Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 11:16:47 -0800
From: djones-AT-uclink.berkeley.edu (rakesh bhandari)
Subject: M-I: Hooked on Ebonics


This was sent to me by a veteran Oakland educator who mentions that since
the City of Oakland guaranteed the Raiders football team profits upon
return from Los Angeles to Oakland, the City will now have to make
substantial budget cuts on top of those being forced by Governor Pete
Wilson. Hundreds and soon thousands of people will soon be cut off general
assistance and AFDC; times limits are being shortened, and cities are no
longer required to use funds for general assistance. It also seems that, lo
and behold, the return of the Silver and Black has not provided many jobs
at all, though the construction firms which were awarded contracts to fix
the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum for the Raiders have made a killing and seem
to have bought off enough people on the Board of Supervisors and City
Council. This would be one of those construction projects guaranteed by the
state which no one needed and will now be paid for by gutting public
education and throwing people on the street.
________________

Hi.....I think your critique is well put.  I saw the issue immediately as a
"smoke screen" to divert attention from the real problems, which you
correctly underscore. (I wonder also whether it meant to divert from the
powder keg the city is sitting on vis-a-vis forthcoming budget cuts the
power strucure is making to pay for the return of the Raiders?)  I also saw
it as afrocentric politics behind the scene.  It would be important to find
out who it was that pushed for it in terms of local black leadership.  On
the other side of the coin, I see it as simply a means to legitimize the
working class black child's street "language" and thereby hopefully
contribute to his/her self esteem and thus self confidence which can
nurture their academic success.

Finally, the issue has highlighted yet another aspect of black class
divisions and has showcased the political opportunism of Jesse Jackson.
Interesting stuff.




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