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Urban League Asks Obama To Address Black Issues

Written by Associated Press on March 25, 2009 8:27 am

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President Barack Obama should specifically address disparities in black unemployment, foreclosures, education and health care, the National Urban League says in its annual “State of Black America” report.

Despite the progress represented by the election of the first black president, blacks are twice as likely to be unemployed, three times as likely to live in poverty and more than six times as likely to be incarcerated, says the report, which was being released Wednesday.

Obama has said that the way for government to help minorities is by improving things like education, employment and health care for all Americans.

But “we have to be more specific,” said Marc Morial, president and CEO of the 99-year-old Urban League.

“The issue is not only (blacks) doing better, but in closing these persistent gaps in statistics in this country,” Morial told The Associated Press. “Our index shows that the gap in African-American status is about 71 percent that of white Americans. We will not rest until that number is at 100, and there is no gap.”

The 288-page report includes policy discussions and essays from academics, elected officials and average citizens. Among its 31 specific recommendations:

• Ensure that the stimulus package‘s green job creation includes poor urban communities.

• Increase funding for job training and placement for disadvantaged workers.

• Guarantee full-day schooling for all 3 and 4 year olds.

• Expand the school day to account for working parents and families without nearby relatives to help with after-school care.

• Fund mortgage counseling and education programs for minorities.

• Implement universal health care and a “comprehensive” system to provide blacks with health education, prevention and intervention.

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Morial acknowledged the role self-responsibility must play in improving the lives of blacks.

“We have some things in our own community where we have to step up, when it comes to focusing and emphasizing the basic value of achievement and accomplishment in our children, and doing it in a very young age,” he said. “We have to not be afraid to say, ‘Turn off the TV, shut down the Internet. SpongeBob, Dora, all these folks need to take a little break.’”

But public policy is a crucial ingredient, he said.

“It matters if your high school biology class has a biology lab. It matters if your second-grade classroom is air conditioned if it’s in South Carolina or Florida or Alabama.

“Public policy matters, and we have to recognize too that it does require additional and extraordinary investments when it comes to children, to lift up children that are disadvantaged,” Morial said.

He pointed out that since today’s minority population will soon be a majority of Americans, “these kind of things will make us better off and advance the cause of the nation.”

As a presidential candidate, Obama sidestepped the minefield of race and politics whenever possible, instead focusing on a message of American unity. And in his two months as president, the financial meltdown has left Obama little time or political capital to spend on anything besides rescuing the economy.

But in 2007, as the junior senator from Illinois, Obama wrote the foreword to the “State of Black America” report, which focused on the problems facing black men.

“This sad story is a stark reminder that the long march toward true and meaningful equality in America isn’t over,” Obama wrote. “We have a long way to go.”

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  • http://www.blackplanet.com/wildlove2/ wildlove2

    ha ha ha ha ha

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/german_cutie_13/ german_cutie_13

    Give the man a break, he has just been in the white house for roughly 3 months, I am sure he will do what he can! I honestly wish that ppl would leave Obama alone and let him do his job instead of taking everything apart he says or does.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ThangThang/ ThangThang

    is he the president just for black.

    Should have Bush address white issues

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Legs4Weeks/ Legs4Weeks

    President Obama was elected by the minority community but he was also elected by the “majority”. I truly believe he will address all of the issues that time and finances allow. As a community we must remember that he has inherited a debt that doesn’t just affect the black, white, or hispanic community but the world as a whole and at this time his main concern is helping the world as a whole. I agree that we need to give the man a break and allow him to work. Give him a chance and he just might surprise people.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SUTRA913/ SUTRA913

    obama should address the American issues that’s all. he is only a politician stop looking for a black savior. we have to be that to our community. that’s part of our problem we think people owe us. nobody especially people outside our race are going to give us real tools to better our community,lets get real people.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Willstheone/ Willstheone

