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18BODYOFCHRISTNEWSAPRIL2013InarecentinterviewwithBodyofChristNewsKhalidAbdullahTariqAl-Mansourph.D.dis-cussedthecriticalstateofeducationconcerningBlackAmericanotingthatthisissuedidnotoriginatewithPresidentBarakObama.InfactDr.MonsourpraisedPresidentObamareferringtohimasextremelybrightacknowledgingthatheisfacedwiththedifficulttaskofmanaginghispotentialaswellaschangesthatareunfoldinginaglobalizedsetting.PresidentObamahasonlyfouryearstoaccom-plishcomplexmattersfacingthecountryincludingeducationalissues.Thereisnotaone-stopeasysolutiontothediseasesAmericaisfacingsaidDr.al-Monsour.AndconcerningeducationweasAfricanAmericansarestillatthestageofnothav-ingevendefinedtheprobleminordertostrategizeforsolutions.HewentontoexplainthatBlackAmericansbeganlackingeducationduringslavery.Earlyonthefor-merslaveswerediscouragedfromlearningtoreadandwrite.Atthattimeas10ofthepopulationweBlackscouldnotout-voteothersbutwecouldhaveeducatedourselves.InsteadwhileotherraceswerefocusedoneducatingthemselvesandprogressingasapeopleBlacksfocusedonentertainmentpartyingandgoingtoheaven.ThisisthesamenonproductivemessagethatBlacksareconcentratingontoday.HowmanychurchesawardyoungBlacksintheircongregationsforbeinghonorstudentsWedonotgotolibrariesandgetknowledgeandthereforewehavelostvaluableeducationalandeconomicgroundandremainatthebottomofthesescales.Dr.MonsourinsiststhattheresolutionoftheBlackeducationaldeficitistoimplementastrategythatstartsatthesolutionunderstandingthattheraceswhichhavebeenthemostdynamicandsuc-cessfulhavehadaneducatedleadershipandstrongparentalrolesthatstrengthenedtheirfamiliesandcommunities.Politicallyspeakingweseethatothereducation-allyprogressiveracessuchastheAsiansAfricansorJewsdidnotgotoWashingtonanddemandcivilrightsasdidBlacksbutinsteadhaveusedthestrategyoftheirknowledgeoftheiridentityeduca-tiondisciplineandself-confidencetosucceedinAmerica.BlackpoliticianspushedamessagetogetBlackpeopletovoteintheBlack-powerelitewhoactuallyhadnocredentialsorexperiencenovisionandcouldnotreachtheBlackmasses.InMartinLutherKingJr.sspeechinWashingtonhedidnotmen-tionhighereducationaspartofhisdreamforBlackpeoplebutrathersaidIsawthesonoftheslaveandthesonoftheslavemasterwalkinghand-in-handintheredclayhillsofGeorgia.HismessagewasthatBlackandWhitechildrencouldplaytogeth-erbuttheessentialeducationoftheBlackpersonwasnotmentionednorwerephysicschemistryknowledgeofAfricafarmingortheingredientstoraiseastrongandhealthyfamily.ThemessagewasofdesegregationwhichintheendprovedtobeharmfultotheidentitygrowthandsustainabilityoftheBlackracelamentedDr.Monsour.ThiswasaverydifficultperiodinourhistoryandtheeducationalmessagecontinuestobeavoidedbytheBlackcommunutywhohistoricallyandstilltodaydonotgiveamessageofconfidenceidentityeducationandmotivation.Now50yearslaterwearewonderingifMartinLutherKingJr.deliveredtherightmessageandifitstoolatetoeducatetheBlackmasses.ContemporaryBlackleadersandotherinfluentialBlacksaresayingWewanttodis-appearasquicklyaspossibleregardingourcolorthesizeofournosethesizeofourlipsandourlevelofcommitmenttoBlackcommunities.ItispuzzlingtoDr.MonsourthattheNAACPhasnotadoptedaprotocolthatstressestheimportanceofhonorgradesandhasnotsetuptutoringsupportinBlackneighborhoods.YetitisafactthatAfricanchildrenborninAfricawithhungrystomachslearn-inginpovertyamongstthefliesmosquitoesandtur-moilintheirlandout-performeveryothergroupintheworldincludingBlackAmericansWhitesJewsandAsiansTheyhavehighgradepointaveragesinthemidstofpovertywith22beinghonorstudents33areBstudentsatthecollegeleveland36areCstudents.Only9areDorFstudents.ThisisthehighestintheworldWhydontourleadersrecommendthatwereadquestionsDr.Monsour.EvenJesseJacksonssonhasnotgivenaplantomoveforwardsincehehasbeenconvictedwhichcouldbeusedasapowerfultooltoencourageyoungBlackchildrentoovercomefailuresandaspiretohigherwalksoflife.Wemuststoppityingourselvesandstartdesiringtoexcel.Dr.MonsourfindsitintolerablethattheBlackcom-munitywantsotherstofixourongoingslaveryproblemandstatedthattheymustcomeoutoftheslaverymindsetofWhatsinformeInallfairnesstoPresidentObamahowmanyBlackshavetherebeeninpositionstohelpBlackAmericabeforehetookofficeWhatexactlyisitthatBlackswanthimtodoWhatstrategyhaveweputforththatwewanthimtoimplementOurplanshouldlayoutaprocessforhimtohelpuseffectu-atehonorstudentsandaprovenmethodtopromoteself-sufficiencyandeconomicgrowthinourcom-munities.Whyhaventweandwhydontwetakeadvantageofradiosandlibrariestopushourchil-drentowardseducationalexcellenceHowlongwillourBlackcommunitiesignorewhatallotherraceshaveaccomplishedsolongagoasksDr.Monsour.TheissueremainsthatBlackAmericansstillthinkthatPresidentObamaisgoingtoandshoulddosomethingtopullusoutofthesemanyyearsofhavingdonenothingforourselves.Inrealitytheweightofthismisplacedexpectationliesdormantonourshoulders.Wehaveto-dateshownnoplansnovisionsandnostrategiestoelevateourracetoaplaceofknowledgeandexcellence.Ouractionsdonoteducateinspireorhanddownalegacynordotheypromoteprideinourheritage.Insteadwesteadilywatertheseedsofself-hatredignoranceanddependency.Wecannotaffordtowaitmuchlonger.ObamaNottoBlameforAfrican-AmericanLackofEducationCURRENTAFFAIRSNow50yearslaterwearewonderingifMartinLutherKingJr.deliveredtherightmessageandifitstoolatetoeducatetheBlackmasses.ContemporaryBlackleadersandotherinfluentialBlacksaresayingWewanttodisappearasquicklyaspossibleregardingourcolorthesizeofournosethesizeofourlipsandourlevelofcommitmenttoBlackcommunities.