Black And Latino Divide

[Hue-Man]

YT SUCEEDS IN GETTING TWO OPPRESED PEOPLES TO GO AGAINST EACHOTHER


Black-Latino divide

Pretending it's not real won't solve L.A.'s racial issue

By Earl Ofari Hutchinson, Guest columnist

The issue is painful and explosive, and city and county officials tap dance around it for fear that they'll offend blacks and Latinos or that they'll stir up racial antagonisms. But Los Angeles' black and Latino clash is real and deep-seated, and it goes way beyond the recent spike in hate crimes at L.A. schools.
So far, L.A.'s politicians have taken the cowardly way out and buried the simmering conflict under sociologists' jargon. They toss out terms like "ethnic tensions," "L.A.'s population growing pains" and "changing urban dynamics" to mask the conflict. They kid themselves that by staging feel-good, media-hyped "days of dialogue" with handpicked academics and community leaders, they'll get to the bottom of the conflict.

This politically correct, fantasy-land approach to L.A.'s black and Latino divide virtually ensures that the profound problems that underlie the clash will remain just as deep -- and just as misunderstood. But, then, that's not new. Politicians have long papered over black-Latino racial conflict by putting on the happy image of everyone marching shoulder to shoulder to do battle against the twin afflictions of racial discrimination and poverty.

That's no longer possible.

The big surge in Latino numbers in Los Angeles and nationally has radically changed the political power equation. Latinos have now replaced blacks as the dominant minority in America. Latino activists and political leaders have had to make a hard decision: Do they discard old multiracial coalitions with blacks -- and instead rely on their growing numbers and political clout to win elections? Or do they reach out to blacks and opt for power-sharing?

Mayor-elect Antonio Villaraigosa has opted for the multiracial approach. During his campaign, he tried mightily to convince black voters that his election would not diminish their dwindling political power in the city and that they would have a place in his administration.

The strategy paid off, in part. Villaraigosa got the endorsement of the city's top black politicians and community leaders, and he markedly bumped up the black votes he received from the number he got during his 2001 mayoral race. But Mayor James Hahn still held a slight overall edge among black voters. Blacks clung tightly to Hahn mostly from fear, even paranoia, that a Latino mayor -- and an escalating number of Latino voters in the city -- would spell doom for them at City Hall.

That will happen anyway. South Los Angeles is no longer predominantly black. It is predominantly Latino. In future years, Latinos will grab one, possibly two, and maybe even all three of the L.A. City Council seats currently held by blacks. That almost certainly will spark even fiercer political and racial turf warfare. Blacks will lose that battle, and their political power in the city will dwindle down to a fizzle.

But politics and school troubles, worrisome as they are, are not the biggest flash point of conflict between blacks and Latinos. Jobs and immigration are, and L.A.'s elected officials are loath to talk about either for fear they'll be called racially divisive.

The irony is it took a stray, impolitic remark by Mexican President Vicente Fox back in May to ram the issue back on the racial table. Fox meant no harm with his quip that blacks won't work certain jobs. He was trying to make the point that congressional immigration reforms are bad for Mexicans and Americans. That's a disputable point, but it brought instant howls of protest from Jesse Jackson and other black leaders.

Though Fox slightly backed away from his quip, what he said needed to be said. Still, its implication was wrong. The black unemployment rate is double that of whites and higher than that of Latinos in L.A. County. Among young black males, unemployment has reached near Great Depression levels in the city and the county. Jobs, or rather the scarcity of them, are a major crisis for blacks. Blacks have been bumped from lower-end jobs in the service and retail industries in L.A. County.

Young blacks, especially students, might well take these jobs if they were offered them, but many employers flatly refuse to hire them, instead hiring illegal immigrants. Employers rationalize their discrimination with the claim that young blacks are lazy or more crime-prone, and illegal immigrants are more diligent and industrious.

This pricks a sore racial nerve among blacks, and rightly so. High joblessness exacerbates the crime and drug crisis in South L.A., and it fuels school violence. It further marginalizes the black poor and young.

Many blacks unabashedly blame their jobless plight on illegal immigration. This is not totally fair. The lack of job skills, training and education programs -- and the high incarceration rate of black males -- all help to render them virtually unemployable. Yet, it's still true that immigration has displaced blacks from unskilled and low-skilled jobs, and that's just enough truth to fuel passions and anger.

That anger seeped through in a recent poll from the Public Policy Institute of California. It found that blacks, far more than whites, regard illegal immigrants as a big drain on public services and a liability to the local economy. The perception -- no matter how baseless -- that illegal immigrants are taking jobs away from blacks will continue to inflame resentment.

Villaraigosa has obliquely acknowledged that job competition is a critical problem. He has pledged that his administration will do everything it can to increase job opportunities. However, he has not said what, if anything, he would do to dent South L.A.'s shamefully high black unemployment problem.

