Article By GREG IP in Wall Street Journal
Highlights -
A four-year college degree, seen for generations as a ticket to a better life, is no longer enough to guarantee a steadily rising paycheck.
In the economic expansion that began in 2001 and now appears to be ending, the inflation-adjusted wages of the majority of U.S. workers didn't grow, even among those who went to college. The government's statistical snapshots show the typical weekly salary of a worker with a bachelor's degree, adjusted for inflation, didn't rise last year from 2006 and was 1.7% below the 2001 level.
College-educated workers are more plentiful, more commoditized and more subject to the downsizings that used to be the purview of blue-collar workers only. What employers want from workers nowadays is more narrow, more abstract and less easily learned in college.
To be sure, the average American with a college diploma still earns about 75% more than a worker with a high-school diploma and is less likely to be unemployed. Yet while that so-called college premium is up from 40% in 1979, it is little changed from 2001, according to data compiled by Jared Bernstein of the Economic Policy Institute, a liberal Washington think tank.
A variety of economic forces are at work here. Globalization and technology have altered the types of skills that earn workers a premium wage; in many cases, those skills aren't learned in college classrooms. And compared with previous generations, today's college graduates are far more likely to be competing against educated immigrants and educated workers employed overseas.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Don't Eff with the IT Department
Link - A network administrator has locked up a multimillion dollar computer system for San Francisco that handles sensitive data and is refusing to give police the password, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Monday.
The employee, 43-year-old Terry Childs, was arrested Sunday. He gave some passwords to police, which did not work, and refused to reveal the real code, the paper reported.
The new FiberWAN (Wide Area Network) handles city payroll files, jail bookings, law enforcement documents and official e-mail for San Francisco. The network is functioning but administrators have little or no access.
Childs, who remains in custody, is accused of improperly tampering with computer systems and causing a denial of service, said Kamala Harris, San Francisco's district attorney, on Monday afternoon.
"The bail has been set at $5 million, and the exposure in this case if he were convicted on all counts would be seven years in prison," Harris said.
Harris said it's unknown why Childs tampered with the system. The Chronicle, however, reported that Childs was disciplined recently for poor performance. Childs worked in the Department of Technology for San Francisco, making close to US$150,000 a year, the paper reported.
City officials told the paper that Childs may have caused millions in damage while also rigging the network so that other third parties could monitor traffic, posing a huge data security risk. He is also alleged to have installed a tracing system to monitor communications related to his personnel case.
Let me say this - this guy is the epitome of gangsta. To hold the power of the city's payroll system in his hand and say no, "I'm not giving you the password" is the bomb. Then have a tracking system let him no what is being said about his case so he could possible go back and mess with the people that were against him some more....Priceless.
The employee, 43-year-old Terry Childs, was arrested Sunday. He gave some passwords to police, which did not work, and refused to reveal the real code, the paper reported.
The new FiberWAN (Wide Area Network) handles city payroll files, jail bookings, law enforcement documents and official e-mail for San Francisco. The network is functioning but administrators have little or no access.
Childs, who remains in custody, is accused of improperly tampering with computer systems and causing a denial of service, said Kamala Harris, San Francisco's district attorney, on Monday afternoon.
"The bail has been set at $5 million, and the exposure in this case if he were convicted on all counts would be seven years in prison," Harris said.
Harris said it's unknown why Childs tampered with the system. The Chronicle, however, reported that Childs was disciplined recently for poor performance. Childs worked in the Department of Technology for San Francisco, making close to US$150,000 a year, the paper reported.
City officials told the paper that Childs may have caused millions in damage while also rigging the network so that other third parties could monitor traffic, posing a huge data security risk. He is also alleged to have installed a tracing system to monitor communications related to his personnel case.