    Obama should address this matter. Seriously. Punishment should be the same no matter what color you are. The likelyness of being unemployed or face forclosure should be the same no matter what race anyone is. Everything should be the same for every person in this country. No matter what race or ethnic background they are.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/rockwilder1911/ rockwilder1911

    oh here some advice how bout everybody be accountable for their own actions. Not expect somebody to come save you from yourself! Obama is only a man he is human not perfect! Blacks think they are owed something nobody is owed anything and if it wasnt for white liberal votes obama couldnt have won anyway dont get twisted and get over yourself.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Sunshyne_defined/ Sunshyne_defined

    No. He has bigger issues to deal with. If we want change in our communities, its up to us to see that it happens. He is not ‘our President’, we don’t have a monopoly on his attention, he is the American President, and should deal with the problems which affect all of America. If we the black population need help, its obviously up to us to ensure that we get the assistance within our communities. Take responsibility.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/glory2glory/ glory2glory

    President Obama is not the President of Black America. He is the President of the United States of America! His responisbility is to see the entire country move forward, not just black America. We all responsible for our own positions in life. If you dont like where you are, at some point that individual has to make a decision to make themselves better! Thats not a President issue, its personal. I dont expect President Obama to do anything different for me than President Bush did. I am the captian of the ship that governs my life and no one else. The mere fact that he is an educated black man, is enough inspiration for me to represent the race as best as possible so the issues that we in “black America” will be decreased by the effort that I put in.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ChellShok/ ChellShok

    I agree with alot of you. He has to deal with issues thats affecting the whole country. He said if we help ourselves that he will help us. Well “us” black people are still doing the same s**t. Not all but some. We have to help ourselves before anyone can help us.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/chriscampbell1/ chriscampbell1

    Mr.Obama is a very smart man,he wasn’t elected based on the fact that he is black.He’s playing two cards here so please fellas if he think addressing black issues gonna tilt him off a lil he’s not gonna do it.
    Most of these black issues are all caused by broken homes as he himself has said time and time again.so please fellas leave the man alone.Remember he wasnt elected only with black votes.Almost 80% of white America voted for him so hes got a job to please both races

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DA_GEORGETOWN_MAYOR/ DA_GEORGETOWN_MAYOR

    OBAMA DONT KNOW NUTTIN BOUT BEING “BLACK” HE WAS PROMISED THE PRESIDENCY WAAAAYYY BACK IN THE DAY! HE DIDNT NEVA HAVE SHYT TO WORRY ABOUT! LOL “ADDRESS BLACK ISSUES” HOW BOUT ADDRESSING WHY DO YOU GUYS KEEP PRINTING UP MONEY WHEN IT TAKES GOLD TO BACK IT UP!!! AINT NO MO GOLD IN THE RESERVE! AND HOW ABOUT ADDRESSING IF YALL CAN PRINT UP TRILLION$ OF $$$ WHY HAVENT YALL PAID OFF THE DEFICIT? HOW BOUT ADDRESSING THE IMPLIMITATION OF THE “AMERO”? DONT DO “US”! DONT YOU HEAR EM LAUGHIN AT US? THANX BARRAK PINOCCHI-O-BAMA!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SWANKness/ SWANKness

    we need to have these disucssions within our own communities, help each other first before we put it in the hands of our president..we’re AFRICAN AMERICAN not black, we’re as much a part of america as the next person, what he does effects all of us

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/MONSTAR3153/ MONSTAR3153

    The only topic would be 40 acres and a mule other than thought get a job.Make a job auto detailing,house washing soemthing it’s always ways to maintain unless you and your fam will starve

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/majestic1070/ majestic1070

    The man is out to sell a book, so that’s why he’s been in the news about Obama addressing black issues. This is about money and fame and nothing about black americans. We were here before Obama and we will be here after Obama so why should I care rather Obama address black issues or not.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/bigbendalibra/ bigbendalibra

    nah…

    Presidents don’t address racial issues…

    Just in case you didn’t know that would actually make things worse when it outrages your local police department of whom Obama has no control over and they go on a “beatin’ nigga$ a$$ spree”… Then Obama would have to address that…

    Obama has very little control over the things that go on in your city/town/community that are racially charged…