The solution to racial conflict in L.A.'s schools and on the streets includes many components: diversity in City Hall; mandatory cultural-sensitivity programs for teachers, students and parents; school safe zones; tougher school discipline; a crash program in job and skills training for young blacks; a full attack on job discrimination; tighter immigration controls; and swift punishment of police misconduct.

What city or county official will boldly commit to that?

This August marks the 40th anniversary of the devastating 1965 Watts riot. It sent the terrifying signal to America and the world that racial violence can tear the heart out of a nation and a city. L.A. politicians and community leaders say that type of violence can't happen again. They say they've learned the lesson of the past. But one of the lessons they haven't learned is that failure to tackle the root causes of racial conflict is a prescription for disaster.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author, TV talk show host, and frequent contributor to the Daily News.

[rebelAfrika]

Dr. Earl Ofari Hutchinson had a radio show were he talks about political issues called "Tuesday Night Live" on 90.7 FM (KPFK) that came on at 7:00 pm. My comrade Dedan Kimathi was given a show by KPFK at 8:00 pm on the same night that also talks about political issues. Dedan's show is called "Freedom Now." Dr. Hutchinson "somehow" became upset that the shows were being aired next to each other and wanted Dedan's show to be moved. The station didn't want to move Dedan's show and so Dr. Hutchinson started boycotting his own show. I told Dedan that I didn't understand...and I asked him why Dr. Hutchinson wanted Dedan's show moved? Dedan just stared at me.

So now...let me read Dr. Hutchinson's column...

[Sadiku]

The situation in LA will precipitate me attending Black August in Atlanta. As some of you will probably know I am also addressing the issues of coalitions and alliances in another thread on this forum. This more than validates my point that we must depend first and foremost on ourselves and go it alone. We must address our own group agenda that does not include anybody else. As I have oft stated nobody gives a fuck about us but us. When the fuck are we gonna wake the fuck up. Most of the drugs that enter the black community do so by way of Mexico. Now we have lost our power in South-Central Los Angeles to the *****. The ***** control the prison systems in California. We are losing people. When we lose control of a city like LA WE ARE LOSING. This is territorial my people and we must understand that aint nobody on our damn side but us. Until me get this mutha fuckn isht through our thick woolly heads we will continue to experience a downward spiral that is gaining momentum. We must not leave this horrible legacy to our children and be tricked and dooped forever. When are we gonna wake the fuck up? The Black male unemploment rate is at depression levels in LA, the second largest city in the country! It is at depression levels in New York City, the largest city in the country! We need to organize and with the quickness. We are falliing fast people. Dr. Claud Anderson, www.harvestinstitute.org did an excellent peice on what we could expect to see if we did not begin to organize in a hurry. We are doomed to permanent second class status in the country that we built and never received a dime for building. What are we going to do?

[Hue-Man]

Originally Posted by Sadiku

This more than validates my point that we must depend first and foremost on ourselves and go it alone. We must address our own group agenda that does not include anybody else. As I have oft stated nobody gives a fuck about us but us. When the fuck are we gonna wake the fuck up.

I agree Sadiku im not near the Los Angeles area but what you said goes for every African across the United Snakes, and across the world. We shouldnt depend on anyone else, meaning these politicians to take care of our problems. We must take control of our own destiny, because they dont give a fuck about our future, and what we leave to our children.

PEACE !

[OsunkoyaIfayomi]

You know i'm on that

[beliefofyouth]

Respectfully brothers, I must disagree. I am puerto rican and black. I see no difference between a so called latin and a so-called negro. The problem, as I see it is that we've allowed the enemy to divide us. Boriquas don't like Dominicans, Cubans hate hatians, mexicans don't get along with Puerto Ricans, latins don't mix with blacks. The easiest way to keep us from attaining any real sort of power is by keeping us at each others(i.e. our OWN) throats. It's a trap that we as conscious people should recognize instinctively.

Asalaam Alaikum

[Hue-Man]

I never agreed that we should be divided. I was just agreeing that we shouldnt depend on anyone else to take care of our problems. We should take action into our own hands.

PEACE !

[Sadiku]

I am going to be very frank with you. You ain't my brother! I have no love for you whatsoever. Although you have twice Black blood in your veins you still deny who you are. I have complete and utter disdain for those who wish to straddle the fence. My mother was half native american, and that would make me 1/4 native american but you will never see me going around telling anybody that shit. I AM FUCKING BLACK. I LOVE BEING BLACK. I MARRIED BLACK. MY CHILDREN ARE BLACK. I LIVE BLACK. AND I AM GOING TO DIE BLACK. I AM NOT FUCKING CONFUSED AND NEITHER DO I STRADDLE THE FUCKING FENCE. THE WORLD LOOKS AT ME AS BLACK. AND THAT'S WHO I AM. I DON'T PRETEND TO BE BLACK WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT AND I AM LOOKING TO RECEIVE SOME TYPE OF BENEFIT FROM BEING BLACK OR A "CARD" SAYING THAT I'M DOWN! I AM NO FOOL. The shit going down in Los Angeles is going to force us to choose sides. Blacks vs Latins. I cannot wait cause I am sick of yall shit. I absolutely despise you. Do not ever call me brother again because I cringe when you say that fake azz shit to me. I have nothing but contempt and hate for you. Nothing you can say can change my mind. Absolutely nothing! I have been watching yalls fake azz and I hate ya azz, believe dat!

