Gary Pruitt

My oldest and dearest friend has been me to write another blog. I must confess that I had delayed writing for awhile not because there were no important issues; rather it was desire to communicate more effectively to those who read my thoughts. I often post my thoughts on my face book page in a condense fashion. Thus today’s topic is a reflection of my first encounter with Integration.
After high school I attended Hoke Smith Technical School in Atlanta, I was studying photo-offset lithography, many of my high school classmates were also attending this institution. However, what makes this experience memorable was one student, Gary Pruitt, who was the only white student in the class and a graduate of Grady High School in Atlanta. During the course of the year we became friends at school, obviously because of the times, we were never friends socially. This changed radically on the day that Gary said, “I will drive you home.” It was his experience traveling to the west side of Atlanta. My mind was racing as drove towards Hunter and Ashby Streets: What would be the reactions of my neighbors, my friends and my family. Although this transition of experiences was at times uncomfortable for some of my friends, Gary was always treated with respect and we found that we had much in common. It is worth noting that our parents supported our friendship, our mothers always caution us to be careful. We remained friends until I move to California in 1966.
During a visit in 2008 my friends and I talked about the ‘good old day’, one friend reminded me that I brought the first ‘white boy’ into the neighborhood….he continued man you were ahead of his time. Another said you always looked outside your surroundings. By no means am I stating that I lived in a perfect environment, what I am saying that all children need examples to nourish their dreams. From my vantage point, we all need to remember those “Encounters of the First Kind.” We must ask ourselves “Are we living a meaningful life.”

Can we talk

James Russell Lowell stated: “what men prize most is a privilege, even if it be that of chief mourner at a funeral”…. The recent election actually reinforce that truth, after all, wears a different face for everybody, and at times it is just too tedious to wait until all were to agrees. Leadership is the art of formulating a dream and more importantly providing some tangible and visual forms of success. The birth of an idea is born as rampant radicalism, then it becomes progressivism, then liberalism, then it becomes moderated conservative, outmoded and gone. The democrats lost the election because their ideas became outmoded and they did not provide any tangible results that the people could actually see. Consider the voting pattern of the coalition that voted in 2008 and compare how this coalition voted in 2010. Latino 30%...Gays 45%...and African-Americans 35% voted in 2010.

The democrats did it to themselves. Once in office President Obama while still dealing with job losses and massive foreclosures, his focus was on Health Care. Although this was a noble act, those changes would not become policy until 2014. It is estimated that a 100 billion dollar infrastructure deal that would have created at least a million Job's. What many people actually heard was not only African Americans (who have had twice the burden of losing jobs) but the whole nation would have to wait.

Once you are in the 'big chair' the problems are your problems. I believe that the Black community facing in some places 20% unemployment made a personal decision and there was a 19% decline in those who voted in this midterm election. Additionally there is a mis-conception that the Black Community is liberal voting bloc. This theory does not pass the test of time. Secondly, President Obama appointment of Senators, House members and Governors to cabinet positions actually put many of these seats into play. History speaks in harmony that all midterm elections will always have a lower voter turnout. Essentially, it is the responsibility of all of the members of the house/senate/and administration to communicate the message to the masses. Clearly, that was not a priority. Anyone can dream, turning a dream into reality therein lays the difficulty. The TARP worked for major business...however, those individuals who faced massive economic devastation did reap or they did not see the same benefits. If I had the opportunity to advise President, or Congress or the voters, I would have a discussion on the following topics...Insurance companies have created some of our problems. The people must make a decision: We can stop investing in these companies and make them less profitable or we can continue allowing our investments (retirement) to grow and accept what happens. Second, we can change education by changing how school receives monies (property taxes) or we can continue the course that we are on. Third, the citizens need to establish what an acceptable level of unemployment. Fourth, we need to phase out the all volunteer military and re institute the draft. Fifth, we need to explain the difference between a balance budget and the deficit. Finally, in the final analysis...most of the manufacturing jobs are gone and they are not coming back. Of course there are other issues that could fall into this discussion. DuBois, wrote about the "talented ten", college graduates within the Black community. 17% of the Black community have college degrees...it is time to do something about our situations. There are no programs funded by the government at any level that will change what is going on within our communities...it is our term. It is time for members of our communities to develop our own business....I understand that message will not be heard by anyone. State simply...leadership is about telling the truth and understanding that most of the people will dislike what you are saying. ~Cope