Let me say this - this guy is the epitome of gangsta. To hold the power of the city's payroll system in his hand and say no, "I'm not giving you the password" is the bomb. Then have a tracking system let him no what is being said about his case so he could possible go back and mess with the people that were against him some more....Priceless.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Report: NFL to review tape for evidence of on-field gang signs
ESPN.com news services
The NFL has hired experts to study game footage to determine whether players are displaying street-gang hand signals as part of their on-field celebrations, the Los Angeles Times reports.
"There have been some suspected things we've seen," said Milt Ahlerich, the league's vice president of security, according to the Times' report. "When we see it, we quietly jump on it immediately, directly with the team and the player or employee involved to cease and desist. Period."
There have been some suspected things we've seen. When we see it, we quietly jump on it immediately, directly with the team and the player or employee involved to cease and desist. Period.
-- Milt Ahlerich, NFL VP of security
Gang signs in pro sports gained a higher profile during the NBA playoffs, when Boston Celtics captain Paul Pierce was fined $25,000 for making "menacing gestures" toward the Atlanta Hawks' bench during a game.
"We were always suspicious that [gang-related hand signals] might be happening," said Mike Pereira, the NFL's vice president of officiating, according to the report. "But the Paul Pierce thing is what brought it to light. When he was fined … that's when we said we need to take a look at it and see if we need to be aware of it."
Ahlerich said he does not believe the problem is widespread, but added that the league has spoken to some players -- whom he declined to identify -- about their use of hand signals, according to the report.
First-year players were counseled on gangs at the league's recent rookie symposium, and a video on the dangers of gangs was required viewing for every player in the NFL last year, according to the report.
But differentiating between a gang sign and something less menacing can involve some guesswork, according to at least one player.
"Guys come from all over the country, and who knows what they're really doing?" Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Dennis Northcutt said, according to the Times' report. "People have got signs for their kids, signs for their fraternities. How do you differentiate who's really throwing up gang signs?
"This is a gang sign," he added, touching his index finger to his thumb to form a squished version of the hand sign for OK. "But at the same time, it's a sign for a personnel group."
Question - So are these 'experts' on gang signs up to date on every hand signal in America? So much stuff means so much different mess in different neighborhoods, it is impossible to interpret 90% of the crap. I can make up some gang signs tomorrow and it wouldnt make sense to no one outside my "gang". Unless these athletes are blatantly yelling their "sets" out after a big hit, this is almost pointless.
The NFL has hired experts to study game footage to determine whether players are displaying street-gang hand signals as part of their on-field celebrations, the Los Angeles Times reports.
"There have been some suspected things we've seen," said Milt Ahlerich, the league's vice president of security, according to the Times' report. "When we see it, we quietly jump on it immediately, directly with the team and the player or employee involved to cease and desist. Period."
There have been some suspected things we've seen. When we see it, we quietly jump on it immediately, directly with the team and the player or employee involved to cease and desist. Period.
-- Milt Ahlerich, NFL VP of security
Gang signs in pro sports gained a higher profile during the NBA playoffs, when Boston Celtics captain Paul Pierce was fined $25,000 for making "menacing gestures" toward the Atlanta Hawks' bench during a game.
"We were always suspicious that [gang-related hand signals] might be happening," said Mike Pereira, the NFL's vice president of officiating, according to the report. "But the Paul Pierce thing is what brought it to light. When he was fined … that's when we said we need to take a look at it and see if we need to be aware of it."
Ahlerich said he does not believe the problem is widespread, but added that the league has spoken to some players -- whom he declined to identify -- about their use of hand signals, according to the report.
First-year players were counseled on gangs at the league's recent rookie symposium, and a video on the dangers of gangs was required viewing for every player in the NFL last year, according to the report.
But differentiating between a gang sign and something less menacing can involve some guesswork, according to at least one player.
"Guys come from all over the country, and who knows what they're really doing?" Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Dennis Northcutt said, according to the Times' report. "People have got signs for their kids, signs for their fraternities. How do you differentiate who's really throwing up gang signs?
"This is a gang sign," he added, touching his index finger to his thumb to form a squished version of the hand sign for OK. "But at the same time, it's a sign for a personnel group."
