Signifyin’
To all Black political leaders, educators, parents and ministers... YOU’RE FIRED!
by Mikel Kwaku Osei Holt
Nearly one year to the date of my being enlisted to serve on a major Christ the King Church board, I received notification of the board's annual meeting that carried a surprising P.S.: Thank you for your service. And, oh yes, you're fired.
To say I was taken aback would be an understatement.
But as I was to later learn, I wasn't alone. Every board member received the same letter.
Only later did I discover that our pastor, Reverend John McVicker, Jr. was using a form of business psychology. Reverend McVicker's intent was to shock each of us into reassessment; to force us to reaffirm our commitment to the church, and the board.
I was thinking of that letter following Monday's “Morning Magazine” Show on radio station WMCS. For those who didn't hear, I went off on a 15-minute tirade questioning the sincerity, competence and cultural commitment of some of our Black-elected officials. I then lambasted the powers-that-be for the abysmal state of public education in Milwaukee, and recent reports showing we not only host the highest Black drop out rate in the United States, but according to a recent U.S. Department of Education report, the largest achievement gap between Whites and Black students, and the lowest reading proficiency rate for Black fourth and eighth graders.
Without taking a breath, I then cussed out the mayor and governor for hiding their heads in the sand about crime, poverty and their respective dysfunctional minority business participation systems.
As the phone lines lit up with callers, I then provided 20 or 30 adjectives to describe Black people who turn their backs on our collective plight, incompetent parents, political apathy and cultural implosion.
I ended my diatribe by questioning whether my years of civil rights work, sacrifice and volunteerism were wasted on a people who have little self-respect or cultural pride, would rather stay on their knees than stand on the shoulders of Martin and Malcolm, and who would rather blame and beg than build and embrace.
Surprisingly, everyone who called in expressed support for my comments, with several warning me to “chill out” before I had a heart attack. I must admit that my rant brought a sense of relief and satisfaction. But like Chinese food, 10 minutes later I was again hungry and frustrated.
Which is where Revrend McVicker's “stratagem” came in.
If his ploy worked on us, maybe we could use his tactics to affect some change in the community, or at the very least, a public commitment by those with the power to affect change to get off their butts and do something for a change.
In other words, let's send letters of gratitude and then fire everyone who is part of the problem, versus agents for solutions.
Let's start with the teachers, school administrators and school board.
We have justification. The state of public education in this city is at a crisis level. According to a recent UWM study, only 32% of our children graduate, and among those who do, 70% of those attending MATC or UW-Milwaukee need remedial help in reading.
Fire everyone associated with public education and require him or her to recommit, and more importantly, explain what he or she will do to remedy this problem.
There is too much at stake to continue down this road, to hide our heads in the sand, or to blame the victims.
There are already 78,000 dropouts walking our streets, and if trends continue, we are guaranteed to maintain our status as home to the largest percentage of impoverished minorities in the nation.
Saying you're “concerned,” as the state superintendent said in response to the Department of Education report that revealed we lead in the nation in the percentage of Black children not proficient in reading, are not only telling, but also insulting. So was the silence from the school board and teachers union.
But that's not to imply the total blame should be put on the shoulders of the public school system.
I say fire every incompetent parent as well.
Let's start with those who don't value education, and those who refuse to partner with the schools to ensure their children have a chance to reach their potential.
From my perspective, most failure can be traced to incompetent parenting. Loving a child doesn't make you a good parent; it just means you care for them.
Parents who don't understand the importance of preparing their children for school (including reading to them, motivating them, mandating good study habits), ensures their failure. So do those who verbally abuse their children by calling them niggers, heifers and other unflattering adjectives, and those who allow or condone disrespect towards authority. And don't start me talking about those who haven't shown up for a parent/teacher conference since Kennedy was president and the Jackson Five had a hit record.
Fire them unless they can show the willingness to learn parenting skills.
Next, let's fire all of the Black politicians who continue to hide their heads in the sand while our community faces extinction.
I've always said we elect Black politicians based on their ability to articulate the problem, versus providing solutions to the myriad of problems facing our community. And while it can be said that many are tending to legislative business, fighting to chip away at the walls of apartheid, and lobbying for the few crumbs that filter down to the community, collectively they have done little to nothing to address the major issues facing our community today.
Under their watch, we've achieved the status of being the worst place for African Americans in the United States according to several national studies. We lead the nation in teen pregnancy, dropouts, poverty, segregation, mortgage rejection rate, Black incarceration and single parent/female headed households.
The Black unemployment rate now tops 60% for Black males 18- to 40-years-old, and some areas of our community looks like Beirut. Name one who has stood up and offered a solution to any of the aforementioned. Next, show me the plan, the collective will, the consensus to tackle these problems? Time's up!
Let them stand up and explain what they would do. Have them present a plan, a vision, anything. It's fine to blame Republicans, Santa Claus, the business community or the Easter Bunny. But after you've deflected attention away from the real culprits, then what?
Black people gotta' stop propping up politicians who aren't doing anything beyond stoking the rhetorical fires, or singing the same tired partisan political tunes. The reality is as they are singing, Rome is burning, the Titanic is sinking, and the mouse got the cheese and is gone.
While you're at it, fire the sperm donors who don't provide for, nurture and protect their children. Fire the television and record producers who exploit our community and promote self-hatred and misogamy and violence. Fire the self-ordained civil rights leaders who have sold their souls to special interests and political parties who keep us enslaved. Fire the business executives who perpetuate the system of apartheid.
Fire the media that reinforce racist stereotypes. Fire Al Sharpton's hairdresser, Isaiah Thomas' mother (if she approves of his theory that calling a sister a bitch is a term of endearment), and BET's programmer.
I was committed to Christ the King's mission, but in truth, I wasn't giving 100%. I was at every meeting, fulfilled my obligation. But I could and should have gone the extra mile. I expect that from politicians, parents, teachers and Black people in general. Before the CTK board meeting was over, I was reappointed to the board. I made my case, and reaffirmed my commitment. Let's see if those with the power to influence our children, our neighbors and our community would be willing to follow my example.
Hotep.
