CHARLESTON, WV
– At the South Charleston Women’s Club on Saturday, November 21, 2009, at
6:00 p.m. located at 214 D Street, the general public is encouraged to
attend the HEAL America Campaign’s Health Care “Clinic” for the
Soul of America in response the clarion
call of US Attorney General Eric Holder to discuss race.
On February 18,
2009, Holder said: “Though
this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in
things racial we have always been and continue to be, in too many ways,
essentially a nation of cowards. Though race related issues continue to
occupy a significant portion of our political discussion, and though there
remain many unresolved racial issues in this nation, we, average
Americans, simply do not talk enough with each other about race. We,
average Americans, simply do not talk enough with each other about race…It
is an issue we have never been at ease with…if we are to make progress in
this area we must feel comfortable enough with one another, and tolerant
enough of each other, to have frank conversations about the racial matters
that continue to divide us.”
President Barack Obama
said in an interview with the New York Times:
“We’re oftentimes uncomfortable with talking about race until there’s some
sort of racial flare-up or conflict. We could probably be more
constructive in facing up to sort of the painful legacy of slavery and Jim
Crow and discrimination.”
Ted Hayes, founder
of the HEAL American Campaign says:
“Beginning in Charleston, the Campaign is initiating a nationwide, honest
‘Two-Way’ discussion as opposed to the usual ‘One-Way’ lecture by certain
Blacks to Whites indicting them for racism, while the former is depicted
as innocent victims.”
Popular WCSH 58
radio talk show host, Mike Agnello,
who is a key note speaker at the “Clinic” is extremely hopeful that the
African-American leadership in Charleston will courageously join him,
Hayes and many others in this response to Holder’s and President Obama’s
challenge..
Further reflecting the
reality that racial uncertainty and the wound of slavery
is yet unhealed, recently, Michael Steele,
first Black to Chair the National Republican Party accused White
Republicans of being “scared of Blacks”
After the election
of the
first African American U.S. President, an
“adopted son of slaves” by Black Americans,
Barack Hussein Obama, tensions between White and Black have
intensified and become more polarizing than ever, despite the hope of a
post-racial country.
Hayes says, “Mr. Holder, the ‘cowards’ you refer to are
talking. Are you listening?”
