Are we still a nation divided?

By Doshon Farad
Despite the election of this nation’s first African-American president, many feel that racism and inequality are still very much alive and well. That’s certainly the sentiment that was voiced on Saturday,April 14th, in Washington, D.C. at a live streamed panel debate that was hosted by the B.E.T affiliated Centric Network. The panel featured activist and T.V.host Rev. Al Sharpton, author and Georgetown University Professor Dr.Michael Eric Dyson, economist and Bennett College president Dr. Julianne Malveaux, and MSNBC political analyst Joseph Watkins. It was moderated by B.E.T news reporter T.J. Holmes.

The nearly two and a half hour event was held at the District’s historic Lincoln Theatre. It was held in commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of D.C Emancipation Day, an event held in honor of Abraham Lincoln signing legislation that freed slaves living in the nation’s capital—nearly nine months before the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect. This historical fact inspired T.J. Holmes’ opening question to the panelists which set the tone for the evening’s discussion; “Are we still a nation divided?” The debate topics included but were not limited to; the economy, racism, unemployment, education, Trayvon Martin and the upcoming Presidential election.

One issue that was thrown on the table was Voter I.D laws and who they would affect in this year’s election. Rev. Sharpton criticized what he felt was a right wing conspiracy to suppress the black vote with new voter I.D. laws by accusing them of trying to introduce a “21st Century Poll Tax”. In response to critics who say that African-Americans should stop complaining about inequality because of Pres. Obama’s status he stressed that African-Americans should not become too relaxed. “You don’t win a round and think you’ve won the fight” he asserted.

Republican analyst and chairman of Students First, Joseph Watkins, mentioned how black and poor students were not receiving equal education. “We’ve got to do better. We have too many kids who are stuck in failing schools. My organization thinks that poor and middle income parents ought to have the same opportunities to send their children to the best possible schools. That’s what we’re fighting for.”

Dr. Malveaux, who attacked economic inequality, pointed out unfair practices in housing and bank lending. She also criticized the current gentrifying of urban communities across the United States by saying, “gentrification is a form of economic violence”. She pointed out how it is driving blacks from their communities.

After the program ended, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson spoke with YOUR BLACK WORLD. When asked if America was still divided despite having an African-American president, he responded, “Absolutely. Here we are dealing with radical forms of economic inequality, forms of social injustice, paralyzing forms of police brutality, racial profiling as well as the over incarceration of African-Americans.” “We are also witnessing the disproportionate slanting of our children into special education”, he continued. Dyson also referred to the jobless rate among African-Americans as being “devastating”. He pointed out the importance of collective success. “We are witnessing tremendous progress and extraordinary upward mobility for some and the downward spiral of economic inequality and injustice for many others . . . So we continue to celebrate Obama in the White house but we have to see that the gains and advantages move far beyond the quarantining of those benefits to one specific family to the universal family of African-Americans”.

The debate will be aired on Centric at a later time.