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Founder |
The recent march in Jena, LA reminded me of an interview on AfricanAmerica.org Radio that I did with Dr. Eddie S. Glaude - a professor of Philosophy and African American studies at Princeton University. Glaude had just published a book called "In A Shade of Blue: Pragmatism and the Politics of Black America" in which he argued that one of the problems with contemporary African America is that we impulsively (i.e. thoughtlessly) revert to tactics of the civil rights movement in times of trouble. He, essentially, posited that looking to leaders and tactics of the past is somehow inherently sub-optimal in attempting to solve problems of the present.
Central to Glaude's argument is a sense of frustration that the "Old Guard" had not "passed the torch" to a new generation of black leaders. I didn't sense that he was being critical of the civil rights generation in the kind of wholesale way that many conservatives are, but I clearly was left with the impression that he longed for folks like Jesse and Al to step aside and let the 'New Jacks' - a group of which he is a member - take over. At a basic level, it sounds like Glaude's critique flows from the kind of traditional generational tension that is both natural and inevitable. Young people, coming of age, wanting to finally wield power and influence, look to seize the reins from previous generations who, naturally, want to maintain their sense of standing and purpose in their communities. A question I asked then, and which the Jena march brings back into focus now is: what have the "New Jacks" within African America done to earn the reins of power? Moreover, to Glaude's central critique, what differently would they have us, as a community, do? More specifically, where has this new generation of leadership been during times of contemporary trouble? Where are the new ideas that they have offered as a way of earning their stripes? At the end of the day, there are plenty of people from the civil rights generation, like King and Evers et al, who sacrificed their lives in the interest of helping their people. There are many, like Congressman John Lewis, who could have faced a similar fate in their work for ‘the movement’ but for the grace of God. Where is the comparable demonstration of commitment and sacrifice from our new leaders? Yes, we are living in a different time and place, but aren't our collective needs - in some ways - just as pressing now as they were then? Are we in any less need of valiant leadership today than 40 years ago? With the generational struggle has come an unfair degree of personal attack. It sometimes seems that it has become almost a sport to attack our elders. It’s easy to be critical of those who put themselves out there as leaders. It's easy to take swipes at Jesse, for example. He's a public person and so the shortcomings that we all suffer in private, he endures in public. It is wholly unrealistic and foolish to expect people who endeavor to help our community to somehow be saints - when we know that we are all sinners. In my eyes, too many of us get caught up in these anecdotal side issues. White conservatives can elect a president with an extraordinarily checkered past, yet black folks look down their noses at our leadership for far less. At the end of the day, you can be sure that leaders of each generation will have their own indiscretions to deal with. It seems that we need to evaluate them based upon the work they do for our community. What else is relevant? Beyond the petty criticisms, where are the new black leaders with the resumes of service and sacrifice who have earned the gravitas within our community to push Jesse aside? Where are they, and what are they doing? It is my understanding that radio host Michael Baisden was a primary organizer for the Jena march. It's curious to note that he self-identifies as someone from the "Old School". Where were the youngsters on this issue? I don't write this to be critical of anyone - particularly those who, no doubt, will be in the forefront of fights for African America going forward. I just look at the march in Jena and wonder what else we should have done? What else would Glaude have us do if not undertake an age old form of peaceful protest and civil disobedience? Should we have executed an internet email campaign? Should we have gotten together an online petition? Should someone have tried to merely hold a press conference discussing their opinions about the issue? What, precisely, should we have done? What would have been the preferred tactic of the new generation? How many of us can envision the state troopers on the Edmund Pettus bridge steamrolling the peaceful marchers, or remember the video of police dogs and fire hoses being turned on our people? How many of us can remember the picture of Rosa Parks on the bus? Who hasn't seen clips of MLK Jr. delivering his classic "I Have A Dream" speech? With the extraordinary increase in media coverage today, think about how many more, and how much more frequently, those images would be shown if they occurred today? In reality, instead of criticizing, one could, reasonably, argue that the very tactics of the civil rights era would be even more effective today than they were in the 1960's because of the new world we live in. We should always be thoughtful in evaluating any strategies and tactics to move our community forward. From my minuscule vantage point in this very forum, I have offered quite a number of thoughts about how our community can do, and be, better. Baisden used his platform on radio to actually do something about Jena. I can't see any reason to be critical of that – just because folks used a tactic that King did 40 years ago. If they really want to make a profound impact, perhaps the “New Jacks†can tackle the issue of Hip Hop music. They would seem to be uniquely qualified to connect with our youth about the negative ways that some of that music is affecting our culture, our community, and our future. If they successfully overcome that issue, they would no doubt earn the stature and acclaim . . . and power that they seek. Young brothers and sisters: Have at it!