It Is Our Turn

It is our turn now….I was taught by all of my English teachers at Booker T. Washington High School that when writing or speaking it is your thesis statement that will capture the imagination and inspire hope among the reading or listening audience. This is my humble attempt to capture those African American that are reading my thoughts and inspire each person confront reality of our situation in today’s America. It is not in our interest to expect the government to become the guiding force in address those issues that affect our communities. It is not in our interest to continue a self-righteous practice of Christianity that waste positive energy condemning others for their sinful nature others, while we are losing our children. Before you stop reading this essay, please consider that I am not saying not to participate in Government, rather I am suggestion that remember what President Roosevelt told A. Phillip Randolph when discussed the plight of African Americans in the early 1940’s…..the president stated: “you must do something that will make me address your issues,” thus we had the first march on Washington. I am saying stop believing in God or that Jesus is our savior. What I am suggesting that we embrace John 5:30: “Jesus stated I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” It is our turn to come together….it is our turn. Our usefulness to others, our success and achievement in life is truly based upon our reconnecting as a race. The question becomes are we passive and satisfied or will become angry and dissatisfied? It is crystal clear to me nothing will change when we tolerate those things that are destroying our lives. It is our turn to judge the data.
Did you realize that from 1882-1968 there were 3446 lynching in America? Did you realize that 9500 African Americans were killed by African Americans in Chicago from 1991-2009. View this data in mathematical turns in 18 years we are killing each other at three times the rate of those horrific lynching’s. We can no longer blame others for our violent nature; it is time to take control of our children. We must do this in spite of the “ism”….in spite of the economy….in spite of the perceived or real “odds” being against us. Our ancestors did it….It is our turn now. It is a contradiction for us to be waiting for “Superman or Superwoman,” when so many of us will quote Paul, “we walk by faith not by sight” and yet at a time when we should be walking far too many of us are crawling. It is your turn to judge the data.
We have spent 738.8 billion dollars in Iraq and 357 billion dollars in Afghanistan. Since 2001 we have spent 1 plus trillion dollars on two wars. I am not suggesting that we should not be engaged in these conflicts, what I suggesting that this data clearly demonstrate to someone with critical eyes that we will never provide the necessary funding for education. Since 2007 our country has spent 590 billion dollars on education. Yet, for most African American students our schools are failing. 82% of those African Americans who are incarcerated do not have a high school diploma. I realize that many will state that money is not the problem and in some cases that may be true. Geoffrey Canada’s Harlem Children’s Zone has had tremendous success and nationwide attention has focus on the success rate. What is important the tens of millions of dollars of private money that has poured into the Harlem Children’s Zone. In order to create full family service and state of the art school you must have money. Many of you will offer this over used package statement as the true problem: “teachers are the problem.” Cope we have too many “bad teachers.” Yes, we do have too many bad teachers and we have too many bad parents.
Far too many school leaders and teachers view black children as victims because they do not want to be seen as being racist. This has filtered through to the children themselves and led to inappropriate methods to combat this desperate patronization. What has become clear to me is there is a movement to drive teacher wages even lower, run schools like little corporations, and race to the bottom just as we have in the manufacturing sector. Imagining that the profit motive works best, the privateers propose merit pay for teachers whose students test well. Such a scheme would only lead to adult cheating (which has already started), to well-connected teachers packing their classes with privileged kids, and to an undermining of the very essence of effective schools. The “little corporations” are nothing more than those “money lender” that Jesus rebuked. The profiteer’s school children attend schools like the University of Chicago Lab Schools - where teachers had small classes, good pay, and, yes, a union. Students did not concentrate on rote learning and mindless drill and skill or test prep. They were offered in part an exploratory, questioning curriculum. But apparently the masses need to have sweatshop he profiteers.
Black people it is now our turn to stand. Our ancestors stood in spite of the obstacles that they faced. Our usefulness is directly related to our commitment to others. Jesus stated it best in John 5:30: “I can do nothing on my own.” Therefore, it is time for each of us to demand that our children grow educationally regardless of the “ism” or the “economy” or the “perceived odds that we are facing.” It is our turn now. The government will not solve our problem, the state government will not solve our problem, the county government will not solve our problem and the city government will not solve our problem. Remember this simple but true statement, when people are passive and satisfied nothing will happen. However, when people are angry and dissatisfied massive change will happen. It is our turn now! Do not allow the sleight of hand by the profiteers to continue this madness.

