The Minority Report

On Monday, the Texas House of Reps Committee on Higher Education heard testimony on eight bills regarding reform of the top ten percent law which guarantees admission to Texas Universities for all Texas high school seniors which graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class.  In 2005 an attempt to hijack this law through legislation was thwarted through efforts of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus  led at that time by Rep. Garnet Coleman (D-Houston)  along with other Democratic House Members.  Rumor has it that this effort has gained momentum during this legislative session as critics negate the need for the law since the  US Supreme Court has ruled that race can be used as a factor in admissions.  The immediate reality is that the law benefits rural pre-dominantly Caucasion high schools as equally as it benefits urban pre-dominantly African American high schools.  Once again progress in this state which has benefited the African American community is at risk of being rolled back.  Write or call your legislator and let them know that we support top ten percent.  If your legislator is in favor of this law, then write or call Rep. Geanie Morrison, Chair of the House Committee of Higher Education, and let her as well as members of the committee know that we won’t allow progress to be rolled back in this state for communities of color.

The Chronicle described him this morning as a phenom. The speaker that introduced him called him the next President of the United States. I simply call him HOPE!! I was awoken yesterday by the sound of a good friend’s voice on the phone at 6:30 a.m. mind you, “You didn’t tell me Barak was going to be here today. I thought we were better than that!” I went on to inform her that the Senator’s visit had been highly publicized and was indeed a fundraiser. Next call, 7:45 a.m., it’s one of the local radio producers, “I’ll give $1000 dollars to your favorite charity if you can get the Senator to call into the show.” I went on to inform him that the Senator would not do any media on this visit to Houston. Next call 8:00 am, a college classmate who now serves as an assignments editor at a local television station, “Do you have any information on the Senator coming to visit, and can we get a camera crew in.?” Again, there would be no media for this event. Suddenly it hit me in the midst of my very sleepy morning. The city had GONE BANANAS!!

What is it about this man that draws people from so many walks of life? There has been a spark of hope within many about the possibilities for change. I had an interesting conversation with a good friend this morning regarding this man. For me something changed last night, and I was reminded of what it was that made me want to understand politics but particularly policy. After reading the Senator’s book and hearing him speak it reminded me that in the final analysis of what we do, no matter who we are, it has to be about the community. We have gotten caught in politics. It is time that African Americans change their thinking before we can expect anyone else to. When Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. first ran for President of the United States, as symbolic of a gesture that it was, America including the black community cried out that he couldn’t win. As recently as the 2004 elections, Rev. Al Sharpton and Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun ran for the Presidency and America including Black America cried out that they couldn’t win. Today we have before us what many are calling the most viable option ever for an African American President, well educated, member of the US Senate, understanding of the issues of our country, and even half Caucasian American. All of this and the Black Community still cries out that he can’t win. If we don’t begin to take ourselves seriously as part of the promise of America how do we expect anyone else to? Last night I felt hope. I felt hope for not only my community but for myself as a young African American living in this country. As I concluded my conversation with my friend and began to prepare to make my way to the office we concluded by beginning to name the states that Sen. Obama could feasibly carry in the 2008 election ultimately giving him the Presidency, the possibilities didn’t seem so unrealistic then, as with all elections we can only pray and hope. I think that’s what draws people to the Junior Senator from Illinois is that he does indeed give them hope. Not black hope. Not white hope. Simply Hope.

Tomorrow the Public Health Committee of the Texas House of Representatives will listen to testimony on HB 1098 filed by Rep. Dennis Bonnen and a host of others. The bill comes as a response and rebuke of Governor Perry’s recent executive order requiring young women to receive the $360 dollar vaccination before entering the sixth grade. Obviously, the prevention of a cancer causing virus is a benefit to young women from all communities and can save many lives. Where does our community stand on this issue? Who will pay for these vaccinations? What type of effect will such a law have on communities of color? Tomorrow is an oppurtunity to have your voice be heard however if you can’t make it to Austin feel free to sound off here.

One of the highest grossing movies of the holiday season was Will Smith’s Pursuit of Happyness where he portrayed multi-millionaire Chris Gardener who asked the famous questions, “What do you do? and How do you do it?” .  When I think of that statement I am reminded of what people often ask me when referencing B L A C K D E M S.

As we enter the new political season B L A C K D E M S decided to take what we do to another level.  As we continue to educate, energize, and empower we feel it is important to inform people on the policy issues that will face them in 2007 on the federal, state, and local levels. B L A C K D E M S has grown through much adversity to become a voice seeking to empower the grass roots individuals of our community.  Often this mission is frowned upon because our organization has sought to provide everyday people with the opportunity to play a role in the way their elected officials were elected and ultimately invite others to do the same.  For a long time the politics of the African American community has been controlled by a bourgeoisie that often masks their personal agenda behind the idea of what is “best” for the community.  Unfortunately, the community does not get much input into what is really best for them.  In the coming months we seek to better educate the masses on what impact specific policies will have on their everyday lives so they can have an instrument to be better heard. 

As we celebrate Black History Month we are thankful for the contributions and progress African Americans have made in this country.  However, we understand there is still much to be done to insure this progress in not rolled back. We trust that our elected officials will continue to uphold the values of our community and those things that have sustained us over the years. However if those values are not upheld we are here to make sure those most affected know about it. B L A C K D E M S will soon unveil our policy priorities for the next year covering a range of issues from HIV/AIDS to Education issues on every level of our government. We welcome the input of those that are well versed in the issues, as well as those that are often forgotten. Many will review this agenda with the usual criticism that this agenda will only be designed to benefit those that are members of B L A C K D E M S. To those critics I simply say, “You’re Right”.  Luckily, that also includes YOU!! Come let your voice be heard! Come learn what we do and be apart of how we do it.

Post Coming soon!