Political Quotes

“Let me begin with a quote. ``At the bottom of education, at the bottom of politics, even at the bottom of religion, there must be economic independence.'' Booker T. Washington from 1903. These words, spoken more than a century ago by one of our foremost African American thinkers and educators, perhaps might be more relevant today than they were in 1903. For far too long, the current administration has danced around this issue, hoping that it would go away. But it is time that we state the truth. Our economy is in decline. Today, hardworking African American families are struggling to make ends meet in this slowing economy. Wages are flat, prices are high, and for many, jobs are hard to come by. These problems are even greater in the African American community. Unemployment rates for African Americans are consistently almost double for white Americans. The median family earnings of full-time African American workers is consistently over $130 less than white workers who are similarly educated and situated. The poverty rate for African Americans is almost double the national poverty rate, 24 percent versus 12.5 percent. And more than triple, 33 percent versus 9.8 percent, for children under the age of 18. Home ownership for African Americans is 48 percent compared to 72 percent for white Americans. And African Americans are more than two times more likely to have been denied a mortgage, and more than two times more likely to receive predatory loans.”