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A conservative Black scholar's view on Race in America

Uploaded: Jul 9, 2020

Hoover Institution Senior Fellow Shelby Steele minces no words when he describes the current Black Lives Matter and other racial protests—they are a “distraction” from the real issues facing the Black community.

Shelby, a Hoover fellow at Stanford since 1994, speaks from first-hand experience during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. On Tuesday, Steele spoke with Hoover Director Tom Gilligan during one of its virtual briefings on Race in America. That’s one of his areas of expertise.

He contrasted what he described as the great moral causes of the 1960s—civil rights for Blacks, equal opportunities for women and the Viet Nam War—with the racial unrest of today. His view is the protesters really don’t know what they want and what they stand for. He believes there has been significant progress over the last 60 years in the civil rights and women’s opportunities areas. There’s still more to be done.

Steele said that during the 1960s non-violent protests marchers dressed in their Sunday best and organizers insisted that people were polite or they were asked to leave.

He readily identified the No. 1 “authentic challenge—the absolute collapse of the Black family. There’s no hope if Black America does not address this problem.”

The collapse of the Black family stems directly from the Great Society social programs that began in the 1960s. There’s been multiple generations of Black children raised without a father in the house.

Bob Woodson, another Black man, established the Woodson Center in Washington D.C. in 1991 to help under-served communities help themselves. In an interview, he pointed out that throughout centuries of slavery and then after the civil war Black children were raised by intact families with a mom and a dad. That was true for 70 percent of Black children through the 1950s and into the 1960s. Today 75% of Black babies are born out of wedlock.

When asked about the Left and its appeal to Black voters, he said that they needed the Blacks to be “victims” so they can expand the government programs. He suggested the way to have productive conversations with Black leaders was to acknowledge the centuries of suffering and recognize their talent for survival in awful conditions. The Civil Rights movement “transformed the moral character of Western Civilization.”

Steele said the Black community needs to focus on intact families and education. If a 4th grader cannot read, he or she has an extremely limited future. Steele said his grandfather was born a slave and he would not take reparations if they were offered.

As a conservative, his view of the solution centers on individual freedom, individual freedom and responsible citizenship.

He also labeled the New York Times’ 1619 Project as “politicizing history.” The project rewrites American history from the date the first slaves arrived from Africa.

It’s being countered by the Woodson Center’s 1776 Group of distinguished Black scholars and conservatives that is embracing the United State history.

In the conclusion of last Thursday’s blog, I noted how complicated the issue is with so many layers. My opinion from last week has not changed. Quality information from a variety of viewpoints is always helpful.



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Comments

Posted by Jocelyn Combs, a resident of Pleasanton Valley,
on Jul 9, 2020 at 11:49 am

Tim,
Thank you for continuing this thread. Please take this new information and have some personal discussions about it with the black pastors you spoke with for your last article.
I believe those might be enlightening conversations especially if you ask “where do we go from here?"
Systemic racism, police brutality and the prison pipeline are serious problems in this country and need to be addressed, whether or not you support the phrase “Black Lives Matter".


Posted by Alex, a resident of Danville,
on Jul 9, 2020 at 11:58 am

Mr. Steele is 100% accurate on his analysis. If a Caucasian stated the same exact opinion, he would be labeled "racist". As an African-American, he is labeled an "Uncle Tom". That is a major problem in our current mob mentality world, if you state an opinion that the far left does not agree with, you are labeled, persecuted, to the point people call for you to lose your job. The Democratic Party use to be the party of free speech, supporting the right to have opinions that the mainstream may not agree with. This has completely changed, largely due to the media and their own biases, where the far left will take drastic steps to attack you for your own opinions.

The current owner of the Atlanta WNBA team is a conservative Republican Senator. She has not done anything wrong other than to support the flag, the police, and to have opinions on issues that the far left does not agree with. However, players, the media, and now corporate sponsors who are being threatened, are demanding she resign her ownership. Free speech, protected under the Constitution, no longer exists.

Black lives matter. What happened to Mr. Floyd is horrific, absolutely terrible, and the officer was immediately fired and criminally charged. He will spend the rest of his life in prison, like he should. The justice system is not perfect, nothing is, but for the media and the far left to call for the defunding and removal of the police departments is so outrageous, and it will actually hurt African-Americans more than anyone else as dangerous inner cities will get worse. I have friends who are police officers, both in inner cities, and they regularly tell me that it is the elderly African Americans in the inner cities who always shake their hands, thank them for keeping their neighborhood safe, and depend on the police for their safety. If the police are defunded, removed, it is the most vulnerable African-Americans who will suffer.

