密歇根新闻广播 黑人政治力量增长但前景仍渺茫

America struggles with race and those struggles are intensifying¹. As the white majority has been shrinking, racial tensions have been rising. You can see it in anti-immigration movements. It's in the feeling among some white people that they're being oppressed.

Meanwhile, a new generation of black protest organizations has been taking to the streets as black Americans feel a greater threat from white-dominated politics and police.

Race relations have changed since the civil rights movements of the 1960s and they seem to be changing again.

When many cities in the U.S. erupted in protest, riots, and uprisings in the 1960s, most white people were bewildered.

President Lyndon Johnson appointed the National Advisory² Commission on Civil Disorders³, known as the Kerner Commission. He wanted to know why the rebellions took place.

White people were surprised by the findings. The Kerner Report indicated white attitudes toward black people led to the uprisings. White racism⁴ had built the society that suppressed the chance of equality for black people.

Some scholars argue that Americans - white Americans - have not learned the lesson of the 1960s uprisings or the recommendations to correct the problems.

"In the wake of the Kerner Report, we have created two societies that are deeply unequal. That is a fact," said Heather Ann Thompson. She is a professor at the University of Michigan and wrote the book, Whose Detroit?

"The inequality, the income inequality, racial inequality, suburban/city inequality, job inequality - we could just go on and on and on - is far worse and that is a deeply racialized inequality. So, we've done that. The question remains⁵: What do we do next," Thompson said.

There is resentment⁶ surrounding issues of race has been building over those decades; resentment among blacks who still find themselves at the bottom of the economic ladder; and resentment among whites who've been knocked down a rung or two.

Paul Lee is a Detroit historian who's written on the 1967 uprising in Detroit. He says things are not any better today than they were in the '60s and perhaps worse. He says the protests we've seen in the last couple of years are revealing.

"Our situation, that is, the situation of African-Americans in Detroit and throughout the country, I think is much more precarious⁸ than it's been perhaps in a century," Lee said.

He bases that on the loss of economic underpinnings of black neighborhoods. He cites the loss of black businesses as neighborhoods were destroyed by redevelopment. Added to that is the fact fewer blacks then and now own their own homes compared to white populations. Home ownership is a significant factor in building wealth.

The relatively⁹ few middle-class black families who could afford to move followed white families to the suburbs.

The relatively little economic power African-Americans had in the urban centers has slipped away.

But, in cities such as Detroit there was optimism because political power grew.

In Detroit, when the black vote grew in strength, Detroit elected its first black mayor, Coleman Young.

Young worked to make sure black residents were better represented in city departments. Paul Lee says that greater political power did not mean the majority black population actually ran the city.

"While I think black political power is important, I think if there's no economic foundation then black power is relatively meaningless" Lee explained.

With recent investments by billionaires - white billionaires - in Detroit's central business districts, there is a celebrated¹¹ downtown revitalization. But that growth keeps investment in white hands with little benefit to Detroit residents.

Many long-time residents in the neighborhoods don't feel they're included. They don't feel they're sharing in that new prosperity.

While much of the American economy has been recovering, Detroit residents have been seeing a huge increase in tax foreclosures. Unemployment rates remain about twice that of state or national numbers. Poverty is widespread with about 40% of the city at or below the poverty line.

Under the same kind of circumstances, the 1960s and '70s saw a rise in protest organizations, some of them militant¹².

Former Detroit City Council Member Sheila Cockrel was an activist¹³ alongside her husband, Kenneth Cockrel. He was with the League of Revolutionary Black Workers. She says the term "Black Power" entered the national lexicon¹⁴.

"For many people it was an expression of the necessity of being at the table, if you will. That when decisions are made, that the voices of black people are part of the decision-making," she said.

"Black Power" was an unsettling term for many white Americans. It challenged the racial dynamic of the time.

Since that time, there's been a shift from "Black Power" to today's "Black Lives Matter." The movements seem to be transforming from a demand to have a seat at the table to the request, "Please don't kill us."

But, "Black Lives Matter" isn't the only protest movement. In Detroit, dating back to at least the take-over by an emergency manager and then bankruptcy¹⁵, new groups have been raising their voices in and around the city. Groups such as New Era Detroit, the Change Agent Consortium, the Detroit Water Brigade. There are protests for economic inclusion, against foreclosures and water shutoffs, and against police brutality¹⁶.

In nearby Dearborn, protests about the police shooting of Kevin Matthews. Among the chants heard in the street were "No justice, no peace," and "No racist¹⁷ police."

"I'm hoping that in that constellation¹⁸ of organizations and people that there's going to emerge the next generation of authentic¹⁹ grassroots leadership that creates, that has a set of ideas that motivate people to act."

