Reply To: "Badman," Michigan
Reply By: Chuck Sanford, Author, "Project 2019"
"Bad Man, I am happy to finally receive your response.
Based on your response, I think that we are about 99% in agreement. This
may not seem to be the case based on my rebuttal to some of the issues you
raised. However, when considering the big picture, our disagreements are
relatively minor.
Regarding: "Setting white people as our standard to meet is a mistake."
In fact, Project 2019 is not setting the "standard to meet" - this is done
by society as a whole. For better or worse, it is how white and black
Americans operate - and because the vast majority of people in America are
white, the standard to meet will be what white people have, what white
people can do, how successful white people are in America, etc. You should
note that this "standard" was used to initiate and wage our successful
struggle for Civil Rights. That is, all white Americans were able to vote -
therefore, it was argued, all black Americans should be able to vote. All
white Americans had the right to go to the college of their choice, eat in
any restaurant, live in any neighborhood they could afford to live in,
etc. - therefore, black Americans demanded, this standard should also be
applied to all black Americans.
It is also worth noting that there has always been some concern that by
emulating white Americans (even for some things as basic as civil rights and
education), we put ourselves in danger of becoming "as evil and as decadent
as our enemies." Even if this were true, what are our other choices?
Remaining an underclass in America is unacceptable. And before we can even
consider being more successful in America than whites, we must first become
as successful as they are.
Regarding: "Sheer number of college degrees is not a good measure."
I completely understand where you are coming from - however, it is certainly
better than no measurement at all. And I do agree that getting a degree in
Physics from MIT carries more weight than getting a degree in Physical
Education from a "party school" - however, I am convinced that getting a
degree in Physical Education from a "party school" is infinitely better than
getting no degree at all. If for no other reason, children of parents who
have college degrees are much more likely to also earn college degrees.
And, based on human nature, these children will be encouraged by their
parents to strive to do better than they did - like obtaining a degree in
Physics from MIT.
Regarding: "Education is not for the purpose of getting a better job and
making more money."
As I see it, getting a better job and making more money
is exactly the purpose of education for the "vast majority" of white AND
black Americans. And, considering that there are millions of black
Americans who have no education, have a lousy job, and make very little
money, I am convinced that getting a good education (in order to get a
better job and to make more money) is an infinitely better alternative to
their other choices. And, yes, there are some high school graduates who
make $80,000 dollars a year in auto plants - but, with our global economy,
these types are jobs will ultimately wind up in Mexico where people will
work twice as many hours for half as much money. You indicated that you
were a business owner. What would you do if all of your competitors were
reducing their labor costs by 50%? If you wanted to remain in business,
would you not have to also reduce your labor costs?
Regarding: "Education is what will solve our problems, however not education
that is designed to get us to look for a good job, but the kind
of education that will free our minds to do for ourselves, instead of
cranking out more people for the white workforce."
Let me begin my response to your statement with a confession. When I was 18
years old and beginning college, I could have cared less about "freeing my
mind." I was just tired of being poor and my mother (who never finished
high school) had told her children all of our lives that getting a good
education was the way to succeed in America. I graduated from college,
joined the work force, and I was never poor again. However, the real point
of this story is "who" and "what" I am today - a black man, who has freed
his mind, who not only does for himself, but has also dedicated his life to
challenging all black Americans to do for themselves. And I am convinced
that none of this would be true if I had not gone to college for perhaps
"the wrong reason," made enough money "working for the man" so that just
surviving was not my number one priority in life, etc., etc., etc. And, I
am equally convinced that if Project 2019 is a success, there will be many
more black Americans telling a similar tale.
If Project 2019 were in full stride, there would be approximately four million more young black Americans between the ages of 18 and 22 in college today. (Note that this figure represents only about 12% of the black population and, therefore, there would millions of blacks left to do all of those things that people who do not agree with Project 2019 think they should be doing.) With four million more young black Americans in college, there would be four million less young black Americans who are just hanging out, working at McDonald's, being tempted by hard drugs or gang activities, and being candidates to wind up in prison. With four million more young black Americans in college, there would be four million more young black Americans who would have positive goals and brighter hopes for the future. And, yes, most of them would be going to college just to get a better job and make more money - and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. However, in fact, there is another benefit. With four million more young black Americans in college, we have four million more chances of producing the next Booker T. Washington, Thurgood Marshall, or Martin Luther King.
The major premise of Project 2019 is that "knowledge is power." I truly
came to understand this truism when I learned (in college) that during 246
years of Slavery, it was illegal to educate black Americans. Therefore, I
am all for black Americans obtaining knowledge (or the search for knowledge)
any way that they can. However, I am convinced that the starting point for
this knowledge can best be achieved through formal education. In the 20th
century, the basic requirement was a high school diploma. In the 21st
century, the basic requirement will be a college degree. In any case, I am
convinced that black America will never reach socioeconomic (not just
economic) equality with "the rest of America," until black Americans reach
educational parity with "the rest of America."
Thank you again, Brother B, for allowing me the opportunity to dialog with you. If you have not yet read my book, I would be happy to send you a complimentary copy. I would love to hear your views after you have had a chance to thoroughly examine "Project 2019."
Respectfully,
Chuck Sanford