Betty D. (bettyatlanta) reviewed Enough: The Phony Leaders, Dead-End Movements, and Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black America--and What We Can Do About It on + 9 more book reviews
"Only Nixon could go to China," and only a black man could say what Bill Cosby did. This book begins with the controversial speech Bill Cosby gave to a room full of African Americans gathered together to celebrate those who worked hard and sacrificed much to give blacks equal opportunities in America. Juan Williams (happily, a commentator on NPR and less happily and more recently, a token black face on Fox News) writes about Cosby's speech, the fallout from this speech, and the difficult questions that it raised. As no white commentator could do, Williams challenges the failure of those who would continue to call blacks victims (thus rendering them powerless and unable to pull themselves out of poverty), takes old-guard black leaders like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to task, claiming both are more interested in perpetuating their fiefdoms than in advancing the cause of African Americans, and states that middle class black Americans (think of the Huxtables on "The Cosby Show") have more in common with white middle class families than they do with lower class blacks. I recommend reading this book to anyone, but I would especially recommend reading it as a part of a group so that the book can be the genesis for some complex questions about race and racism in America. In the 1960's, my Atlanta parents participated in an inter-racial dialogue group designed to have blacks and whites socialize together in an effort to dispel racism; wouldn't it be great if we had those today? Sadly, 40 years later, we still need them!
Leo T. reviewed Enough: The Phony Leaders, Dead-End Movements, and Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black America--and What We Can Do About It on + 1775 more book reviews
Mr. Williams had made a pretty good career (Washington Post, NPR, books, etc.) when Bill Cosby gave his 'poundcake speech' at an event in Constitution Hall marking the fiftieth anniversary of Brown v. Topeka Board of Education. To an audience of America's elite Black leaders, he asked why Blacks had not made better use of their opportunities since then, gave examples of the destructive behavior of Black folk that kept them poor, and was castigated for this by Mr. Dyson, Ms. Singletary, and their ilk. Mr. Williams agrees and takes up the battle, summarizing his position in the last chapter (Ten) that Blacks can bootstrap themselves if they put their mind to it. However, "It is especially hard when a deafening batch of shrill voices is shouting excuses for why the poor remain poor. It gets even more difficult when the culture celebrates the cycle of failure, anger, and self-defeating behavior that keeps poor Black people shackled in the twenty-first century. And it becomes nearly impossible when smart, successful Black people, under the banner of racial solidarity, refuse to hold poor Black people responsible for their own failings."
It can be done, Mr. Williams maintains. "The magical steps begin with finishing high school, but finishing college is much better. Step number two is taking a job, and holding it. Step number three is marrying after finishing school and when you have a job. And the final step to give yourself the best chance to avoid poverty is to have children only after you are twenty-one and married. This formula applies to Black people and White people alike."
Juan Williams cites some academic studies and then avers, "If any person, including a Black child born in poverty, will go as far as possible in school and show a willingness to work, he will be rewarded with enough money in his pocket to make it almost certain he will never get caught in poverty. If he also builds on the foundation of a strong marriage before having children, he will be rewarded. He will have even more money in his pocket, children who aspire to do well in school, and greatly reduced likelihood of seeing his children in trouble with drugs or having a run-in with the police that leads to jail."
Mr. Williams does admit that the industrial jobs of the mid-20th C. are considerably fewer and while he mentions immigration in passing, does not seem to know what we have faced on the Coast with so many immigrants and their kids (admitted under the Immigration Act of 1965, etc.) refusing to work alongside other Americans.
As Mr. Cosby did, the author notes the disservice done to Blacks who believe "American popular culture's caricature of authentic blackness as a violent, oversexed, materialistic, uneducated person living the 'thug' life. The message from TV to young Black people is that they can be true to their community by putting on an angry attitude, dismissing school as a waste of time, speaking broken English, wearing flashy clothes and gold teeth, and putting dazzling rims on their rides. That bilious message clearly has nothing to say about achieving a lifetime of financial success and good relationships, and putting their children on a good path."
Sadly, the leading Black politicians, civil rights organizations, etc. are not getting the word out, instead blaming all the ills on racism and pushing 'the reparations mirage.' I remember as a grade school kid how unhappy DDE was about a small deficit. The unbalanced budgets of LBJ, RR, GB2, and Trump have left us with no funds to every pay reparations.
Index.
It can be done, Mr. Williams maintains. "The magical steps begin with finishing high school, but finishing college is much better. Step number two is taking a job, and holding it. Step number three is marrying after finishing school and when you have a job. And the final step to give yourself the best chance to avoid poverty is to have children only after you are twenty-one and married. This formula applies to Black people and White people alike."
Juan Williams cites some academic studies and then avers, "If any person, including a Black child born in poverty, will go as far as possible in school and show a willingness to work, he will be rewarded with enough money in his pocket to make it almost certain he will never get caught in poverty. If he also builds on the foundation of a strong marriage before having children, he will be rewarded. He will have even more money in his pocket, children who aspire to do well in school, and greatly reduced likelihood of seeing his children in trouble with drugs or having a run-in with the police that leads to jail."
Mr. Williams does admit that the industrial jobs of the mid-20th C. are considerably fewer and while he mentions immigration in passing, does not seem to know what we have faced on the Coast with so many immigrants and their kids (admitted under the Immigration Act of 1965, etc.) refusing to work alongside other Americans.
As Mr. Cosby did, the author notes the disservice done to Blacks who believe "American popular culture's caricature of authentic blackness as a violent, oversexed, materialistic, uneducated person living the 'thug' life. The message from TV to young Black people is that they can be true to their community by putting on an angry attitude, dismissing school as a waste of time, speaking broken English, wearing flashy clothes and gold teeth, and putting dazzling rims on their rides. That bilious message clearly has nothing to say about achieving a lifetime of financial success and good relationships, and putting their children on a good path."
Sadly, the leading Black politicians, civil rights organizations, etc. are not getting the word out, instead blaming all the ills on racism and pushing 'the reparations mirage.' I remember as a grade school kid how unhappy DDE was about a small deficit. The unbalanced budgets of LBJ, RR, GB2, and Trump have left us with no funds to every pay reparations.
Index.
