Obama: There's no longer time for excuses for black men

President Obama gave a speech to the Morehouse graduates recently.
(Morehouse is historically an all black male college)
I thought it was a pretty good speech.
Good stuff for all graduating college students .. not just the Morehouse grads.

USA Today - Obama: There's no longer time for excuses for black men

President Obama told Morehouse graduates that he once bought into "the world trying to keep a black man down" mentality, but said "there's no longer any room for excuses."

"We've got no time for excuses — not because the bitter legacies of slavery and segregation have vanished entirely; they haven't," Obama told the graduating class and their families who sat through intermittent rain and thunder. "It's just that in today's hyperconnected, hypercompetitive world, with a billion young people from China and India and Brazil entering the global workforce alongside you, nobody is going to give you anything you haven't earned."

Obama spoke in very personal terms to the 500 young men as he urged them to not only become leaders in their community, but also good fathers and good husbands. Obama, who was raised by a single mother and grandparents, lamented the absence of his father in his life and urged the graduates to make family their top priority.

Stay in school.
Drop out rates
60% of school drop outs will end up in jail.

Be good fathers and good husbands.
Last stat I saw said 72% of black children are born into single parent homes.
CDC Birth Rates

His admits that he was into the "the world trying to keep a black man down- mentality" but supposedly now thinks differently. I don't know if this is because he has been away from that 'blame the white man for everything' Chicago 'black liberation theology' cult, or if it's just part of a typical politicians speech and he doesn't mean it. But I found it interesting that what he said is pretty much the opposite of what that cult in Chicago pounded into him for twenty years. ATS Thread - Obama's Church

I've been telling you for years that he doesn't necessarily believe the stuff he learned or believed in his youth anymore. Do any of us? I was a pretty serious rebel for a while, but, like Obama, I grew up.

He makes some really good points. We ALL have to take responsibility of our lives and do what it takes (whatever it takes, even if it's hard and not fair) to get what we want out of life.

Good thread!

Sounds like a typical racist. Just like Grand Wizard Cosby.

I wonder if the outrage will be the same.

reply to post by FlyersFan

60% of school drop outs will end up in jail.

That is a crazy high figure. I wonder what that equated to in actual numbers of persons in the 2012 period.

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
I've been telling you for years that he doesn't necessarily believe the stuff he learned or believed in his youth anymore.

He was a member of that Chicago 'Black Liberation Theology' cult until 6 years ago. So that was well into his 40s .. far past his youth. But I'm not going to nitpic with ya' .... what he said at the graduation was good stuff. I would hope that all the young folks heard it .. especially the folks that eventually end up on Springer or Maury and are 20 years old with four or five kids and no job or high school diploma.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
Sounds like a typical racist. Just like Grand Wizard Cosby.

Was thinking the same thing.
Bill Cosby was telling black youth this same message... decades ago.

Either way, glad they're saying it because if a WHITE person was to utter those words, it would as rasict as you can get.

reply to post by AthlonSavage

More info ...
NY Times - Study Finds High Rate of Imprisonment Among Dropouts

PBS - By the Numbers - Dropping out of High School

Among dropouts between the ages of 16 and 24, incarceration rates were a whopping 63 times higher than among college graduates, according to a study (PDF) by researchers at Northeastern University.

Do Something

One research study pointed out that 82% of America’s prisoners are high school dropouts.

etc etc etc

reply to post by FlyersFan
I'm willing to "give the Devil his due" in this instance. Whether he believes the message of his speech is irrelevant. What is important is that the graduating young men that he gave the speech to take it to heart. Personal responsibility is something that all young adults should take to heart. There is no longer a place to blame race, gender or family dynamics among other things for the state of our lives- our lives and futures are what we make them.

Well, whatever else is happening? It sounds like he and Michelle both had some decent words to share with grad classes and assemblies this year. I did a thread on Michelle's grad speech and it was similar in being realistic without being a political speech meant for the cameras, not the audience at hand. It's nice to see occasionally.

Credit where credit is due, after all...and he gets credit for some solid points made here, IMO.

Wow. Checking that thread on Obama's church I see that a lot of their ideas seem to based largely on being black. Funny how you could never get away with that if the church were centered around being white. I thought as a society we were supposed to be moving in a direction of NON racism, no? Could a white person even attend a service there? Their bylaws sound like a white person might not be welcome.

Obama isnt black. But he is half black. Hes actually therefore able to express two sides of the coin at once even.

Not sure this is a good or bad thing, But lol... I dont know how hes going to suggest these men get rid of habits they have had for years and years. I mean its now a " culture" of behaviour.

Hes needs to offer or suggest practical ways

People make the mistake of thinking " mixed ethnic" people take sides. This isnt true.
Although Obama married a black woman, he was raised by a white woman.

A single white lady...

reply to post by alfa1


Well ,this is silly. If anyone is able to offer help or suggestions to others to improve their lives it has to be seen as a good thing.

But it takes WORK and people who " understands" how this situation has developed. So many people think they can point fingers but it never works. People have to actively to try to create changes via support and education. The issue is that the culture has now been widespread.. what i mean is the behaviour is as they said in 72% of people which is quite high.

It means they need to recuit people perhaps within their own community to do something for their community.

And this takes money and time.

Funny the guy telling us there arent anymore excuses....when he him self does nothing but have excuses.

reply to post by LeoStarchild


No hes specifically talking about men leaving the mother of their children and leaving the tax payer to support them ... and black men not getting jobs.

He isnt speaking of other " excuses" that infact people world wide tend to have at various points

Very nice speech, I like what he has to say about entering the global workforce alongside people from Brazil, India, and China and having to earn what you receive.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


I supported Cosby when he said it, too.

Just imagine, you're a young black kid with a chip on your shoulder, thinking the world owes you a living because of how your ancestors were treated... Who are you going to listen to? Some old white dude, who you've been taught is the CAUSE of all your problems? Or a cool black guy who's "made it" and now has come to give you some solid advice?

Call it racist or whatever you want, but if it helps people to own their own lives and be responsible, I'm ALL for it.

Originally posted by FreedomEntered
reply to post by LeoStarchild

 

No hes specifically talking about men leaving the mother of their children and leaving the tax payer to support them ... and black men not getting jobs.

He isnt speaking of other " excuses" that infact people world wide tend to have at various points

Okay, Using your logic..

Obama has never had a real job. His current 'job' is basically lifetime welfare.
And Leftists love people on the government handouts...so ...whats your point? This is all a joke really.

reply to post by LeoStarchild


Why do you say leftists love government hand outs?

But if you think about it who ever supports this is " cruel" cruel to the children. I mean..

Young women having lots of babies with only runaway dads??!
I dont know why or how these women would want to do it.

But actually its also a " modern problem" to an extent.

I think Obama knows first hand what it is to see a struggling single parent who has been abandoned by the father.

So he does have the right to talk about this... honestly.

Originally posted by FreedomEntered
reply to post by LeoStarchild

 

Why do you say leftists love government hand outs?

But if you think about it who ever supports this is " cruel" cruel to the children. I mean..

Young women having lots of babies with only runaway dads??!
I dont know why or how these women would want to do it.

But actually its also a " modern problem" to an extent.

Not to sound rude or mean but..

Were you born yesterday?