Question - So are these 'experts' on gang signs up to date on every hand signal in America? So much stuff means so much different mess in different neighborhoods, it is impossible to interpret 90% of the crap. I can make up some gang signs tomorrow and it wouldnt make sense to no one outside my "gang". Unless these athletes are blatantly yelling their "sets" out after a big hit, this is almost pointless.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Sony PS3 Price Cut in September
Sony cutting 80GB PS3 price to $400 in September, ditching backwards compatibility
Sony just announced at E3 that it's cutting the price of the 80GB PS3 to $400 in September, and that the new model will have the "current functionality" of the 40GB PS3. So it's really more like the the 40GB PS3 is getting a capacity bump, since we're taking that to mean backwards compatibility is going out the window. That also means that the 80GB PS3 now costs the same as a 60GB 360 and an Xbox Live membership, which should make the decision a little harder for some people. We're also wondering if that's the end of the line for PS3 backwards compatibility entirely -- we have a feeling launch consoles are about to get a little more precious.
07-15-2008
The Death of an Empire - AB sold for $52 Billion to InBev
I'm sorry, $52 Billion is not just a big figure, but a large enough figure where you start forgetting where the zeros stop. Anheuser-Busch just became the latest big St. Louis name to be purchased by a rival in recent years. The impact on the local economy of those mergers has been mixed.
2007 — A.G. Edwards is purchased for $6.8 billion by Wachovia Bank, of Charlotte, N.C. The bank now headquarters its securities division here and moved some functions to St. Louis from Richmond, Va., though other jobs were eliminated.
2005 — May Department Stores is bought for $11 billion by Cincinnati-based Federated (now Macy's). Macy's recently announced it will close its regional headquarters in St. Louis, shedding nearly 800 jobs.
2001 — Ralston Purina is purchased for $11.2 billion by Swiss food-maker Nestle S.A. The company continues to house its Pet food division at the old Ralston facilities in St. Louis.
2001 — A near-bankrupt TWA is bought by American Airlines for $3.5 billion. American retains a secondary hub in St. Louis, but has cut hundreds of flights and thousands of jobs here since the merger.
1997 — McDonnell Douglas reaches a $13.3 billion deal to be purchased by Seattle-based Boeing Co. The company's massive defense unit is now based here, but employment has fallen as manufacturing has slowed down and a plant sold off. Still, Boeing remains the region's second-biggest private employer.
Next to go - St. Louis Rams (see Seattle Sonics), Boeing, AT&T
Changing mix of leading employers
While the list of the region's 15 largest private employers hasn't changed dramatically over the last decade, it now contains fewer publicly held St. Louis-based companies and is more concentrated in health care, education and retail.
