HomeMy WebLinkAbout2-17-2021_Open Session_General Comments_Brown, Hardy Jr_Black History Month and Racism_Hardy Brown, Publisher Emeritus Call 909-384-5208 for 2/17/21 Council Meeting In keeping with Black History Month, I want to use my time reviewing a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. of Two Americas with the impact of Racism. Dr. King gave this speech at Stanford University on April 14th 1967. The main theme of it was about RACISM and half way into the speech he said “Hitler was a sick and tragic man who carried Racism to its logical conclusion and ended up killing six million Jews”. He went on to say that racism is a tragedy because its ultimate logic is genocide. Dr. King said “if I am not good enough to live next door, eat at a lunch counter, have a decent job or go to school with you, because of my race, you are saying consciously or unconsciously, I do not deserve to exist. He concluded that paragraph by saying, and this is
a great tragedy of it. I say that however unpleasant it is, we must honestly see and
admit that racism is still deeply rooted all over America. It’s still deeply rooted in the
North, and it’s still deeply rooted in the South” end of quote; But, now I add out west
and here in San Bernardino City.
Yes we have made some progress in living where our money can buy, eat at any
lunch counter, being educated in every classroom but Blacks can’t get a decent job
with the city. We are good enough to pay all the taxes for white people to earn high
salaries to live in other cities and thrive.
According to the Budget report tonight, the city is in good financial shape with a
projected surplus of funds. I opposed Measure S only because I have not seen any
evidence by you that Blacks have been or will be included in the benefits for paying
taxes. I keep hoping that you will prove me wrong but you continue to hire only
whites in management positions and you want to have outside white developers
rebuild and plan the city according to the agenda. Even changing the rules to
appoint non-residents to committees to plan downtown.
I see six cities in San Bernardino, one Black, Latina, Native Indian, Asian and white.
All of them live here but they cannot work here. We have a poverty rate of 30% with
and unemployment rate higher than any city in California. This is what Dr. King told
the students at Stanford. He pointed out the good life of whites in America and poor
life of the citizens of color. Oh, the sixth city begins every workday, when the white
staff comes into the city to work and then vacate the city at sundown and returns to
their well-kept communities.
It is sad to say that while the city I love to live in has practiced Racism since the
days of the Railroad Tracks, Freeway. Housing of Valley Truck Farm, Westside
community, segregation of school, the Inland Center Mall, Central City Mall,
redevelopment of downtown, Shandin Hill Country Club, Hospitality Lane and now
rebuilding our city again.
What will the history books say about your legacy in the city that you manage? Will it
be that you were inclusive of all its citizens? You should read his speech. Have a Happy Black History Month Celebration.