Week
of
10/24/97:		 To what extent are African Americans in prominent positions nevertheless under a responsibility to use their positions to promote Black points of view and interests?



Name: simon
Email: simonzealot@hotmail.com
Response: African Americans have the responsibility of being African Americans. It should not take any extra effort to be that which you are already are. I believe that if a person has the will and abillity to bring about a change then they should be the catalyst for the change is the change is necessary. I also believe that just because you are African American necessarily means it is always good. There are a lot of our brother and sisters who have bought into the lie and are no good to our people or themselves. What it boils down to is this no matter who you are are where you are, your responsibility should be to do the right thing, the right way for the right reasons, expecting the right results, to benefit your brother and sisters and glorify God according to His word. Peace.


Name: Jason Fraser
Email: jfraser@law.columbia.edu
Response: I think that the problem with many African-American leaders and those in prominent positions is that they are not accountable to masses of black people. They of course, have a responsibility, but very little accountability. When we in the black community find a way to hold our leaders accountable to us rather than to some other institution or some other people then we will truly see change.


Name: Monica G. Wood
Email: monicaw@afroam.org
Response: African Americans in any position have a responsibility to our community to speak out and help out when they see our fellow brothers/sisters being cheated out of what society has for us all to take advantage of, civil/human rights. It is even more important that those of us that "make it" into a position where we are respected and admired by many that we make it our mission in life to help those who's voice is not seen as important as ours maybe. If in a position to make a difference, one must see it for what it is, a blessing. God gave us this blessing for a reason. We must make sure we use it for the advantage of all.


Name: Joyce Jones-Garrett
Email: jljonesgarrett@marathonoil.com
Response: I have a problem with the word "responsibility". I feel that points of view and issues transcend all races. I don't feel that there is such a thing as black point of view or black issue unless we choose to segregrate ourselves or worse yet consider ourselves different in the way that we think, feel and react to any given situation. Granted, there may be ideologies that we are more passionate about but I wish to be viewed as a person, not as a race. Given this, I would say that no, prominence in any field does not carry with it an obligation to promote anything other than what one feels most compassionate about.


Name: k!
Email: T54CC@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Response: I think that African-Americans in prominent positions do have a responsibility to speak out on views that concerns us. Those in high places are kept in high regard, and sometimes their opinions carry a lot of weight. If we're to work together, we must also count on those in prominent positions


Name: Frances Murphy
Email: FrankieLou@aol.com
Response: Blacks, like all people, must understand the importance of power and how to use it. Nothing is more chiling than to watch an African-American sit back and let people of other races spout out stereotypes about us. If we want to count as we "sit at the table" then we must make sure that others understand that we African-Americans have feelings, we bleed and we have earned our slice of the pie. That's what is called getting self respect. Watch people like Dr. Dorothy Height of the NCNW or the Rev. Jesse Jackson or Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman and you will understand what I am talking about.


Name: Trafeastyo
Email: Trafeastyo@aol.com
Response: African-Americans in prominent positions must make attempts to promote the points of view of all "oppressed, underpriveleged, and disinfranchised people of their communities. Those issues that have an impact on Black people are inherent in the issues of the oppressed people of any community. Any Afro-American with the opportunity to affect change must do so.


Name:
Email: beryhart@sprynet.com
Response: Someone please help me understand the question. What is a "black point of view" or "black interest"? Seems to me points of view and interests among blacks are as varied as individual blacks. There is no one voice or several voices for us all. Interests are more regional than they are common among all blacks. The responsibilities of African Americans in prominent positions are to see that fairness takes place. African Americans must be the watchdogs that guard liberties for all, especially since too many others are unwilling to do so. This nation is grounded in individual pursuit; when we persist in promoting group dynamics, that task becomes too unwieldly. African Americans in prominent positions must continue to speak out for equality and freedom of opportunity for all. Then each of us, all of us, can begin to access a system that rewards individual capabilities.


Name: Randall
Email: B1More1@AOL.com
Response: To the extent that they are trying to promote themselves or people who look like them.


Name: Solomon Landers
Email: Numberup@worldnet.att.net
Response: African Americans in prominent positions have the same responsibility that all of us have: to do the right thing! It just so happens that African Americans are also the victims of a lot of societal and governmental wrongdoing. That means that the Brother or Sister in a prominent position may have to speak truth to power that is higher still, in order to right a wrong and work for justice and equality. But this is a debt we all owe to ourselves, our people, our society and our country, so that there may actually be "liberty and justice for all." The American Dream should me more than just a motto, it should be a reality. When racist and radical forces stand in the way of its realization, the African American in a prominent position, no less than anyone else, has a responsibility to strive to actuate the Dream.


Name: jed Ashton
Email: Jed Ashton@aol.com
Response: Promote to whom? it is there responsiblity to provide opportunities of young afrikans in america, not to get more famous "promoting" ideas to people who are not interested in hearing them and who actively are attempting to kills us any way.


Name: IDon'tKnowAnymore
Email: bradfo43@ccvax.mmc.edu
Response: To the extent that they will not lose their jobs, or abilities to create a decent livelihood for themselves.