2007
1. BJC Healthcare 23,500
2. Boeing Co. 15,577
3. Washington University 12,694
4. SSM Health Care 12,204
5. Wal-Mart Stores Co. 10,500
6. Schnuck Markets Inc. 10,500
7. AT&T 10,000
8. St. John's Mercy HealthCare 9,288
9. St. Louis University 8,434
10. McDonald's Corp. 7,500
11. Anheuser-Busch Cos. 6,000
12. Walgreens 5,725
13. Macy's 5,400
14. Edward Jones 4,712
15. Dierbergs Markets 4,600
1997
1. BJC HealthSystem 25,500 - Still #1, one of the few growing industries left.
2. Boeing Co. 22,800 - Never know with government contracts how long the jobs will be there.
3. Unity/Mercy Health Sys. 14,447 - Couldn't compete with BJC.
4. Schnuck Markets Inc. 12,200 - Still hanging tough, won the supermarket war versus Dierbergs/Nationals.
5. McDonald's Corp. 10,700 - One of the fattest states in the union, Super size me.
6. SSM Health Care System 9,700
7. Washington University 9,353 - Tuition is up to 40k, not going anywhere.
8. Trans World Airlines 9,000 - Now America and reduced to a hub.
9. SBC Communications Inc. 8,863 - Now AT&T.
10. May Department Stores 7,800 - Now Macys and cutting jobs.
11. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. 7,750
12. Chrysler Corp. 7,662 - Cutting the jobs as of 2009.
13. Tenet Healthcare Corp. 7,504
14. St. Louis University 6,638 - Tuition is up to 30k, not going anywhere.
15. Anheuser-Busch Cos. 5,400
2007 — A.G. Edwards is purchased for $6.8 billion by Wachovia Bank, of Charlotte, N.C. The bank now headquarters its securities division here and moved some functions to St. Louis from Richmond, Va., though other jobs were eliminated.
2005 — May Department Stores is bought for $11 billion by Cincinnati-based Federated (now Macy's). Macy's recently announced it will close its regional headquarters in St. Louis, shedding nearly 800 jobs.
2001 — Ralston Purina is purchased for $11.2 billion by Swiss food-maker Nestle S.A. The company continues to house its Pet food division at the old Ralston facilities in St. Louis.
2001 — A near-bankrupt TWA is bought by American Airlines for $3.5 billion. American retains a secondary hub in St. Louis, but has cut hundreds of flights and thousands of jobs here since the merger.
1997 — McDonnell Douglas reaches a $13.3 billion deal to be purchased by Seattle-based Boeing Co. The company's massive defense unit is now based here, but employment has fallen as manufacturing has slowed down and a plant sold off. Still, Boeing remains the region's second-biggest private employer.
Next to go - St. Louis Rams (see Seattle Sonics), Boeing, AT&T
Changing mix of leading employers
While the list of the region's 15 largest private employers hasn't changed dramatically over the last decade, it now contains fewer publicly held St. Louis-based companies and is more concentrated in health care, education and retail.
2007
1. BJC Healthcare 23,500
2. Boeing Co. 15,577
3. Washington University 12,694
4. SSM Health Care 12,204
5. Wal-Mart Stores Co. 10,500
6. Schnuck Markets Inc. 10,500
7. AT&T 10,000
8. St. John's Mercy HealthCare 9,288
9. St. Louis University 8,434
10. McDonald's Corp. 7,500
11. Anheuser-Busch Cos. 6,000
12. Walgreens 5,725
13. Macy's 5,400
14. Edward Jones 4,712
15. Dierbergs Markets 4,600
1997
1. BJC HealthSystem 25,500 - Still #1, one of the few growing industries left.
2. Boeing Co. 22,800 - Never know with government contracts how long the jobs will be there.
3. Unity/Mercy Health Sys. 14,447 - Couldn't compete with BJC.
4. Schnuck Markets Inc. 12,200 - Still hanging tough, won the supermarket war versus Dierbergs/Nationals.
5. McDonald's Corp. 10,700 - One of the fattest states in the union, Super size me.
6. SSM Health Care System 9,700
7. Washington University 9,353 - Tuition is up to 40k, not going anywhere.
8. Trans World Airlines 9,000 - Now America and reduced to a hub.
9. SBC Communications Inc. 8,863 - Now AT&T.
10. May Department Stores 7,800 - Now Macys and cutting jobs.
11. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. 7,750
12. Chrysler Corp. 7,662 - Cutting the jobs as of 2009.
13. Tenet Healthcare Corp. 7,504
14. St. Louis University 6,638 - Tuition is up to 30k, not going anywhere.
15. Anheuser-Busch Cos. 5,400
Monday, July 14, 2008
After 34 years, CBS' Packer done with Final Four
From ESPN
Billy Packer will reportedly be replaced by CBS studio analyst Clark Kellogg.
Packer, a color commentator, will be replaced in CBS' coverage by studio analyst Clark Kellogg, according to media reports Monday.
Jim Nantz will continue in his Final Four play-by-play role.
Packer, 68, will leave CBS after 28 years to pursue "other projects in basketball," according to The Miami Herald.
