What is going to happen to black people?

[minimeq24]

I’m sure that the people on this board have heard of globalization and the impact that it is having on the US economy. As we all know, the US is losing thousands of jobs each month to China, India, and other countries with lower labor costs. The people that are hurt the most by the job losses tend to be blue-collar workers and increasingly white-collar workers. The loss of jobs to low wage countries has hit all groups of people in the US, but those hurt the most tend to be blacks. As some of you may be aware, the unemployment rate of blacks in many of America’s large cities tend to be around 35% or more. In New York City, the unemployment rate of black males is roughly 50%. Now, the “experts” say that reasons for the high black unemployment rate are crime, drug use, weak education, bad work ethic etc. I think that some of those things are certainly partially responsible, but I think that globalization is a much bigger threat to the black community.

The way I see it is like this:

Any and every job that can be outsourced is going to be outsourced; there is no stopping it. On top of that though, employers are going to continue to be HIGHLY selective in regards to whom they hire. They know job growth is low, they know they have the power. They are going to look for people that come from the best schools, with the best grades, the best work experience, basically, you’re going to have to be Superman to get a “decent” job. Needless to say, this does not bode well for blacks. I think that unemployment is going to keep soaring. Finally, employers are going to increasingly turn to foreign countries for talent. Basically, it seems to be that blacks are increasingly becoming economically redundant. Corporate America never wanted us and now, with the rest of the world coming online, they increasingly don’t need us.

So, I wonder, what do you guys think the black community will look like in 20 or 30 years? Will 65-70% unemployment be the norm? Will the American Dream be just that to most blacks, a dream? What are your serious thoughts on this?

 

[GET YOU HOT]

Blacks need to keep up with the times(real world, not related to fads and false idols), assimilate(the hook up/hood rich/gangsta is shortlived) and empower themselves(earn a degree, make plans/wise decisions, attend meetings/discuss issues in a public forum, vote, gather & stand to be counted) to determine their place in this world...

Jena 6 protest, was a tremendous step in the right direction, I would like to see for myself, experience and eventually attend more of that type of solidarity, roots, amongst our people...

 

[minimeq24]

Blacks need to keep up with the times(real world, not related to fads and false idols), assimilate(the hook up/hood rich/gangsta is shortlived) and empower themselves(earn a degree, make plans/wise decisions, attend meetings/discuss issues in a public forum, vote, gather & stand to be counted) to determine their place in this world...

Jena 6 protest, was a tremendous step in the right direction, I would like to see for myself, experience and eventually attend more of that type of solidarity, roots, amongst our people...

Thanks for the response. You know, one of the things that I think blacks need to do is to start a LOT of their own meaningful businesses. I think it is a shame that in the average black neighborhood, most businesses are owned by koreans and whites. I have nothing against those two groups at all, I'm not a racist in any sense, they are just trying to get ahead like us. However, all of those business represent sources of income...and jobs that could be used to empower the black community.

 

[QueEx]

If we didn't shop with Koreans, Arabs, Indians, Mexicans, YouNameIt; they wouldn't be
so anxious to locate in and around the places we tend to live and congregate. If we
purchased more from Black vendors, if we did more business with Black professionals,
more and of better quality would locate where we tend to live and congregate.

 

[nittie]

First Blacks need to decide if we want a strong Black community. We don't have a mandate for one or if we do we don't know because we are not organized. If we do want a strong Black community we need a Black gentry or leading class. The excuse we have for leaders now is pathetic. I support Sharpton and Jackson for their courage but their vision leaves a lot to be desired.

If there is a mandate for a Black community and there are people willing to assume the role of leadership then we could start by turning adveritity into opportunity. If 50% of Blacks are not working it means we have a workforce. If jobs are moving overseas it means a chance for us to re-connect with Africa and employ our people.

None of this will happen until everyday people find the heart to put action behind words. Until that happens we're just a bunch of losers feeling sorry for ourselves.

 

[minimeq24]

You know, nittie, what you say about the need for a gentry class is very interesting. I say that because, if you look at other groups, that tends to be the case. There is a leading class that everyone else follows and or emulates. A perfect example is colonial America. You would think that with as many rich entertainers that the black community has, they would form some sort of foundation for a gentry class.