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A1 |
Yes ... and back in the day when King etal were the "new jacks" ... they asked the same question ... and the "new jacks" found the same resistance. Isn't there something wrong when a people fails to groom and position it's young to take over the reins of power and leadership? Isn't that what's done in other societies and communities throughout he world? Challenge to the old jacks: Ya'll are gonna die someday. You would be doing all of us a service by coming to terms with that. Or else the result will be that we are all going to die with you. (being a bit provocative) |
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Founder |
Without regard to whatever resistance they found, at the end of the day - King - in his late 20's - did his thing.
Fails to groom? Glaude has a PhD from Princeton. Somebody did something to help him achieve that. You infer that older generations made no contributions that in any way benefited our youth. 
So . . . Jesse should just commit hari kari?  |
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A1 |
Yep ... largely by appealing to wealthy white liberals ...
Hell ... I also have a degree from Princeton. I can attest that my early mentors were mostly white. No. I'm not intending to infer that the older generation makes no contribution whatsoever. I don't want to turn this into a "generation war". But, perceiving myself as one of the "new jacks", I can also attest that I tend to be treated more as the competition than as potential successor by the "old jacks".
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Founder |
At the end of the day - does African America really care where the ideas and the leadership come from?  It's also interesting to note that Glaude is a "protege" of Cornell West. In fact, Glaude so patterns himself after West that he has actually adopted some of the same speaking styles and mannerisms of his mentor. Interesting behavior from someone trying to make a name for himself as someone pushing aside the leaders/people/ideas of previous generations.  |
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A1 |
You mean you see no problem with the fact that many like myself would literally be "screwed" were it not for whites?  Yes. I agree that help should be appreciated regardless of where it comes from. However, I believe we would see better (and faster) progress as a people if the "old jacks" stopped grand standing and learned to listen. Part and parcel of that listening would be openness to new paradigms. I simply do NOT understand where all this "criticism" of Jena is. I've yet to read one person say that it was a bad thing per se. Or that it shouldn't have happened at all. I have seen constructive criticism. Especially in regards to the question where do we go from here. Isn't constructive criticism a contribution? It's a sign that people are thinking (we blacks do think ya know?) and want to make further progress. However any constructive criticism seems to get met with the knee jerk question "What are YOU doing to make a difference?" which seems to imply - without any evidence whatsoever - that the person raising questions is not actively involved in seeking solutions. I don't have a problem with events in Jena. I thought it was a beautiful thing. However, I see nothing wrong with also thinking that there is a problem when we can only get mass support for 40 year old tactics.
I'm not talking about Glaude. I would go on to say that anyone who is speaking from the position of a professor in African American studies is himself operating out of an older paradigm. |
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Founder |
In the absence of other tactics, should we do nothing?  If our youth can mobilize people to buy millions of CD's, why can't they mobilize them toward positive political and social change? |
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A1 |
That's a false dichotomy. I repeat: I'm not saying the march should not have happened. But there will be a continued "absense of other tactics" if we stay in this back and forth "debate" over stuff that no one is really saying anyway. |
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The Watcher |
The problem is one of communication.