An announcement was expected Monday.
Speculation of Packer's exit was fueled amid widespread criticism during this year's tournament. Early in the 2008 semifinal between Kansas and North Carolina, with the Jayhawks up 38-12, Packer declared, "The game is over." (PS - Nantz didnt catch any slack for saying yes it is. Followed by "Kansas is pummeling North Carolina.")
North Carolina cut the lead to 54-50 with 11 minutes left before Kansas pulled away, winning 84-66. (I think the score shows that the game...indeed was over)
The Jayhawks beat Memphis 75-68 to claim the national title.
Packer, who began his Final Four run at NBC, later defended the comment to USA Today.
"My job is to say what I see, not have some kind of subconscious feelings about offending anybody. ... It probably annoyed some people, but I don't concern myself with having some agenda that's contrary to what I'm seeing," he said.
I am going to miss when he yells out "with the kiss", and when he keeps it real about "fagging out."
Billy Packer will reportedly be replaced by CBS studio analyst Clark Kellogg.
Packer, a color commentator, will be replaced in CBS' coverage by studio analyst Clark Kellogg, according to media reports Monday.
Jim Nantz will continue in his Final Four play-by-play role.
Packer, 68, will leave CBS after 28 years to pursue "other projects in basketball," according to The Miami Herald.
An announcement was expected Monday.
Speculation of Packer's exit was fueled amid widespread criticism during this year's tournament. Early in the 2008 semifinal between Kansas and North Carolina, with the Jayhawks up 38-12, Packer declared, "The game is over." (PS - Nantz didnt catch any slack for saying yes it is. Followed by "Kansas is pummeling North Carolina.")
North Carolina cut the lead to 54-50 with 11 minutes left before Kansas pulled away, winning 84-66. (I think the score shows that the game...indeed was over)
The Jayhawks beat Memphis 75-68 to claim the national title.
Packer, who began his Final Four run at NBC, later defended the comment to USA Today.
"My job is to say what I see, not have some kind of subconscious feelings about offending anybody. ... It probably annoyed some people, but I don't concern myself with having some agenda that's contrary to what I'm seeing," he said.
I am going to miss when he yells out "with the kiss", and when he keeps it real about "fagging out."
Friday, July 11, 2008
Note to A-Rod: Tie Her to a Rocket
It's cheaper to keep her. Or that's what I heard. Why in the hell would A-Rod risk a marriage over Madonna? She was past her prime 10 years ago. Details on the divorce:
Cynthia Rodriguez filed for divorce in Florida, not New York where they also claim residency due to the perceived leniency of Florida law.
Cynthia's filing says she wants the couple's $12 million mansion in Coral Gables, Fla., along with alimony, her Maybach, and up to half of the more-than-$140 million A-Rod has earned during their six-year marriage. Sure that isn't MJ money, but it is definitely Paul McCarthy. At least MJ was with her for about 15 years, not 6.
Under Florida law, a prenup has to be "fair and reasonable" to be considered enforceable. Gold-Bikin said prenups she has seen in other states "that say, 'the woman gets nothing' " would not be upheld in Florida.
A-Rod has hired the same attorney that Shaq had, even though his divorce talks have cooled down.
Tie her to a Rocket reference. Fast forward to 3:50 for Big Boi.
Cynthia Rodriguez filed for divorce in Florida, not New York where they also claim residency due to the perceived leniency of Florida law.
Cynthia's filing says she wants the couple's $12 million mansion in Coral Gables, Fla., along with alimony, her Maybach, and up to half of the more-than-$140 million A-Rod has earned during their six-year marriage. Sure that isn't MJ money, but it is definitely Paul McCarthy. At least MJ was with her for about 15 years, not 6.
Under Florida law, a prenup has to be "fair and reasonable" to be considered enforceable. Gold-Bikin said prenups she has seen in other states "that say, 'the woman gets nothing' " would not be upheld in Florida.