 

[Crank_It_Up]

...Now, the “experts” say that reasons for the high black unemployment rate are crime, drug use, weak education, bad work ethic etc. I think that some of those things are certainly partially responsible, but I think that globalization is a much bigger threat to the black community.

The way I see it is like this:

Any and every job that can be outsourced is going to be outsourced; there is no stopping it. On top of that though, employers are going to continue to be HIGHLY selective in regards to whom they hire. They know job growth is low, they know they have the power. They are going to look for people that come from the best schools, with the best grades, the best work experience, basically, you’re going to have to be Superman to get a “decent” job...

the biggest threat to the black community is the black community itself, or should I say lack of community. With working mothers struggling to make ends meet, and absentee fathers, it's no wonder the drop out rate is so high. Until the majority of adult black males are willing to put the big head in front of the little head, they are hurting themselves and their entire race.

We could rationalize a litany of things to blame it on... racism, global warming, George Bush... But until people like Barack Obama become the role models of our youth instead of rappers, or irresponsible athletic stars, there is little hope. I don't see how that will happen without black men stepping up to the plate and accepting their responsibility to raise their young accordingly.

 

[GET YOU HOT]

If we didn't shop with Koreans, Arabs, Indians, Mexicans, YouNameIt; they wouldn't be
so anxious to locate in and around the places we tend to live and congregate. If we
purchased more from Black vendors, if we did more business with Black professionals,
more and of better quality would locate where we tend to live and congregate.

Well, there needs to be a business listing, black owned and operated and capitalize on special intrests with investments, right...?

 

[kenbgco68]

You know, nittie, what you say about the need for a gentry class is very interesting. I say that because, if you look at other groups, that tends to be the case. There is a leading class that everyone else follows and or emulates. A perfect example is colonial America. You would think that with as many rich entertainers that the black community has, they would form some sort of foundation for a gentry class.

c/s. But successful people can easily find people to hire because most members of their group take their education seriously. We don't! If every Black person decided to complete a 4 year degree, and simply reviewed the best paying jobs for the future, we'd rise as a people.

http://www.bls.gov/
- U.S. Dept of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm
- Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), 2008-09 Edition

http://www.bls.gov/oco/oco2003.htm
- "Tomorrow's Jobs," modified Dec 18 2007

"Almost three-quarters of the job growth will come from three groups of professional occupations—computer and mathematical occupations, healthcare practitioners and technical occupations, and education, training, and library occupations—which together will add 3.5 million jobs."

 

[GET YOU HOT]

Turn off the t.v. and stop believing the only thing you will be, is a rap star, basketball star. Dealing drugs & internet pimping/hoeing is not a career...

 

[minimeq24]

the biggest threat to the black community is the black community itself, or should I say lack of community. With working mothers struggling to make ends meet, and absentee fathers, it's no wonder the drop out rate is so high. Until the majority of adult black males are willing to put the big head in front of the little head, they are hurting themselves and their entire race.

We could rationalize a litany of things to blame it on... racism, global warming, George Bush... But until people like Barack Obama become the role models of our youth instead of rappers, or irresponsible athletic stars, there is little hope. I don't see how that will happen without black men stepping up to the plate and accepting their responsibility to raise their young accordingly.

Thanks for your input. It got me thinking. I agree with what you are saying for the most part and I want to add onto it. The things you are talking about are indeed major problems in the black community, crime, drugs, high dropout rates, single parent households, those are all things that are indeed holding us back as a people. I think though, that it is important to ask ourselves why those things happen more in the black community than anywhere else. I believe that the answer is relatively simple... the lack of decent jobs.

Let me ask you this, if you have a community full of under or unemployed people, what do you think it would look like?

This is, for the most part, why I made this thread. I believe that under and unemployment in the black community is only going to get worse as globalization picks up. I read an article a while back that stated that roughly 42 million US jobs could be threatened by outsourcing. 42 million is about one third of all the jobs in the US.

Let me ask you, using history as an example, who do you think will be hit the hardest by the loss of those jobs? Blacks, or whites?

I dunno, I guess, I just see us as a people in this country as "reaching our peak" so to speak. Things are going to get better for us, any and every labor job is going to get outsourced or given to a low wage immigrant and the jobs left will require lots of the best school and best technical skills/knowledge.

I dunno, maybe I worry too much .