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Black Men: 2011 Year In Review
By Mybrotha.COM Staff Writer - December 14, 2011
(Mybrotha.COM) - Mybrotha.COM continues its tradition of reviewing the best and worst of the year, and African-American men in 2011 had plenty to offer.
THE GOOD
"Where Congress Won't Act, I Will."
FACT: Considering the massive train wreck he inherited in 2008, President Obama has done a superb job.
ANOTHER FACT: No matter how well he's doing, Obama critics--mainly conservative wingnuts--continue to discredit his tenacity and leadership. While questionable polls show Obama's popularity at an all-time low, the Black community continues to support him and will show that support during the 2012 presidential election.
Still viewed as one of the most revered men in America and around the world, detractors refuse to recognize his accomplishments. Here are a five (5) big ones from 2011:
- Approximately 2.6 million private sector jobs added back to the workforce as of September 2011, and the introduction of a detailed jobs bill (The American Jobs Act) designed to create jobs and grow the economy
- Signed into law the "FDA Food Safety Modernization Act," which modernizes the food safety system to better prevent food-borne illness and better respond to outbreaks
- Ordered the Navy Seal raid on a compound in Pakistan that eliminated the world's most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden
- Signed an Executive Order directing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take action to help prevent and reduce prescription drug shortages, protect consumers and prevent price gouging
- Followed through on his 2008 campaign promise to withdraw U.S. military service members from Iraq and end the war, and signed a bill offering tax credits to business that hire veterans
Michael Baisden
One of the most popular book authors and radio talk hosts, Michael Baisden has always sought to give back. Each year The Michael Baisden Foundation continues to advance the cause of literacy and education programs in the African American Community. Through donor organizations such as Harlem Children’s Zone, Youth Matter America and African American Talent Center, Baisden has personally influenced the lives of thousands of kids through literacy programs.
Baisden also started the National Mentoring Campaign which provides funds to communities to help encourage mentor participation with children ages 6-18--providing male and female role models that supply social, academicy, and spiritual mentoring.
In a bold effort to "pay it forward," Baisden initiated the Million Dollar Pitch in 2011. The program is designed to encourage and support up-and-coming entrepreneurs by offering them a chance to pitch their businesses, products, or services for a chance to get a part of Baisden's $500,000 investment into small businesses.
Salute
As the war in Iraq comes to an end, we continue to salute our black military veterans who served in 2011, and will serve in Afghanistan in 2012 and beyond.
According to defense industry reports, of the 4,485 U.S. troops killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom since 2003: 98% were male; 9% were African-American; 55% of were under age 25; 72% were Army soldiers with the remaining 28% being Marines, Navy, or Air Force.
The dedication to service and unwavering sacrifice further supports the fact that many African-American men and women continue to be the strength of our nation's armed forces.
THE BAD
Suh, Suh Bad
Bad behavior was no stranger to professional sports during the year, and without a doubt, Ndamukong Suh gets the top prize for 2011.
Suh--who plays football for the Detroit Lions and is one of the most talented defensive tackles in the NFL--was suspended for two games after he stomped on the arm of a Green Bay Packers offensive lineman during a Thanksgiving Day game. Suh apologized for the incident, but only after spending a few days dismissing the play as an aggressive gesture to remove himself from a pile of players. It was simply another unfortunate display of irrational behavior that followed a series of fines and penalties Suh has drawn in his two years in the league.
0-0-0
Early January saw the world lose its collective mind when everybody thought the dates of the zodiac signs changed. The dates didn't change, but a Sagittarius named Herman Cain fell totally off his rocker in 2011 when he thought he could be the leader of the free world. Cain--a respected business executive, syndicated columnist and radio host--gained traction in his presidential quest during the summer of 2011 when he announced his no nonsense 9-9-9 tax plan. His meteoric rise in the polls in October propelled him to the front-runner position for a minute. But it was only a minute.
Cain suspended his presidential bid on December 3 after his campaign struggled through an onslaught of controversies including several claims of sexual harassment and an alleged 13-year extra marital affair. While we may never the truth about the Cain Train making unscheduled stops at side stations, the evidence shows a plethora of indescretions this country can't afford in a leader.
THE UGLY
Not A Real Soulja
An ugly year for rapper Soulja Boy just kept getting worse. First, he apparently lied about buying a private jet, which isn't a big deal until you consider the fact that Soulja Boy (whose real name is DeAndre Way) was served eviction papers in early December for not paying the rent on his Atlanta home. Later in the year, he offended the U.S. military with lyrics in a song entitled "Let's Be Real," where he criticizes Army troops for fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. A month later, Soulja (who should seriously consider changing his stage name now) was arrested on drug and weapons charges after police discovered marijuana and guns inside a car in which he was traveling with his crew.
Long Gone
In May 2011, Bishop Eddie Long, an Atlanta-based church leader, reached an out-of-court settlement with four men who accused him of sexual coercion 8 months prior. The lawsuits, the conditions of the settlement, and the settlement amount have never been disclosed, and according to B.J. Bernstein--the attorney representing the accusers--will never be disclosed.
Despite the silence, many believed the out-of-court settlement was an admission of guilt. The fallout from the settlement--and publication of controversial messages Long apparently sent to his accusers while they were teenage members of his congregation--forced Long's wife to file for a divorce and pushed Long to take an indefinite leave from his megachurch.
The Economy
We'd hoped the economic troubles of 2010 were behind us, but our communities were still stuck in a stifling mix of joblessness and financial turmoil this year. Though the end of 2011 has seen a resurgent stock market and a small decrease in the national unemployment rate, the mortgage industry has yet to rebound. Thousands of men are still out of work and hope for a promising 2012.
New credit card laws were passed in 2010 to help stop the big banks from gouging American's pocketbooks, but the too-big-too-fail fat cats created more new charges for consumers. The Credit CARD Act was intended to stop excessive fees and interest rates, but banks like Bank of America raised its minimum balance requirements for avoiding monthly maintenance fees. So even if you kept $1500 (the old amount) in a checking account for your business, it is highly likely that you are now being charged a $15/month maintenance fee since the minimum balance required to avoid it now stands at $3000.
THE REALITY
We like to conclude every year in review by taking a hard look at the state of African-American men. Over the course of 12 months, black men in America will face several economic, political and personal challenges. Along with those challenges will come unique opportunities for growth and prosperity. Black men have always been resilient, and we continuously seek to please our God and our families. We will--as we have done many times before--pick up the broken pieces, rebuild, and continue on the road to empowerment.
As we venture into 2012, the hopes and dreams of young African-American men are dependent upon our support, mentorship and encouragement. 2012 won't be perfect--someone will do something totally stupid, and someone else will do something absolutely amazing. And with those realities, we aim to be stronger and aspire to be better than we were in 2011.
Our stability and existence must be driven by hope, self-education, responsibility and spiritual guidance--a process that demands we start with the man in the mirror.
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