A-Rod has hired the same attorney that Shaq had, even though his divorce talks have cooled down.
Tie her to a Rocket reference. Fast forward to 3:50 for Big Boi.
When The Man is One of Us
This is a great perspective on why Black America (particularly "the Black Caucus") may not be ready for a Black President. Check out theroot.com more often for some great insight into culture, politics, and news.
By Jack White | TheRoot.com
Sure, Jesse is an old fool who doesn't know how to act. But his latest gaffe shows how none of us is really ready for this moment.
July 10, 2008--On one level, it is easy to dismiss the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.'s crudely worded metaphorical threat to castrate Barack Obama for supposedly talking down to black people as the raving of an increasingly irrelevant, former big shot suffused with resentment at the rising star who pushed him off stage.
That, after all, is the sort of talk we'd expect from a lynch mob, not a civil rights leader who does not seem to realize that the times have passed him by. Even his son and namesake, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., agrees that his dad is doing more harm these days than good. Pronouncing himself outraged and disappointed by his father's ugly words about Obama, Jackson Jr. issued a statement that, in effect, ordered dear old dad to "keep hope alive" and shut up.
That's good advice, and one can only hope that Jackson Sr. accepts it. But in a deeper sense, his stunningly inappropriate comments symbolize the social, political and psychological vertigo that all of us, and especially black Americans, are experiencing because of Obama's success. We are all, including Obama, in a place we never really thought we would be, and it has knocked us off our feet. We don't know how to act. We don't have a plan. We're searching for our equilibrium. And until we regain our footing, we can expect all sorts of bizarre behavior from people who ought to know better. Hold on to your hat.
We haven't really been in a place this confusing since 1954, when the NAACP's crusade against segregation culminated in the Brown vs. Board decision and the walls came tumbling down. It's fair to say that we were so focused on winning that fight that we weren't prepared for the victory or its aftermath. We've spent nearly 60 years since then trying to figure out what kind of relationship we want to have with America and with each other. For the most part, we, like Jackson Sr., have seen ourselves as outsiders battling for justice and a seat at the table. Our default has been to protest. And while that mindset has served us well, it has, in a flash, been made damn near obsolete by the prospect, even the likelihood, that one of us may soon become the most powerful man in the world. If that happens, how can we seriously argue that we're being held back by anything but the limits we place on ourselves?
That, it seems to me, accounts in part for the frustration some of us are feeling by what we interpret as Obama's move to the center. We are simply not accustomed to one of our own playing real, power politics. Some of us see his call for an expansion of George Bush's half-hearted commitment to faith-based social programs as mere politics, what Jackson Sr. castigated as "talking down to black people." We explain Obama's support for the compromise Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the Supreme Court's upholding of a citizen's right to bear arms as attempts to inoculate himself against Republican attacks.
And, of course, they are.
But they, like Obama's Father's Day speech urging black men to take more responsibility for their children, are more than political posturing. They represent the first stirrings of a new consensus that places more emphasis on a public discussion of personal responsibility than on protest, on publicly delving into our own shortcomings and dysfunctional behavior.
There's nothing new about this kind of self-examination, but in the past we've conducted it mainly in private, in barbershops and beauty parlors, and churches. We've bristled when whites in power like Daniel Patrick Moynihan, joined in the critique of, for example, our soaring rate of out-of-wedlock births. We've moaned about the negative consequences of washing dirty laundry in public. But such a self-protective mindset no longer makes sense because Obama is one of us, who has taken part in our private handwringing about the self-inflicted wounds that bedevil segments of the black community. He hasn't said anything most of us haven't heard or said at the dinner table. But now, because Obama is who he is, the whole world is listening in to the conversation.
The attention makes us uncomfortable and disoriented. So does the prospect that one of us might soon be in charge of trying to fix this mess instead of simply complaining about it.
We're not really ready for the day when The Man becomes a black man.
