"The New Black Plague"

"The New Black Plague"

The Nubian Message, North Carolina State University's African American student newspaper, was first published on November 30, 1992. In this April 10, 1997 editorial, Staff Writer Kevin A. Blue satirically critiqued Black Conservatism, calling it a "dreadful plague" that was "crippling" to middle- and upper-class African Americans in leadership positions. Blue noted that Black Conservatives hypocritically opposed affirmative action and other equal opportunity initiatives that they themselves used to achieve success, and he argued that Black Conservatives had become "blind" to the struggles that most African Americans face daily. He concluded that Black Conservatives should receive "strong doses of Afrocentric material" so they will not forget their historical and cultural roots.

Black Conservatism is historically associated with Booker T. Washington, a former slave who became an important leader of the African American community at the turn of the twentieth century. Washington de-emphasized open struggle against racism and segregation, and instead stressed long-term education and economic advancement for African Americans. Black Conservatives since Washington have continued to argue that the key to African American success is individual self-improvement, economic development through free enterprise, and integration within mainstream American society. They are opposed by Black Nationalists, who emphasize separatism and cultural identification with Africa.

Kevin A. Blue, Staff Writer

Kevin A. Blue, "The New Black Plague," The Nubian Message 5, no. 27 (April 10, 1997): 7. Digitized by the Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.

1997-04-10

Rose Buchanan

document

The New Black Plague

By Kevin A. Blue

There is a new epidemic sweeping through the middle-class Afrikan American community. This new dilemma takes root in the mind and spreads rapidly to the heart and soul of its victims. The effects vary from person to person, but the symptoms are still recognizable. Although no record can be found of how many victims it has claimed, new cases are continually being confirmed.

The average age of the victims varies, but most are highly successful Afrikan American men and women in their thirties and forties. This makes it a crippling disease to our community because it removes our leadership-age individuals from their posts of leadership. It appears to make the individuals unable to logically and critically think and analyze problems facing the Afrikan American community.

Those who are able to remain in positions of leadership do not appear competent enough to concentrate on the causes of high unemployment rates, drug abuse or domestic violence and instead develop apathetic tendencies and general lack of concern for their fellow brothers' and sisters' well-being.

Unlike most epidemics, this disease attacks our middle to upper-class. Most victims become "blind" to the struggles their people endure everyday. They develop irrational views of the world in which they live and think simply because they live in the suburbs, Dr. King's dream is now a reality.

Victims of this dreadful plague have a strange habit of denouncing the very governmental programs that are needed for people of all color to secure an equal foothold in American life. They publicly vilify federal legislation that regulates equal housing, equal employment, and equal opportunity. In essence, it makes black folks lose their minds!

This dreadful plague is called Black Conservatism. Most critics of the disease label it a "five-dollar" term for black cowardice. Those individuals who are "conservative" find it appropriate to do nothing to solve problems of the race. Because of political ties they have formed or economic gains they have made, they are fearful of any actions they may take to give back to the community. Instead, they adopt a pessimistic policy of "if we can't beat them, let's join them."

A rare disease in the '60s and '70s, Black Conservatism has steadily encroached upon the members of our "elite," most particularly during the Reagan-dominated years of the '80s. Now we can find too many successful, professional, business-minded individuals who proudly wrap the cloak of conservatism around their broad and bolstering shoulders.

Although studies show most black conservatives vote Republican, some of the wolves dress in sheep's clothing. There are highly visible Afrikan Americans in other parties who are just as smitten by the disease. Party affiliation does not necessarily make a person conservative. Their outlook on the state of the Afrikan American community and how to improve it is the best indicator of those who have been infected.

It is a shame that our most successful brothers and sisters have fallen ill to the malignant symptoms of the disease. They are supposed to be the vanguard of DuBois' "Talented Tenth." Instead, they have become the "Traitorous Thousand," forsaking all duties and obligations to their countrymen.

They blow the trumpet to abandon such programs as affirmative action and equality by granting federal contracts with more conviction and fervor than Newt or Pat could ever hope to. They have climbed the ladder of success these programs helped to create, and for that they are worthy of our respect. They have no right, however, to kick down the very ladder they climbed, and if they do, they are worthy of our reprimand.

There is hope, though. Although the individuals who have become infected may be lost and should be quarantined immediately, it does not appear that the young Afrikan Americans leaving colleges and universities today are in serious danger of contracting the disease. On the contrary, they don't appear to be as susceptible to the disease and seem to be fairing well against it. Yet, young adults are not immune to it either.

Strong doses of Afrocentric material that praises the history of Afrika and the spirit of people with Afrikan descent (like the "Nubian Message") are suggested in order to keep the disease at bay.

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