George Mason University professor doctor Walter E. Williams is an African-American Economist who occasionally guest hosts the Rush Limbaugh radio show.  He recently wrote an article in the Patriot Post titled How Important is Today's Racial Discrimination?  He crunched the current numbers and historical data and concludes that the real question to ask is "How much of the plight of many blacks can be explained by current racial discrimination?"  He starts with a focus on the family.
   "At the root of most of the problems black people face is the breakdown of the family structure. Slightly over 70% of black children are raised in female-headed households."
70%!  Williams makes the point that the tentacles of racism that still exists today are not responsible for fatherless homes where the impacts are revealed in crushingly negative statistics.
   "90% of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes; 71% of pregnant teenagers lack a father figure; 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes; 71% of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes; and 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions have no father....fatherless boys and girls are twice as likely to end up in jail."
What of the claims that the black community suffers today from the impact of a legacy of slavery and the gross racism and denial of civil rights in the past? How has that played out?
Williams quotes African-American economist and social theorist Dr. Thomas Sowell who says the facts don't support the emotion about today's black community.
   
     “The black family, which had survived centuries of slavery and discrimination, began rapidly disintegrating in the liberal welfare state that subsidized unwed pregnancy and changed welfare from an emergency rescue to a way of life.”
Williams analyzes the numbers on crime and education too and is ultimately lead to ask the question where the rubber meets the road -- Is it necessary for us to await some kind of moral rejuvenation among white people before measures can be taken to end or at least reduce the kind of behavior that spells socioeconomic disaster in so many black communities? 
The reason this is important to consider today is that in the rhetoric of a Presidential campaign, some candidates will pander to those who feel victimized.  Myths will be retold and sold to obscure the statistical truths Williams pointed out.  Some candidates will steer minorities and guilt others to continue to blame whites and the system  while removing any sense of personal responsibility in finding the solutions. 
Watch as the democrats push a narrative that privileged Caucasians and the government as currently configured are the cause of their problems and of course the candidate and a more socialistic system is the answer. We will be a better and more equitable country when we remember the secret sauce that has made us great...opportunity acted on by personal responsibility is the path to success.

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