It's a dizzying idea that is going to take some getting used to. And until we do, we'll stumble about, like Jesse Jackson Sr., saying all kinds of crazy things as we slip and slide on the new paradigm.
Jack White is a former columnist with TIME magazine.
By Jack White | TheRoot.com
Sure, Jesse is an old fool who doesn't know how to act. But his latest gaffe shows how none of us is really ready for this moment.
July 10, 2008--On one level, it is easy to dismiss the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.'s crudely worded metaphorical threat to castrate Barack Obama for supposedly talking down to black people as the raving of an increasingly irrelevant, former big shot suffused with resentment at the rising star who pushed him off stage.
That, after all, is the sort of talk we'd expect from a lynch mob, not a civil rights leader who does not seem to realize that the times have passed him by. Even his son and namesake, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., agrees that his dad is doing more harm these days than good. Pronouncing himself outraged and disappointed by his father's ugly words about Obama, Jackson Jr. issued a statement that, in effect, ordered dear old dad to "keep hope alive" and shut up.
That's good advice, and one can only hope that Jackson Sr. accepts it. But in a deeper sense, his stunningly inappropriate comments symbolize the social, political and psychological vertigo that all of us, and especially black Americans, are experiencing because of Obama's success. We are all, including Obama, in a place we never really thought we would be, and it has knocked us off our feet. We don't know how to act. We don't have a plan. We're searching for our equilibrium. And until we regain our footing, we can expect all sorts of bizarre behavior from people who ought to know better. Hold on to your hat.
We haven't really been in a place this confusing since 1954, when the NAACP's crusade against segregation culminated in the Brown vs. Board decision and the walls came tumbling down. It's fair to say that we were so focused on winning that fight that we weren't prepared for the victory or its aftermath. We've spent nearly 60 years since then trying to figure out what kind of relationship we want to have with America and with each other. For the most part, we, like Jackson Sr., have seen ourselves as outsiders battling for justice and a seat at the table. Our default has been to protest. And while that mindset has served us well, it has, in a flash, been made damn near obsolete by the prospect, even the likelihood, that one of us may soon become the most powerful man in the world. If that happens, how can we seriously argue that we're being held back by anything but the limits we place on ourselves?
That, it seems to me, accounts in part for the frustration some of us are feeling by what we interpret as Obama's move to the center. We are simply not accustomed to one of our own playing real, power politics. Some of us see his call for an expansion of George Bush's half-hearted commitment to faith-based social programs as mere politics, what Jackson Sr. castigated as "talking down to black people." We explain Obama's support for the compromise Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the Supreme Court's upholding of a citizen's right to bear arms as attempts to inoculate himself against Republican attacks.
And, of course, they are.
But they, like Obama's Father's Day speech urging black men to take more responsibility for their children, are more than political posturing. They represent the first stirrings of a new consensus that places more emphasis on a public discussion of personal responsibility than on protest, on publicly delving into our own shortcomings and dysfunctional behavior.
There's nothing new about this kind of self-examination, but in the past we've conducted it mainly in private, in barbershops and beauty parlors, and churches. We've bristled when whites in power like Daniel Patrick Moynihan, joined in the critique of, for example, our soaring rate of out-of-wedlock births. We've moaned about the negative consequences of washing dirty laundry in public. But such a self-protective mindset no longer makes sense because Obama is one of us, who has taken part in our private handwringing about the self-inflicted wounds that bedevil segments of the black community. He hasn't said anything most of us haven't heard or said at the dinner table. But now, because Obama is who he is, the whole world is listening in to the conversation.
The attention makes us uncomfortable and disoriented. So does the prospect that one of us might soon be in charge of trying to fix this mess instead of simply complaining about it.
We're not really ready for the day when The Man becomes a black man.
It's a dizzying idea that is going to take some getting used to. And until we do, we'll stumble about, like Jesse Jackson Sr., saying all kinds of crazy things as we slip and slide on the new paradigm.
Jack White is a former columnist with TIME magazine.
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