelle Howard on her being tapped by President Obama to become the Navy’s vice chief of naval operations. She earned it. I can’t see her not being confirmed, and quickly. The Republicans do not want to fight this battle, which a lot of women’s groups will be looking at closely. She paid her dues; she deserves it.
You know it’s odd that with the media saying this is probably President Obama’s worst year, Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund, by Meet the Press, said in an interview that the United States is gradually coming out of the economic stagnation, that the economy is growing, that the Stock Market is booming, and that unemployment is down to 7 percent and should soon be in the low 6 percent area. She says that the US is still the world leader and the economy is growing, not declining. Yet the news media is not talking about the economy, even though this is what most Americans are concerned about. They seem to be obsessed with the Affordable Care Act, which I believe will be a mute issue two years from now. I think that when it’s all said and done the Affordable Care Act will be one of the greatest things to ever happen in this country. But I do think there will have to be some minor changes. I believe that health care for all Americans regardless of their incomes has to be a must for all of us. And that this right must be implemented in all states, even Republican states that are against it, to make sure that low income people have access.
Some members of the School Board recently brought up the idea of the August Wilson Center for African American Culture being purchased as part of the CAPA. It sounds like a good idea, but it isn’t. The Pittsburgh Public Schools are having enough problems trying to come up with enough money to properly educate our children; they don’t need a $7 million white elephant.
The Board also voted down a proposal backed by Superintendent Linda Lane, where Bill Gates money would be used to implement a program in which teachers with life experiences in the field of math, science and others would be hired as teachers in the school system. This program has been in existence in other parts of the country for over 20 years, so it must have had some success. The old board voted it in; then the new board voted it out. I think it should have been given a chance. You have a failing system, why not try something new? No it would not have worked for all but it may have worked in the failing schools which it was recommended. Give it a trial period. What did we have to lose?
(Ulish Carter is managing editor of the New Pittsburgh Courier.)Â
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