Sometimes I wonder

Malcolm X stated: “Usually when people are sad, they don't do anything. They just cry over their condition. But when they get angry, they bring about a change.” I must assume that most members of our society are in ‘crying over their condition stage’; I believe this is especially true for African Americans. What is most interesting is the fact that 30 or 40 years ago African Americans were participating in the ‘bringing about a change’ stage in our lives.
Clearly, those social conditions that we faced were alien to the constitution and it was necessary for us to take actions. However, it seems that once we obtained those social rights, we falsely assumed that our lives (politically, educationally and economically) would change. The reality in 2010 it seems that for too many African Americans are being rendered to a permanent underclass. The election of President Obama again provide what he called ‘change that you can believe in’, however, most of us have forgotten President Obama’s most important philosophical statement: ‘you are the change that you seek.’ Again, Malcolm stated profoundly what we actually face as citizens in this country: “Sitting at the table doesn't make you a diner, unless you eat some of what's on that plate. Being here in America doesn't make you an American. Being born here in America doesn't make you an American.”
Some place I read, (Proverb 30:14), “There is a generation whose teeth are as swords and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from the earth and needy from among men.” I understand that this was written thousands of years ago. Moreover, I realize that I am not a theologian and therefore for many readers they will question my analysis. Yet, I can say with a clear conscious that our generation have witness a generation of greed. What is humorous to me that we elected a man to address these economic problems, but we want to tell him how to fix the problems? As African American we must come to grips with the facts that our children are devouring each other. Many individuals, including my friends have spoken eloquently about a need to change our educational institutions. These changes include the return of prayer into the schools, mandated uniforms and of course the need for parents to discipline their children. Stated simply, we are diverse religious society therefore mandate religious prayer is not an option. What is an option is for schools to allow those individual who want to pray the opportunity to pray at a designed time and location. As a principal I afforded this opportunity to my students. I believe uniforms but not mandated uniforms. I believe that you allow your student council develop and the procedures for students wearing the uniforms. Again, as a principal I implemented such a program. What I know to a more effective method for classroom decorum is to require students to stand when answering or asking questions. The results would be obvious. Finally, we must deal with the fact that we have mis-educated a minimum of 2 generations of Americans. The facts are simple for me, the principal and the teachers must create a school environment that produces a renewed confidence for all parents. Just tell them the truth. Freedom is an internal achievement rather than an external adjustment. Mix a conviction with a man and something happens.