    I can tell you who SHOULD address racial issues in your community…

    YOU…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/YrWriter/ YrWriter

    Obama has been in office for about 65 days. Give the man a break! To start pressuring him about singleling out issues Black America is facing would really give the racists something to attack him on and take away too much positive energy to get America back on its feet. Did the Urban League try to twist the Bush administration’s arm to address issues Black America faced during his error (era)?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/wEEzYwEE882/ wEEzYwEE882

    I don’t think Obama should be concerning himself with just one race of Americans. America isn’t made up of only black Americans. Everything that he does directly affects everyone, not just African-Americans. Just because he is African-American doesn’t mean he should be obliged to address issues affecting only African-Americans. He would be looked at as biased. He’s doing a great job addressing every race in America. After all, America is the one the most diverse countries in the world, he has to appeal to every single race or else his presidency will end up being remebered only for him being the first African-American president, not for being a great all around president.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/lil_fatty_gurl1/ lil_fatty_gurl1

    Obama has other things to worry about, things that are far more important than the race issue. I understand as the first african american president he has certain responsibilities to his people, but he also has the US failing economy to take care of, that should be number one on his list.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/PhillyFinest22/ PhillyFinest22

    President Obama has much more to worry about than race. In fact, if he did focus on African Americans, it’d be damaging to his administration. He has to keep his mind on the bigger goal…which is getting this country out of the sh!thole it’s in.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/controller_13/ controller_13

    Of course Obama shouldn’t cater to the Urban League. He is the nations president so he has to address the nation’s issue first and foremost. The people who need to be held accountable is our House Members and representatives who are more concerned with lining there own pockets then the issues of there constituents. The Urban League needs to take them to task for presiding over desolate neighborhoods for so long. These are the people who have the power to fight for our improvement, have about 20 years of tenure and most of there neighborhoods have stayed the same

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/sackied/ sackied

    You know what i think race is not that big of an issuse in america i think do for self is what is at hands here think about it the gap between rich and poor is growing because of policie’s that have been put in place to separate the classe’s of rich american’s and poor ones bad health care poor schooling and it is not just in poor black neighborhoods no more it is all over our thing is were at the very bottom of the tohemd pole, in order to pull our selfs out we have to prepare the next generation by all cost that means to forget about our self interest like new cars and and expensives clothes and homes and put it in the future our kids.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/bluntworks/ bluntworks

    How can focusing on the pre-eminent issue just the thing that needs to be done. What is happening is that Black People are being blamed for the financial crisis. That’s what all the talk about the Community Reinvestment Act being call the culprit of the housing market woes. We need someone who isn’t afraid to deal with the issue of race as uncomfortable as it is. If he doesn’t have the guts to deal with Race when he has won the Presidency how can he hope to face the Federal Reserve which is the culprit in fueling our Debt.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/john_jetter/ john_jetter

    many are unemployed and losing homes but he does happen to be the US President and intelligent persons behind this article should know better

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SilvahShadow/ SilvahShadow

    And what do they think Obama is doing now? They have their ship pointed in the wrong direction. They should be putting the screws to the nation’s mayors and city councils and putting heat on Congress to pass Obama’s budget. All the money they are calling for is in the budget and in the stimulus.

    And they wonder why these once proud organizations are reduced to the fringes of the political debate. They are behind the times. The same old tired rhetoric and no solutions jazz year after year after year… State of Black America–HELLO—two wars and a world wide economy in the tank!!! Is that “STATE” enough for you???

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/musicminded2009/ musicminded2009

    I think its a fair question to
    ask if the money from the stimulus package will be distributed in the black community.As a citizen we can ask questions this is a democracy not a autocracy.
    I support my president however
    and I llke the idea of transparency however local elected officials should have transparency to allow the citizens to know just what communities are fairly represented.If we are all paying for this we have a right to know.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/doubledragon01/ doubledragon01

    This is one of the reasons why we’re in this current condition. A friendly advice to the Urban League: Go through the proper channels. To use the president as a dependent for black issues is the most obsurd way of doing things…You really think he’s gonna give u a big fat check to fix your problems Mr. Urban League guy?

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    [...] Urban League Asks Obama To Deal With Black Issues [...]

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    [...] Urban League Asks Obama To Deal With Black Issues [...]

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    [...] Urban League Asks Obama To Deal With Black Issues [...]

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