Writing at the Huffington Post, Gil Robertson says that African Americans should pay close attention to this example of how to manage a group agenda.
Of course the LGBT community's campaign to push forward its mandate could not have been achieved without the example put forth by African Americans to achieve Civil Rights over half a century ago. However, as of late, the black community has fallen backward in realizing the full potential of that promise. In a way very similar to African Americans, the LGBT community has had to overcome many perceived deficits flanked by deeply rooted stereotype and prejudice. But the success of this community's current efforts clearly demonstrates the results that come with a consistent willingness to run the "extra mile."
Today, for far too many African Americans, the opposite seems to be true. Nowadays many in our community appear to be content only as spectators to the amazing degree of anarchy taking place in our inner-city neighborhoods. However, with the pathology of violence and underachievement now raising its ugly head across class and income lines, the black middle class has shockingly discovered that the "chickens do come home to sleep at night," and that the distance we thought we were away from our "brothers," is not as far as we perceived.
A revamped action plan is what's desperately needed in the African American community. And it must be developed without the denial, finger-pointing or excuses that too often has been trademark to our time and effort, and has achieve few real results. We must also adopt new role models, instead of extolling the virtues of TV shows like Atlanta Housewives, Love & Hip Hop, Basketball Wives and media personalities like Lil Wayne and other pop culture creations whose values are contaminating the community.
Read Gil Robertson's entire piece at the Huffington Post.
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