beliefofyouth Respectfully brothers, I must disagree. I am puerto rican and black. I see no difference between a so called latin and a so-called negro. The problem, as I see it is that we've allowed the enemy to divide us. Boriquas don't like Dominicans, Cubans hate hatians, mexicans don't get along with Puerto Ricans, latins don't mix with blacks. The easiest way to keep us from attaining any real sort of power is by keeping us at each others(i.e. our OWN) throats. It's a trap that we as conscious people should recognize instinctively.

[beliefofyouth]

LOL... no love for me whatsoever? Why the harsh words...brother. I have never denied who I am, I am African and proud of it. No as far as your post is concerned, perhaps you should "lower" your tone? This is a place to build positively... save all that negative ish for those who deserve it.

your brother,
Khalid Elijah Muhammed

Asalaam Alaikum

[NECKST]

Originally Posted by Sadiku

I am going to be very frank with you. You ain't my brother! I have no love for you whatsoever. Although you have twice Black blood in your veins you still deny who you are. I have complete and utter disdain for those who wish to straddle the fence. My mother was half native american, and that would make me 1/4 native american but you will never see me going around telling anybody that shit. I AM FUCKING BLACK. I LOVE BEING BLACK. I MARRIED BLACK. MY CHILDREN ARE BLACK. I LIVE BLACK. AND I AM GOING TO DIE BLACK. I AM NOT FUCKING CONFUSED AND NEITHER DO I STRADDLE THE FUCKING FENCE. THE WORLD LOOKS AT ME AS BLACK. AND THAT'S WHO I AM. I DON'T PRETEND TO BE BLACK WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT AND I AM LOOKING TO RECEIVE SOME TYPE OF BENEFIT FROM BEING BLACK OR A "CARD" SAYING THAT I'M DOWN! I AM NO FOOL. The shit going down in Los Angeles is going to force us to choose sides. Blacks vs Latins. I cannot wait cause I am sick of yall shit. I absolutely despise you. Do not ever call me brother again because I cringe when you say that fake azz shit to me. I have nothing but contempt and hate for you. Nothing you can say can change my mind. Absolutely nothing! I have been watching yalls fake azz and I hate ya azz, believe dat!

How does this promote Justice and Correctness?

Thank you.

[NECKST]

Originally Posted by Hue-Man

YT SUCEEDS IN GETTING TWO OPPRESED PEOPLES TO GO AGAINST EACHOTHER

What is your proposed solution to this said problem?

Thank you.

[Hue-Man]

I dont have a proposed solution to this said problem, but since I recognize it I wont help add on to it, but that dosent mean that im going out of my way to try to improve race relations between blacks, and any other race(yt out of the question), because us as blacks need to improve on relations with eachother before we can with any other race. Other than whats said in this article, I dont know whats going on in Los Angeles right now. I would like to be further enlightened about the situation.


PEACE !

[beliefofyouth]

What is a latin??

How is a puerto rican not african? A Puerto rican is a mixture of the indigenous people(Tainos...similar to native americans/ aztecs) of the island bred with African slaves. The reason...the only reason they're called "latin" and speak spanish is because they were colonized by.....you guessed it, spainards.

Africans of the diaspora we are.

Asalaam Alaikum brothers.

[Hue-Man]

Originally Posted by beliefofyouth

What is a latin??

How is a puerto rican not african? A Puerto rican is a mixture of the indigenous people(Tainos...similar to native americans/ aztecs) of the island bred with African slaves. The reason...the only reason they're called "latin" and speak spanish is because they were colonized by.....you guessed it, spainards. Africans of the diaspora we are.

Please for give me if you took offence to that, if I had known that Puerto Ricans didnt like to be called that I never would haved refered to them as that. Thanks for enlightening me on the history of the word Latin.


PEACE !

[OsunkoyaIfayomi]

Personally I don't have much of a problem with puerto ricans the few i know, But I can't stand no Mexican, The reason being they side with the oppressor call us monkies etc. And Generally think they are better than us at least the ones here in Chicago they come in our neighborhoods selling their corn etc, but we can't cross the railroad tracks and sell shit there they wont buy from us an ahost of things that are probably to long to mention. But once our army is raised up a lot of shit gonna change from the police in our hoods to the corn carts of the mexicans to the arab invader stores to the korean nail shops to the new buildings going up that we can't afford to the polish builders feel me