Endangered Species

The only people that can help black people is black people. No politician can or should help you. Fathers need to stop being part time and spend time with their kids. I talk about these issues to come up with realistic steps for gradual improvement. -Ian C Jordan In his book, “The Myth of Male Power”, popular male issues author, Warren Farrell states: “The Black man is sometimes called an endan­gered species but receives little of the protection an endangered species is normally accorded.”As Black males, we need to seriously reflect on the words endangered species’ that many social analysts are using to describe our peril in America. When I think of the words ‘endangered species’, I immediately think of a life form that is facing extinction. When I think of an endangered species, the spotted owl comes to mind.Many social analysts have looked at the quality of life data on Black men, concluding our future looks bleak. Many economists refer to Black men as be­coming economically obsolete in America due to domestic immigrant workers and international cheap labor.The two words ‘endangered’ and ‘obsolete’ are powerful, grim terms de­scribing our fate. According to a report of the National Criminal Justice Commis­sion on Imprisonment and Race; if current incarceration rates continue, by the year 2020 – 63.3% of all Black men in the U.S. ages 18-34 will be behind bars.The fact that so many Black men end up jobless or in prison is not sur­prising to scholars like Jewelle Taylor-Gibbs; for her, Black males in America are ‘at-risk’ from inception:Black men are being slaughtered across this country, but where's the outrage? Where are all the soldiers with automatic weapons? The policemen on every corner? Where are the health department officials calling for a cure to this epidemic?I don't mean outrage from citizens shouting and marching. I'm referring to outrage from human service professionals, the medical community, the president. I'm still waiting for President Barack Obama to interrupt my favorite television show because he has declared a state of emergency.