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This is the first in the series of “The Fear of Color in America.” IBNN will consult with several local and national writers to put together the changing face of the United States to show the urgency of change that’s needed today. IBNN NEWS is the largest online Black owned Black operated investigative reporting news outlet in the state of Minnesota.
Fast Tube by Casper
by Donald W.R. Allen, II – Editor in Chief/The Independent Business News Network and USA Radical Black
"That's different - how you like us now?"
United States (IBNN/Society and Census/May 20, 2012)…On Thursday (5/17) the Washington Post reported (via the Star Tribune-Minneapolis, MN) , “For first time in U.S., minority babies now in majority.” The story goes onto say, “The census has forecast that non-Hispanic whites will be outnumbered in the United States by 2042, and social scientists consider that current status among infants a harbinger of the change.” Some of us already knew this – and based on the mainstream media’s spin, this change will come before 2042 and has early as 2025.
The first creditable reports on the change in US demographics came from the 2008 New York Times article, “In a Generation, Minorities May Be the U.S. Majority.” That story cited, “Ethnic and racial minorities will comprise a majority of the nation’s population in a little more than a generation, according to new Census Bureau projections, a transformation that is occurring faster than anticipated just a few years ago. The census calculates that by 2042, Americans who identify themselves as Hispanic, black, Asian, American Indian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander will together outnumber non-Hispanic whites. Four years ago, officials had projected the shift would come in 2050.
The report goes on to say, “The main reason for the accelerating change is significantly higher birthrates among immigrants. Another factor is the influx of foreigners, rising from about 1.3 million annually today to more than 2 million a year by mid-century, according to projections based on current immigration policies.”
The late comedian Robin Harris told the world about Black folks. He said, “We don’t die, we multiply.” With that said, the demographics of the United States is quickly changing to majority of people whose skin color is much different than the current majority.
At some point, we (Black, Brown and Yellow people) have to ask ourselves and our communities are we ready to take on the challenge in areas of politics, leadership and working towards a cordial and diplomatic shift in America’s power base? What will happen when social scientist coin the ideas, Hispanic Privilege, Asian Privilege or even Black Privilege which now means privilege taken by affluent Blacks based on a population of poor Blacks which they govern over. Will Whites have an achievement gap with Black and Hispanic children excelling and exceeding expectations over White public school children? The new world order demands a flip-in-the-script – simple put, “try to walk a mile in my shoes – the experience will be quite different.”
History shows Blacks, Asians, Latinos how vile the White majority as been towards people of color from the slave trade of the 1600’s to the slaughtering and wars against America’s First People – it seems the inevitable change in the majority base will be met with some harsh resistance. In other-words, it takes a long time for change. Read “Hate Groups Grow as Racial Tipping Point Changes Demographics.”
Let’s take a look at the status, or lack thereof as it pertains to people of color.
In 2012, several different races and cultures have positioned themselves in the to take over industries of construction (roofing, dry walling, landscaping and services connected with this particular industry), Food Service (cooks, waiters, dishwashers, etc.), small business upstarts (clothing, corner stores, auto repair, towing, etc.), and lets not forget cultures that have exceeded expectations by embedding themselves in corporate America, bankers, lawyers, doctors, technology personnel and operational support services. This growing amount of service oriented and professional workers have taken a lead in the above industries, in spite of the recent downturn in the economy. Here again, the US Hispanic population takes the lead.
Hispanic Americans will take the lead in the “color-shift” followed by Blacks, Asians and Native Americans. But still, in 2012 – we face a dilemma of racism, bigotry and benign neglect along with the evolution of Jim Crow that has held certain cultures and races at the bottom of the food chain.
As we know, education, economic development and access to opportunities are some of the most important things to advance the relief of poverty across the United States. But simply put, there are major barriers against people of color in the United States achieving success that will affect future progress.
In Minnesota, more specifically the Minneapolis Public Schools, data shows that local schools with high populations of Blacks and Native Americans do very poorly and rank at the very bottom of academic success. This is a barrier. (See schools “Lucy Laney” at the bottom of the barrel in Minneapolis Public Schools. From School Digger)
One thing we must remember, public schools are not designed to teach children of color – especially Blacks and Native Americans. Until this challenge is addressed on a national basis – this disparity will set students of color on a course of catastrophic failures – not ready for the future they are expected to inherit.
Having a United States of America that is majority of color sounds great! What’s not great is the lack of preparation now to insure a smooth transition that will create a “seamless” shift in the “color structure.”
Is the resistance to the inevitable change of America intentional?
Stay tuned…