Just Thinking

Teenage students are shot Mumford High School and shooting outside of the football game in St. Petersburg, Florida. A scheduled burning of the Koran in Gainesville, Florida and those endless arguments regarding a Mosque being built in lower Manhattan. It is truly a ‘ball of confusion.’ I realize that many will view my comments as those of a heretic or non patriot citizen. However, I am compelled to ask those questions that few if any are willing to address. Religious radicalism in all forms is counterproductive. A society that has prided itself on inclusiveness is doom to fail because it is truly afraid of diversity. All of us know or have friends who have opinions that are divers from our core principals. The question is simple, why are we so focus on those issues that truly have nothing to do with our daily lives? What does affect each of us in a more direct fashion is the violent nature of our children. Consider the obvious; at some point this violence nature of our children will destroy all of us. It is noble to pray, but it is time to do something. I believe that each of us have been given all the tools that are required to make the words of the constitution meaningful: “We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal.”
90 years ago W.E. B. Dubois spoke of the ‘Talented Ten’ as those individuals who would provide a pathway of success for African Americans. Did you know that 17% of all African Americans have advance college degrees. So many PHd’s, yet so little mentoring. 50 years ago most of our religious leaders were actually teaching what Howard Thurman characterized as a “Gospel of Social Justice.” It seems that our religious leaders are teaching a “Gospel of Prayer” and just wait for God to do something.
78 years ago we elected a president who faced the worst economic crises in the history of this country. The same issues were present: violent young people and they became the mafia. Immigration was issues and we put Japanese Americans in internment camps. Yes, we had those religious zealots who taught the ‘fire and brim storm’ doctrine that actually preached hatred towards African Americans. A great poet states best why I am writing this essay: “In battling evil, excess is good; for he who is moderate in announcing the truth is presenting half-truth. He conceals the other half out of fear of the people’s wrath.” My friends it is well to give when asked but it is better to give unasked.

Dig Deep!

My daughter offered some very candid advice, “Busy .... Busy ..... Sometimes doin what you don't wanna ain't that bad at all!! Suck it up and dig deep ya might learn somethin' !! As I reflected upon my daughters’ statement I can better understand my need to write! Writing allows me to explore a variety of subjects and more importantly learn something valuable from those who actually comment on my writings. I am told that change is a simple leap of faith! I have "Come To The Edge" many times in my life. At times to dismay of others, it is why I will only allow a certain few to the front row seats of my life. I seek change not for fame, glory, or understanding by others; I embrace change because I must grow. I seek change because the journey is what life is about. What is most interesting regarding my writing, it is not something that I want to do, it is something that I am compelled to do. I am sure that there are many others who face the same dilemma. My hope is that many more individuals will “suck it up and dig deep” so that we all can “learn something.”

Eyes Open Wide Shut!

While on facebook today, I read a very interesting and powerful post by one of my former students: “There has been so much time effort spent finding problems pointing fingers but no time finding solutions making change. Complaints about Reagan, Bush, Clinton, HW Bush and now Obama and things don’t seem to be changing much just more finger-pointing I am starting to think society or "we the people" are the ones dropping the ball!” One of the comments on this post stated: “that is so true but I have 2 say Bush did mess up this country bad when he was in office.” On the surface the comment is accurate; however, I believe that the original post is worth more discussion. The crises facing this country did not occur with President Bush; rather these crises had its genesis in 1968. You do recall that two of our leaders were assassinated and a setting president decided not to seek reelection. We were presented with a new term to describe a group of voter, “the silent majority.” That August we witness the worst demonstration of police brutality in Lincoln Park as well as on the floor of the Democrat’s convention. During the period from 1969 - 1976 we saw a Vice President resign because of political corruption and President Resign under the cloud of “Watergate”. We elected a president who spoke of human rights and we saw the demise of his administration with the overthrow of the Shan of Iran. During the next 12 years we heard our president tell the Russian to tear down the wall that separated East and West Germany and the fall of the Soviet Union. Of course we had presidents who promise “no new taxes, read my lips.” Do you remember the “contract with America” and the election of the man from Arkansas? We watched as an election was stolen because votes in Florida were not counted or many people of color denied the right to vote. Yes my friends I believe that my former student is correct, “we the people are dropping the ball.” I will conclude with another quote from my student: If you want to rail against government takeover of land and high taxes then get the hell out of my public parks and stop complaining about the lack of public transportation to get you there."