Thread by @tobeequal

Toward the end of the Jim Crow era, in the early 1960s, a major debate ensued among Black people (and Whites as well) about the most appropriate way for Black people to enter American society. On one side was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. MLK favored racial integration, equality

and reliance on the American creed of “We hold these truths to be self evident, that men are created equal...” On the other side, there was Malcolm X. Malcolm cautioned against putting too much faith in White people, especially While liberals who pretend to care about Blacks.

Malcolm warned that they would ultimately betray us. He urged self empowerment - stand on your own two feet. Unfortunately, in matters of public policy, we seem to believe that two opposing ideas cannot be right at the same time. As a nation, we embraced all of King’s approach

and rejected all of Malcolm’s. Nearly 60 years later, America has elected and re-elected a Black President and there are a tons of millionaires

But, Malcolm’s message of self-empowerment was not necessarily one of separatism, but one of accepting responsibility for your own life. As I review that debate, I am persuaded that we all should have listened more carefully to what Malcolm was saying. Instead, we are arguing

about race preferences for Black people. Some are afraid to throw away the crutches. They have virtually no faith in the capacity of lower income Black people to improve themselves, So, they burden all Black people with the baggage of affirmative action and the sense dependency

that it engenders. It is time to take a stand!

Thank you, my friend! I will do so.