Shelley’s Plumbline

Send us Fan MailIn this week's podcast, Dr. Ricky Jones calls out modern efforts to roll back Civil Rights gains. The discussion highlights the systematic underfunding of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the use of anti-affirmative action and anti-DEI movements to restrict Black student access and support at predominantly white institutions. We discuss how the real value of education is not economic profit, but rather its power to create critically thinking individuals who are capable of examining and challenging the society in which they live. The segment concludes with a consensus that the current lack of critical thinking, fueled by miseducation, is allowing the media to manipulate the masses.Support the showFollow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and  LinkedIn.

Send us Fan MailThis episode of Shelley's Plumbline explores the question of what we, as Black men and a people, have done wrong in the ongoing struggle for equality? Stewart frames this introspection with painful memories of childhood segregation and being told he was "wrong" simply because of his color. Dr. Jones refines the query into two parts: "What is wrong with blackness" that the country treats Black people the way it does, and what tactical mistakes have been made in addressing these issues, such as the push for integration or traditional politics. Shelley also recounts his experience as a broadcaster confronting racism, often facing criticism from others in the Black community who accused him of "stirring up trouble" or being wrong for speaking his mind.The conversation emphasizes the critical difference between external criticism and self-critique, with Dr. Jones warning against the narcissism of people who only discuss wrongs done to them, not wrongs they have committed. Stewart shares a powerful personal story illustrating his decades-long commitment to justice: he was so disturbed by a white preacher using the radio airwaves to promote segregation, arguing that "black birds and white birds" don't fly together, that he eventually bought the station to take the message off the air. The co-hosts connect this generational struggle to modern challenges, noting that the community solidarity seen in the Civil Rights era has fractured, attributing the decline in part to Black people buying "lock, stock, and barrel into American individualism."Support the showFollow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and  LinkedIn.

Send us Fan MailHey, Plumbliners. As we rewind through some of our most popular podcasts, we couldn’t overlook our very first. It was published on April 17, 2023. And it’s about Internalized Racism. Take a listen.Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and  LinkedIn.