Some of those ideas are based on the belief that government - especially state government - ignores the needs of people of color.

"We're skeptical²⁰ of government because government isn't serving us," said Rev⁷. Charles Williams II, president of the Michigan Chapter of National Action Network. He says people are frustrated²¹ that in many ways, life in Detroit is worse now than it was in 1967.

"As we see our struggle today, we see that some of those same issues are ahead of us. So, this is the reason we must continue to organize and it's the reason why we continue to organize," Williams stated.

Williams believes black voices are getting louder because white voices are getting louder. He says since Barack Obama took office, certain white groups have escalated²² the rhetoric²³ of bigotry²⁴ and given it a national stage. He thinks a lot of that has to do with the fact there is a black man in the White House.

"I think it had more to do not with his character, not with his willingness to go and meet and do and work, but the matter of fact is he's African-American," Williams said.

And a black president is seen by some as the ultimate threat to white power structure and privilege.

Many politicians who count on white votes are wary²⁵ to do much to alienate²⁶ those votes.

Heather Ann Thompson - the U of M professor - says policymakers today largely are ignoring the issues in the same way policymakers ignored them in the 1960s.

"The good news is that we now, I think, are really hearing from those people who have suffered this very directly. And that's why Ferguson has blown up and that's why Baltimore has exploded. And that's why people in cities across America are speaking out and saying, 'No. We need a different civil rights movement. We need a different moment of change.'"

And to be effective, that change will have to negotiate opportunities for African-Americans to be included in both political and economic power.

(You can see all of our Detroit Journalism²⁷ Cooperative coverage²⁸ here.)

Support for the Detroit Journalism Cooperative on Michigan Radio comes from the John S. and James L. Knight²⁹ Foundation, Renaissance³⁰ Journalism's Michigan Reporting Initiative, and the Ford¹⁰ Foundation.

Assistance in reporting this piece came from Bill McGraw with Bridge Magazine, a DJC partner, and Michigan Radio's Sarah Cwiek.

1 intensifying   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的现在分词 )；增辉

参考例句：

• The allies are intensifying their air campaign. 联军部队正加大他们的空战强度。 来自辞典例句
• The rest of the European powers were in a state of intensifying congestion. 其余的欧洲强国则处于越来越拥挤的状态。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

2 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

3 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 resentment   

n.怨愤，忿恨

参考例句：

• All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

7 rev   

v.发动机旋转，加快速度

参考例句：

• It's his job to rev up the audience before the show starts.他要负责在表演开始前鼓动观众的热情。
• Don't rev the engine so hard.别让发动机转得太快。

8 precarious   

adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的

参考例句：

• Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
• He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家，他过得是朝不保夕的生活。

9 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

10 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

11 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

12 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

13 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

14 lexicon   

n.字典，专门词汇

参考例句：

• Chocolate equals sin in most people's lexicon.巧克力在大多数人的字典里等同于罪恶。
• Silent earthquakes are only just beginning to enter the public lexicon.无声地震才刚开始要成为众所周知的语汇。

15 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

16 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军

17 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

18 constellation   

n.星座n.灿烂的一群

参考例句：

• A constellation is a pattern of stars as seen from the earth. 一个星座只是从地球上看到的某些恒星的一种样子。
• The Big Dipper is not by itself a constellation. 北斗七星本身不是一个星座。

19 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

20 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

21 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 escalated   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The fighting escalated into a full-scale war. 这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。
• The demonstration escalated into a pitched battle with the police. 示威逐步升级，演变成了一场同警察的混战。

23 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

24 bigotry   

n.偏见，偏执，持偏见的行为[态度]等

参考例句：

• She tried to dissociate herself from the bigotry in her past.她力图使自己摆脱她以前的偏见。
• At least we can proceed in this matter without bigotry.目前这件事咱们至少可以毫无偏见地进行下去。

25 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。

26 alienate   

vt.使疏远，离间；转让(财产等)

参考例句：

• His attempts to alienate the two friends failed because they had complete faith.他离间那两个朋友的企图失败了，因为他们彼此完全信任。
• We'd better not alienate ourselves from the colleagues.我们最好还是不要与同事们疏远。

27 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

28 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

29 knight   

n.骑士，武士；爵士

参考例句：

• He was made an honourary knight.他被授予荣誉爵士称号。
• A knight rode on his richly caparisoned steed.一个骑士骑在装饰华丽的马上。

30 renaissance   

n.复活，复兴，文艺复兴

参考例句：

• The Renaissance was an epoch of unparalleled cultural achievement.文艺复兴是一个文化上取得空前成就的时代。
• The theme of the conference is renaissance Europe.大会的主题是文艺复兴时期的欧洲。