Preaching the Politics of Privilege
By Gary L. Flowers
Executive Director & CEO
Black Leadership Forum, Inc.
October 24-31, 2010
“…the detection of national White-majority interests can be achieved by understanding the sources of White racial alienation that led to the development of an intellectual rationale of polices of ‘failure.’…this rationale was used as a pretext for attacks upon policies oriented toward Black group interests and on the federal government which supported them…the federal government must be weakened…Whites who control that system have always utilized their power to create a subclass of Blacks who are especially attentive to their political needs.”
Dr. Ronald Walters
White Nationalism, Black Interests
Politics is widely defined as who gets what, when, and how much.
The mid-term elections for United States Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and Governorships scheduled for Tuesday, November 2, 2010—whichever American political party prevails—will determine the who gets what, when, and how much.
My interpretation of the connection between politics and religion is simple: Religion determines politics rather than politics determining religion.
Such an interpretation was tested last Sunday for me while visiting my parents and sister in Richmond, Virginia. While sitting with my family I surfed television channels and found the Sunday Broadcast of Grove Avenue Baptist Church. What caught my eye was the introduction of Bishop Earl Jackson as the morning speaker. Bishop Earl Jackson, who is African American trained lawyer who took classes in Divinity School, and founder of Exodus Faith Ministries, presented quite an interesting case for religion as a predicate for politics to which I distinctly disagreed. Having been raised in a Christian household I found his inferences un-Godly.
Bishop Jackson asserted that the “Founding Fathers” (Smith, Washington, Jefferson, Franklin et al.) were “ordained” by God to establish a Democratic Republic in America. If so, their God ordained ethnic annihilation, economic exploitation, rape, and the false notion of White supremacy. Captain John Smith was sent to America by the Virginia Company of London to make a profit on the land, albeit the presence of Native Americans. Nearly all of the delegates to the first Constitutional Convention legally enslaved Africans. Thomas Jefferson himself wrote of the racial inferiority of dark-skinned people. Moreover, the religion of racial superiority led the founders to use violence to achieve their greedy ends. I do not believe anyone’s interpretation of God condones rape, pillage, and plunder in the name of religion.
To further support his point, Bishop Jackson cited the Biblical Book of Ephesians, which calls for believers to put on the “full armor of God.” The last time I checked giving tax breaks to the wealthiest 2% of Americans; voting against extending unemployment benefits; and repealing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is not in accordance with Christian belief of “…do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly before God”, found in the Book of Micah, Chapter 6, verse 8.
Bishop Jackson finally revealed his political hand more directly by encouraging Christians to go to the polls on Tuesday and vote for “Godly” candidates and implied that Tea Party candidates were worthy of elective office because of their religious beliefs. Yet, such Tea Party candidates have admitted experimenting with witchcraft, donned German Third Reich uniforms, and supported taking up arms to enforce their political views. Wow, what a God they serve!
I agreed with Bishop Jackson’s point that Americans, by way of the upcoming elections, are fighting a pitch battle for the soul of our nation. One side believes in suppression and one team believes in liberation. On the paradox of the “Founding Father’s” support of slavery, Bishop Jackson said, “If slavery is what it took to get me here, I am glad to be here.” Seriously?
The “Founding Fathers” and their Tea Party descendants have let their belief of politics of privilege, exploitation, and race superiority determine their religion. Both their politics and religion bend toward the false notion of White supremacy, from their portrayal of a blond-haired, blue-eyed Jesus to their “Anglo-first” political views on immigration and other issues.
Tea Party and their White nationalists cohorts often exclaim, “God bless America.” I believe America must bless God by electing righteous candidates who believe in the policy of people over profits; inclusion over exclusion; and helping the “least of these” within our nation. Who gets what, when, and how much should not be predicated on privilege, but on the Godly principles of justice and equity.
Vote conscientiously. God is watching.
In linking leadership,
Gary L. Flowers
Executive Director & CEO
Black Leadership Forum, Inc
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Minimum Wage Must Be Livable Wage
Minimum Wage Must Be Livable Wage
By Gary L. Flowers
Executive Director & CEO
Black Leadership Forum, Inc.
October 17-24, 2010
“How would you like to be making $200,000 a year today after 25 years on the job? Well, if you started with the pay of an average worker 25 years ago that is what you would be making today—if you got the same kind of raises that the CEO’s of American companies got for the post 25 years.”
Jack Rasmus
The American ethos holds that working people should have the same basic options for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as those of wealthy people. Regrettably, those who make minimum wage and those who make maximum wage are worlds apart.