Black lives matter, but the way black on black crime has escalated over the years, it is time for the far left and the media to take their misguided anger at the police and shine it on the criminals who are killing each other in record numbers in African-American communities. Last year, only 10 unarmed African-Americans were killed by the police in the U.S., but yet in a normal weekend in Chicago over 25 African-Americans will be killed by African-Americans. The police are not the cause of this. "White entitlement" is not the cause of this. As Mr. Steele said, it is the break down of the African-American community that is the cause, with 75% of African-Americans being born out of wedlock. Raising children is ridiculously difficult, even with mom and dad both actively involved, and without dad being around undesirables in the community will play a large part in the socialization and forming of the child's character.

Things will get worse in our country, as the media and the far left take drastic steps to stop the sharing of freedom of ideas and speech, and mob mentality will remove the police from doing their important job of keeping communities safe and free from violence. Before a Caucasian liberal lectures us on why we need to defund the police, he should go talk to the elderly African-Americans living in war zones in the big cities, and really listen to them. Yes, we need to do better in ending police brutality and racism, but we need to be able to share ideas, exercise our freedom of speech without fear of retribution, and really work together in solving these problems. In this current mob mentality culture, there is no hope for ending violence and truly supporting the notion of black lives matter.


Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on Jul 9, 2020 at 12:34 pm

I welcome Conservative Black Scholars to the conversation. I also appreciate the presence of Black Scholars in general: Web Link

America is at its best when multiple opinions are considered.

President Trump has failed miserably to recognize and accept the presence of Black skin in the US. HOW SAD. INCIDENTALLY, BLACK SCHOLARS HAVE HAD TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF TAXES. HOPEFULLY, NY WILL SOON LEARN IF PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ACTUALLY PAID HIS FAIR SHARE OF TAXES.


Posted by Jake Waters, a resident of Birdland,
on Jul 9, 2020 at 2:58 pm

First Tom, let me express my respect for you, and that I have always enjoyed your thoughts. I sense your struggle of inner reflection from your column earlier regarding your perception of ideologies and events taking place since the death of George Floyd. Let me offer mine.

I don't necessarily believe this is a difficult topic, nor does it present many layers. It's not that complicated. What makes it difficult is there are those that want to lecture rather than have a conversation- a common expression used by politicians to avoid the interaction all together. One is immediately silenced, threatened, fired, dismissed, and labeled terrible things if you disagree or want to provide actual data to reveal what is occurring. My point will be made by those that respond to me following my comments- just wait and see.

I've read Shelby Steele's works, and listen to Bob Woodson on a regular basis. I also enjoy Candace Owens, Brandon Tatum, Peter Kirsanow, David Clarke, to name a few. Any one of these people will tell you that Black Lives Matter, the organization, is a self-proclaimed trained Marxist anarchist group with a manifesto that wants to dismantle America, and that they have no particular interest in Black American lives- Don Lemon admitted that just a few days ago. BLM leadership has already stated they want Trump defeated. This is about the election, and everything since November 9th, 2016 has been about this period in time. Surprisingly that BLM would want the only President since Lincoln that has accomplished more for Black American lives, and that includes President Obama, though he was in office for 8 years. Not to mention the awards that Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson bestowed on him in the 1980's. Oh, they want to keep that quiet.

I have attended four race relation seminars since 1971 when I was originally drafted into the Army. In 1972, the military was experiencing racial unrest, so their solution was to require us to participate in a two day training seminar. No participation or training occurred. It wasn't a ‘conversation,' it was a lecture by activists within the military and members of the local community. The second seminar came a year later. Once out of the military, I attended two more seminars in race relations as required by my profession- again, no conversation, just a lecture from members of the activist organizations in the community and academia inclined experts. It was proposed, as it is now, that we were guilty of an ‘original sin.' In all four settings, we were treated as children being scolded by angry parents. I have to believe that corporations, schools, government, and more are scrambling to design something similar to what I went through.

The discussion can never be about data or facts- that which I provided in earlier columns, and has been covered by @Alex above, because the ‘Cancel Culture' doesn't want to hear it, and is doing everything to destroy that research and those connected with it. Case in point: the data and research used by Heather Mac Donald's book ‘War On Cops' is under attack. They will be coming for others that dare or have reported on facts addressing this subject. Change the narrative, manipulate the words, and label your enemy. Before long, no one speaks, no one comments, and we remain silent- for the lecture segment has begun. Refer to Saul Alinsky's ‘Rules For Radicals.'

It will be just as I experienced in the seminars I attended.


Posted by itsmonika, a resident of Birdland,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 3:33 am

itsmonika is a registered user.

