Martin Luther "King" of Pop

MJ & MLK on racism and segregation

January 20, 2011

Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream of racial equality, and Michael Joseph Jackson said it shouldn't matter if you're Black or White (1991). The reality is, in America, King's dream is just that--a dream; and it does matter if you're Black or White. Disturbingly, racism is still rampant and segregation is the American standard.

Segregated Psychologists: The Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) "was formed in the wake of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King and the rise of Black Nationalism of that era," says one source.

It "intended to create a psychology of the black experience focused on improving the circumstances of black people. The founding psychologists believed that a psychology created mostly by white middle-class men could not explain the situation of people of African descent, and moved to incorporate African philosophy and cultural experience into the creation of a new understanding of black psychology."

What about the mostly White American Psychological Association? "The founders actively chose to remain independent of the American Psychological Association, decrying that body's complicit role in perpetuating white racism in society." (See also the Association of Black Sociologists.)

Segregated Lawmakers: "The Congressional Black Caucus is an organization representing the black members of the United States Congress," says Wikipedia. Membership is exclusive to blacks."

It further states: "The Caucus describes its goals as ‘positively influencing the course of events pertinent to African-Americans and others of similar experience and situation,' and ‘achieving greater equity for persons of African descent in the design and content of domestic and international programs and services.'"

I would've listed a "Segregated Senate," but only six Blacks have ever served in the Senate in the entire history of Congress. (See also the National Association of Black County Officials.)

Segregated Law Interpreters: "Black judges criticize America's most popular anti-crime policies as racist and proven failures during candid interviews about the nation's system in the new book Black Judges on Justice (1998)," reports one source.

"Mandatory sentencing is very popular with politicians who posture themselves as ‘tough on crime,' but these harsh imprisonment polices have ‘not been effective in cutting crime,' states Los Angeles Municipal Court Judge Veronica S. McBeth.

"McBeth is one of three female jurists included in the 14 judges interviewed in this book that has been described by one reviewer as a ‘seminal work.' The incarceration of huge numbers of young black males nationwide, resulting largely from mandatory sentencing laws, is termed ‘a quiet kind of genocide' by Joseph Brown of Memphis, a trial court judge who trims his black judicial robes in African kente cloth."

See also Black Robes White Justice (1987) by Bruce Wright. In it Judge Wright reveals "Why our justice system doesn't work for blacks."

Segregated Law Practitioners: The National Bar Association (NBA) is the nation's oldest association of African American lawyers. There's also The National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA). And here in California we have the California Association of Black Lawyers.

Segregated Law Enforcers: There are the National Association of Black Law Enforcement officers, the Association of Black Law Enforcers (ABLE), and the National Organization of Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). Locally, the Oscar Joel Bryant (OJB) organization of African American officers differs from the predominantly White Police Protective League, both of the LAPD.

Segregated Law Breakers: Prison politics dictate racial segregation. So you have, in alphabetical order, the Aryan Brotherhood, the Black Gorilla Family, and Mexican Mafia.

Segregated Medical Professionals: The National Medical Association represents "the interests of more than 30,000 African American physicians." It distinguishes itself from the predominantly White American Medical Association (AMA). Then there are the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC), the Association of Black Women Physicians, and the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA). See also blackdoctor.org.

Segregated Educators: The National Alliance of Black School Educators is devoted to furthering "the academic success for the nation's children--particularly children of African descent." National Black MBA Association

Segregated Journalists: "The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is an organization of journalists, students and media-related professionals that provides quality programs and services to and advocates on behalf of black journalists worldwide."

Both Martin Luther King, Jr. and the King of Pop are turning over in their graves. But, fear not. Martin's and Michael's dream of a world where it won't matter if you're Black or White is just over the horizon. There, the "King of kings" will set all matters right. (Re 17:14) Peace and blessings to all races. God bless. Amen.