In 1965, CEO’s in major companies earned 24 times more than an average worker. In 1978, the ratio of CEO to worker compensation increased to 35 times more for the CEOs. By 1989, CEOs made 71 times more than their average employee. If you are already upset, it gets worse. In 2000, the ratio in favor of CEOs went to 300 to 1. In 2005, CEOs “only” made 262 times the average worker.
The concept of a minimum wage began in Australia and New Zealand in the 1890’s. By 1912, the State of Massachusetts enacted a minimum wage for women and children. The first federal minimum wage in the United States of America was the Fair Labor Standards Act, enacted in 1938, with a .25 cent per hour wage and a maximum 44-hour worker week for laborers.
Since then, the issue of minimum wage (and now livable wage) has been hotly debated. The idea that anyone would argue against the minimum wage baffles me. Rather, the issue for most American workers is whether the wage they earn can pay the bills. Unfortunately for most, the answer is no.
Consequently, the “living wage movement” was launched in 1994 by ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now). While the national minimum wage was $4.25 per hour the City of Baltimore increased pay for city workers to $6.10 per hour. Following the example of Baltimore, many cities across the nation saw the development of living wage coalitions. In fact, over 140 American cities have adopted living wage laws.
Simply put, if the prevailing minimum wage does not afford a worker to pay minimum wages than wages should be increased to pay living costs in each city. It does not take an economist to figure out a fix to the issue.
Violations to minimum wage rates are most common in the apparel and textile manufacturing industries. Violation rates were substantially lower in residential construction, social assistance and education, and home health care.
Critics of the living wage say that the idea sounds better than its practical effect by displacing jobs, discouraging hiring, and not positively affecting the quality of life for workers. Really?
Reality retorts that when workers make a living wage the entire economy benefits.
If for no other reason, America should pay workers a livable wage pursuant to our American creed of providing life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
In linking leadership,
Gary L. Flowers
Executive Director & CEO
Black Leadership Forum, Inc.
By Gary L. Flowers
Executive Director & CEO
Black Leadership Forum, Inc.
October 17-24, 2010
“How would you like to be making $200,000 a year today after 25 years on the job? Well, if you started with the pay of an average worker 25 years ago that is what you would be making today—if you got the same kind of raises that the CEO’s of American companies got for the post 25 years.”
Jack Rasmus
The American ethos holds that working people should have the same basic options for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as those of wealthy people. Regrettably, those who make minimum wage and those who make maximum wage are worlds apart.
In 1965, CEO’s in major companies earned 24 times more than an average worker. In 1978, the ratio of CEO to worker compensation increased to 35 times more for the CEOs. By 1989, CEOs made 71 times more than their average employee. If you are already upset, it gets worse. In 2000, the ratio in favor of CEOs went to 300 to 1. In 2005, CEOs “only” made 262 times the average worker.
The concept of a minimum wage began in Australia and New Zealand in the 1890’s. By 1912, the State of Massachusetts enacted a minimum wage for women and children. The first federal minimum wage in the United States of America was the Fair Labor Standards Act, enacted in 1938, with a .25 cent per hour wage and a maximum 44-hour worker week for laborers.
Since then, the issue of minimum wage (and now livable wage) has been hotly debated. The idea that anyone would argue against the minimum wage baffles me. Rather, the issue for most American workers is whether the wage they earn can pay the bills. Unfortunately for most, the answer is no.
Consequently, the “living wage movement” was launched in 1994 by ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now). While the national minimum wage was $4.25 per hour the City of Baltimore increased pay for city workers to $6.10 per hour. Following the example of Baltimore, many cities across the nation saw the development of living wage coalitions. In fact, over 140 American cities have adopted living wage laws.
Simply put, if the prevailing minimum wage does not afford a worker to pay minimum wages than wages should be increased to pay living costs in each city. It does not take an economist to figure out a fix to the issue.
Violations to minimum wage rates are most common in the apparel and textile manufacturing industries. Violation rates were substantially lower in residential construction, social assistance and education, and home health care.
Critics of the living wage say that the idea sounds better than its practical effect by displacing jobs, discouraging hiring, and not positively affecting the quality of life for workers. Really?
Reality retorts that when workers make a living wage the entire economy benefits.
If for no other reason, America should pay workers a livable wage pursuant to our American creed of providing life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
In linking leadership,
Gary L. Flowers
Executive Director & CEO
Black Leadership Forum, Inc.
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