Research department of Hoover Institution is playing important role in economic research. This educational institution has laid down some basic principles that will play an important role in improving livestock. Web Link


Posted by Another resident of Danville, a resident of Danville,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 7:09 am

Visit the African American History Museum in Washington D.C. for true perspective on racial history and racial reality in America. Conservative opinions that include longing for the days when Black people dressed in their "Sunday best" to walk silently and orderly up the street in protest against white oppression and lynchings is just so laughable and disgusting and cruel and the epitome of racism. The bottom line here is "I can't breathe," and for once and for all people need to listen, and help needs to come hard and fast because no change is a sin and Black Lives very much matter.


Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 8:48 am

Black Scholars in Universities: Web Link

It's monika, resident of Birdland: Implying that black scholars have cheated by using dark sources to gain entrance into universities...hmmmmmmmmm...


Posted by Alex, a resident of Danville,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 9:02 am

@Another resident of Danville:

I have been to the African American History in Washington, and you are right it is important that people know the history and terrible injustices that the African Americans have faced in our country. But for you to suggest that being conservative means we want black people to "dress in their Sunday best to walk silently and orderly" is offensive and exactly the mob mentality extremism that I mentioned in my earlier post.

As a conservative, I strongly believe that black lives matter, whether they are killed by police or killed by African Americans. Statistically, African Americans are 700 more times likely to be killed by people of color they know, rather than by police. Where is your outrage at the 25 African-Americans killed each weekend in Chicago by fellow African-Americans, does the color of the skin of the person doing the killing determine whether you are outraged? If you truly believe black lives matter, shouldn't all black lives matter, including those killed by fellow African-Americans? To quote you, "once and for all people need to listen, and help needs to come hard and fast because no change is a sin". When are you going to listen to your own words, and realize that the police and "white entitlement" and your other liberal catch-phrases are not the biggest threat to black lives, but rather it is your silence when black lives are dying at record numbers in inner cities at the hands of other African-Americans.


Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 9:25 am

When white people feel threatened: Web Link


Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 9:56 am

A new vaccine! Web Link


Posted by pololo mololo, a resident of Livermore,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 10:18 am

UC Berkeley: Web Link

VIVA PRESIDENT DRAKE!


Posted by Karl, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 10:56 am

Another resident of Danville

Just curious - how is it racist when a black man is making the comments you say are racist?


Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 11:53 am

Karl...How is it racist for you K? just asking...


Posted by DKHSK, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 1:35 pm

DKHSK is a registered user.

"President Trump has failed miserably to recognize and accept the presence of Black skin in the US. "

This is literally in the top 10 of the dumbest things said on Tim's or anyone else's blogs.

You already own the other 9, so take a bow, genius.

Dan


Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 1:53 pm

My oh my...is the "d" out to lunch....again? yup...

... always tickled by some folks who want to fight...how come is daddy soo too sad-sad...tee hee


Posted by DKHSK, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 2:57 pm

DKHSK is a registered user.

"Conservative opinions that include longing for the days when Black people dressed in their "Sunday best" to walk silently and orderly up the street in protest against white oppression and lynchings is just so laughable and disgusting and cruel and the epitome of racism."

Tim didn't make this point. Shelby Steele - a black man - made it. So is he a racist?

This is where the label - racist - falls apart every single time.

Listen up.

The black community will NEVER advance unless THEY solve the issue of broken homes. This is the dirty little truth that people cannot and will not talk about.

The white liberal Democrat and Republican RINO have taken from the black community the most important part of human nature: the two-parent family.

All of the issues that are hurting Black Americans are not due to some mystical "oppression". It's due to the lack of two parent families, and the welfare system that keeps them in concrete plantations in the inner cities.

The politicians WANT our separation. They NEED our separation or they can't have any power.

Shelby Steele, Clarence Thomas, Thomas Sowell..etc., are POWERFUL voices to be heard on what is ailing black Americans, and by extension ALL Americans.

For those who think its just conservative blacks that are thought leaders to what politicians are doing to the community, look no further then to consider this quote from a black revolutionary:

“The white liberal is the worst enemy to America, and the worst enemy to the black man."

Malcolm X

Web Link

Full quote at the safe link, and it isn't pretty to Republicans or Democrats. It eviscerates liberals.

Dan




Posted by Karl, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 3:37 pm

Cholo

Here is what Another resident of Danville said:

"Conservative opinions that include longing for the days when Black people dressed in their "Sunday best" to walk silently and orderly up the street in protest against white oppression and lynchings is just so laughable and disgusting and cruel and the epitome of racism".

This is what Tim noted that Shelby Steele said:

"Steele said that during the 1960s non-violent protests marchers dressed in their Sunday best and organizers insisted that people were polite or they were asked to leave".

