President Meets With African-American Leaders To Address Economic Concerns

On Thursday, President Barack Obama met with African-American leaders across various organizations to discuss and address growing concerns regarding the economic crisis that continues to grip the country. With the release of “The President’s Plan for a Strong Middle Class and a Strong America” last week, Obama’s presence at the meeting was to hammer home some fine points of the plan as it relates to Black Americans.

The gathering comes on the heels of another related meeting White House officials had with media last week, after the President’ State Of The Union address. NewsOne was in attendance that day and reported on the findings of the meeting. However, the focus for yesterday’s talks were centrally focused on the inequalities that are shaking apart the African-American community.

In attendance were Rev. Al Sharpton; Avis Jones-DeWeever, executive director, National Council of Negro Women; Ben Jealous, president, NAACP; Judith Browne Dianis, co-director, Advancement Project; Melanie Campbell, president, National Coalition of Black Civic Participation; Rev Derrick Harkins, 19th Street Baptist Church; Ralph Everett, president, Joint Center for Economic and Political Studies; Wade Henderson, president, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; and Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks, executive director, National Black Justice Coalition.

President Obama restated his commitment to increasing employment opportunities for those affected strongest by the economic downturn. This includes an increase in job training programs and a call to encourage businesses and companies to invest resources in the neighborhoods they serve. Education was also at the forefront as Obama raised the idea of making universal pre-K available for every child in order to improve the future success of students.

In a statement, Rev. Sharpton commented on his meeting with the President, saying the group focused on voting rights:

“I and other leaders had a very significant discussion with the President about concerns in the African-American community and the civil rights community in general and most specifically about voting rights.

“Just yesterday the state of Virginia House of Delegates passed strict government photo ID requirements for voting. As states around the country engage in what we feel are voter suppression methods, next week the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments about Section 5 of the Voting Rights act.”

Rev. Sharpton also said gun control and unemployment were also important discussion points:

“On unemployment, which is also disproportionately impacting our communities, we must deal with job creation and job programs, educational inequality, the problems of unfairness in the criminal justice system, and the problem of gun violence.

“Many of our communities go unnoticed but suffer a disproportionate number of casualties from gun violence. The President engaged us in a spirited conversation and seemed to be listening intently.”

With the sequester looming and scheduled to take place next Friday (March 1), President Obama called on the leaders to continue speaking to the realities of the deficit reduction. If the automatic cuts do go forward as feared, thousands of jobs and programs will feel the brunt of the shakeup. More importantly, services that help the less fortunate will be cut and the effects could be detrimental.

President Obama thanked the leaders for their continued commitment to the improvement of the country’s economy and their willingness to urge Congress to move swiftly in passing the policies that can get the country moving in a positive direction.

SCRIPTURE:

ISAIAH 31:1

1Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!

 

2Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.

 

3Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.

 

 ISAIAH 9:16

 

For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed

 

DEUTERONOMY 17:15

 

  . Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.

 

DEUTERONOMY 28:29

 

 And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.