I would argue that most people 35 and under are techno savants. Where are the podcasts, net broadcasts, and interactive websites to make long-standing organizations relevant to "new jacks"? How many "old jacks" sincerely attempt to understand the language and culture of the next generation so that they can effectively communicate with them? How many "new jacks" get an opportunity to address their peers from the dais when an CR event is established? When the "new jacks" attempt to address the messages in today's Black music, they are often criticized for not doing it an "old school" manner. Didn't the NAACP just fire their leader for attempting to adapt its model for the 21st century? Young folks have to pay their dues to show their mettle, but the older folks have to acknowledge the efforts, praise the efforts, provide sage advice and occasionally step aside.
If this is true, shouldn't the willingness to defer come from the new and old? ------------------------------ R.I.F. (Reading IS Fundamental)... "There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general: (1) Recklessness, which leads to destruction; (2) cowardice, which leads to capture; (3) a hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults; (4) a delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame; (5) over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble." -Sun Tzu |
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Founder |
A dichotomy, I think, presumes two options. What is the other option? To be clear, my comments are much more focused on Glaude's comments because those are ones I'm most specifically familiar with, but doesn't his critique beg the question - if not tactics of "the past" - then what? That doesn't seem like an unfair question. In my view, his criticisms seem somewhat hollow without another agenda offered in contrast. |
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Phoenix Rising |
Exactly..... Why does not the "old guard" prepare the new? Why is it we must look forward to every new generation challenging the last? Why is there not more effort of those who have come before to prepare, to plan towards the future? To note transitions in thought of the larger community and applicable tactics? Why must the young start from scratch each generation? Why is there the assumption that leadership is the responsibility of the youth? Peace, Khalliqa "The Goddess emerges as the evanescence of the inferior dissipates.... " |
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A1 |
Well, if that's what you're asking then you're talking to the wrong person. * You need to ask Glaude. * Anyway, I would not exactly characterize Cornel West as typifying an "old school" approach to things. So it really doesn't tell us much by pointing out that Glaude is West's protege. |
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Founder |
I'd say they need to start their own organizations with those tactics as the core approach.
For the sake of argument, couldn't the same question be asked of the youngsters?
Well - they need to start their own organizations and attack the problems based upon their perspectives and skills.
Honestly, there are enough problems to be tackled out there that they could both co-exist without any overlap. If a young person had taken on the issue of Jena that would have been a wonderful act to both establish the credibility throughout the community AND get something positive done for us.
If this is true, shouldn't the willingness to defer come from the new and old[/QUOTE] My only point is that MLK did his thing in his 20's. Whatever his obstacles - external and internal - he stepped up and made things happen. With the advent of the modern media etc., I would think that others could do similar things now without the encumbrance of traditional, civil rights leaders, organizations etc. For ex. - if Michael Jordan and Oprah and Magic decided that they wanted to recruit some of their peers and make a difference in a certain area of African America - they could do it and what could the NAACP or Jesse or whomever say about it? |
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The Watcher |
Khalliqa beat me to my next point. We should be refining our existing institutions to make them effective & relevant for the current day. ------------------------------ R.I.F. (Reading IS Fundamental)... "There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general: (1) Recklessness, which leads to destruction; (2) cowardice, which leads to capture; (3) a hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults; (4) a delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame; (5) over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble." -Sun Tzu |
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Founder |
Scratch? I don't know about you but I learned extraordinary amounts from my parents and grandparents and their generations. I understand and respect that others have different experiences, but I am here to at least say that not all were somehow abandoned or ignored by our elders. And do you mean "responsibility of the elders"? |
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Phoenix Rising |
This is not an issue that can be looked at through an individual prism... collectively the youth are not prepared by their elders... Also, The rest of D's point:
Salaam.... Peace, Khalliqa "The Goddess emerges as the evanescence of the inferior dissipates.... " |
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Founder |
Help me understand how your prism is any more valid than mine? How is the current generation of elders any different than any other? |
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Phoenix Rising |
Your personal experience is not a proportionate consideration to the experiences of the masses of youth... Peace, Khalliqa "The Goddess emerges as the evanescence of the inferior dissipates.... " |
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