From Wikipedia:

"Shelby Steele (born January 1, 1946)[1] is an American conservative author, columnist, documentary film maker, and a Robert J. and Marion E. Oster Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. He specializes in the study of race relations, multiculturalism, and affirmative action".

Hence my question as to how a black man making comments about black people be racist?

Looking up the definition of racist:

"a person who shows or feels discrimination or prejudice against people of other races, or who believes that a particular race is superior to another"


Now this could be a situation where Mr. Danville wants to imply Tim is racist because he summarized what Shelby Steele said......

That's kind of like the professor who read MLK's letter in his class and was fired because it quoted MLK using the N word twice...


Posted by Karl, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 3:42 pm

Sorry -

I left off because I thought everyone knows - Shelby Steele is black.....


Posted by DKHSK, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 4:41 pm

DKHSK is a registered user.

Karl,

"Cholo...:"

Why on EARTH are you trying to have a conversation with this person?

I usually have to take a shower after he drools all over my comments.

Creepy.

Ugh.

Dan


Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 5:31 pm

What have done to annoy you so so so much danny boy? You sure know how to hurt a person...tee hee he

What the "d" don't like that he can't control everybody...that's his lifelong d r e a m...goodness gracious...you are forgiven!


Posted by Jake Waters, a resident of Birdland,
on Jul 10, 2020 at 7:32 pm

No judgement, but those Black Americans that I mention above, to include Larry Elder (smart man) would agree that responsibility of outcome, decision making, and poor choices have played a BIG factor. Watch: IMG_2301.mov


Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on Jul 11, 2020 at 8:21 am

Hate Groups: Web Link

I hope you will find the above reference helpful.

The United States of America is too great a country to be misled by hate.

VIVA AMERICA! VIVA!


Posted by Anti racist, a resident of Ruby Hill,
on Jul 12, 2020 at 10:27 am

Anti racist is a registered user.

Tim,
Yes we need to hear many perspectives on this complicated issue, but that doesn't mean we need to amplify every fringe crackpot that has something to say. His opinion is truly a minority opinion on the fringes of what most black people think. This is akin to boosting the voices of flat ear there and anti vaxers. You can do better.


Posted by DKHSK, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on Jul 13, 2020 at 6:37 pm

DKHSK is a registered user.

"His opinion is truly a minority opinion on the fringes of what most black people think."

And let's not forget that minority views - as expressed by the constitution - aren't worth a damn right?

So when the majority of the electoral votes for Trump give him the Presidency again, you'll just sit down and shut up, right?

Right?

You "Anti-racists" liberals are the biggest racists around. We all know it.

You infantilize Black Americans. You treat them like the underclass you've created through your devastating policies.

Now, like most racists, you can't stand a strong and smart Black man that doesn't think and act the way you think he should.

So typical

I despise every last one of you.

Dan


Posted by DKHSK, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on Jul 13, 2020 at 6:39 pm

DKHSK is a registered user.

"Yes we need to hear many perspectives on this complicated issue..."

We don't care what you think about hearing anyones "perspectives". You'll get opinions on all spectrum of thought whether you like it or not.

Our rules, pal.

Dan


Posted by Michael Austin, a resident of Pleasanton Meadows,
on Jul 13, 2020 at 7:54 pm

Michael Austin is a registered user.

The most abused race in American History is the indigenous American Indian. Everyone else claiming abuse are wannbees.


Posted by Michael Austin, a resident of Pleasanton Meadows,
on Jul 13, 2020 at 8:02 pm

Michael Austin is a registered user.

The most abused race in American history is the Indigenous American Indian. Everyone else claiming abuse, are wannabees.


Posted by Kevin, a resident of Castlewood,
on Jul 15, 2020 at 7:01 pm

Kevin is a registered user.

To Dan aka DKHSK, you are the typical white racist trump-supporting irrational person I see on Fox Hannity show and other Fox shows. Why don't you watch something like NPR to broaden your view of the world. You despise us? You are sick. You should seek help.


Posted by DKHSK, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on Jul 16, 2020 at 11:58 pm

DKHSK is a registered user.

Kevin,

"You despise us?"

Yes. I do. Unreservedly.

Rather than bash ME, why not address the points I made in a semi-coherent fashion?

I'll tell you why you won't: I hit the target.

You all are great at name calling, but you absolutely suck at debating.

Go home, bigot.

Dan


Posted by Kevin, a resident of Castlewood,
on Jul 17, 2020 at 10:41 am

Kevin is a registered user.

DKHSK, you hit the target in terms of convincing me of the type of person you are.


Posted by DKHSK, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on Jul 17, 2020 at 11:30 am

DKHSK is a registered user.

Kevin,

Ok...so you have nothing of substance to say.

Now I can move on to the next topic. Thanks.

Dan


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