exposure. it helps you to understand other cultures and except people are different and we don't understand the culture, even though we are a very interesting nation. we could become a better nation. when you think about the fact, this has something to do with the discussion today, but we are a nation because we have been so blessed with an incredible economy and yet we don't understand the value enough that all of our children should speak other languages. . .

michael lomax and i served on the board of commissioners in fulton county, basically atlanta. i was honored to serve with him as chair during the time i was there. one of the things i hated to do, we had to stand up and go to this brand new jail and cut a ribbon and honor while there is a place for jail. some people perhaps need to be in jail, but the tragedy is that jail is probably 98% african-american. now, that's not in fulton county in atlanta. that is -- those numbers are high. there's something inherently wrong with the criminal system. it is not a justice system. there is some serious racial --

racism in the criminal system and we call it criminal justice system but 13% of the population can't continue to comprise 60%, 70%, 80% of the criminal system. that must change. now, there's a responsibility on the community side and a responsibility on the side of our society. we need an incredibly more i think gent defense. but in our own communities there is the notion that says if you train a child in the way they should go when they are old we should not depart from that prange. so the community has departed some of that responsibility. but the government is not addressing its responsibility also. justice must exist for everybody because the system is full of blacks, browns and poor whites. brown, and the poor whites. .

so when the president says there will be preschool opportunities for all children, i think that's a good agenda for black children. when he says that i'm going to make sure that all children in k-12 has an opportunity for rigorous academic that he's going to enforce the -- he's going to have an enforcement arm in his department of education and make sure that advanced placement courses are as accessible to students in the central city as they are to students in the suburbs, i think that's an agenda. when he says i'm going to increase the pell grant which helps pay for low-income students to go to school and he raises that's going to have a disproportionately positive impact on african-american and hispanics, i think that's a

black agenda. i don't think it would be artful for him to call that a black agenda. and i don't dis-- it was artful for harry reid to talk about negro dialect. i think having that agenda and us interpreting it as one that has direct positive impact on issues that we're concerned about gives him -- should give him -- should mean we should recognize the impact that has. has. >> the consensus -- to you want to jump in? -- do you want to jump in? the consensus is that there is really no need for a specific agenda aimed at the african- american community and that you have to switch who you are in order to be liked by others, and that is okay, too. it is just living in america. >> partly because i am a

journalist. i am here to interpret and analyze and tell you what the facts are, not to tell you what i think you should do. there is plenty of that and you did not need me to do it. >> bowhead. >> i was just going to say it -- to go ahead. -- >> go-ah ahead. >> i was just going to say on almost every issue we are disproportionate -- disproportionately represented on almost every thing. the community has acted to bring others into the consciousness. i agree with dr. lomax. if these things that the president and congress are proposing are enacted, then it does, in fact, benefit to the entire community, but certainly

it benefits the african-american community. >> i want to step in and throw a slightly different dimension into this conversation. just a few months ago, leading civil and laborites organizations, among them the naacp criticized national -- criticized prison of, for not putting an employment and joblessness at the top of the -- crescent -- criticized president obama for not putting in employment and joblessness at the top of the agenda. -- unemployment and joblessness at the top of the agenda. it takes people outside the administration to put these issues on the top of the agenda. it cannot happen from the top down. one error that many supporters of president obama made is that they assumed that once in the white house, he would embody

their dreams and their agenda. our dreams and our agendas. they forgot one of the important lessons that comes out of the long history of the struggle for racial and economic inequality in america. it takes organized groups working inside the political system and putting pressure from outside the system to encompass anything -- to accomplish anything in during. >> we have a question. how come -- i hear it's a lot. i will speak for myself and there is very little discussion of obama as by racial, not black -- how come there is very little discussion of obama as biracial, not black? >> we have another question from chicago. is there a double standard by which we have -- we as a society condemn or repudiate white persons to make racially- charged statements, but not

black such as al sharpton and jesse jackson? where did not repudiate it for their comments by the black community? -- why are they not repudiated for their comments by the black community? go on, brother. [laughter] >> a lot of racism goes on called all the time -- uncalled all the time. i hear things i would not dare utter in a room of people here. i call people out on it. most people do not, right? i do not think that jesse jackson and al sharpton are getting a pass. they're not what could be considered racist to begin with. anything that they do say that could cross the line becomes fodder for news commentary, for

behind the scenes, talk-show commentary. >> so there is no double standard? people argued for years that there is a double standard. that we are allowed to get away with certain phrases, comments -- >> it is the same standard -- is the same applies for sexual harassment. to as the power? who is the minority and to is the majority? -- who has the power? who is the minority and who is the majority? they were powerless for railing against the powerful. you can call it a double standard and perhaps it is, but it is driven by what the balance of power is. >> it is like rhetorical guerrilla warfare. >> we have a lot of that right

now. >> he said in a couple of days obama and the democrats will be tackling health care, which people argue is huge in terms of his agenda, whether or not he succeeds politically beyond 20 and -- 2012. we know there has been a very vocal movement against this plan, whatever it turns out to be. one thing i thought of in planning for this was the tea party movement. i came across an article that quoted the daughter of senator john mccain who was a candidate of the republican ticket. she argued in this article that -- she thought that some of the comments and some of the rhetoric was incendiary and racist. heard and read that people feel that some of the opposition to president obama is not really

about politics or policy, but about the color of his skin. is there any truth to that? how do we address that? i have not done any polling -- >> i have not done any polling. in a kind of nation that we have been united states of america, we have created some unity, but we have a long way to go before we create ultimate unity. sure, some of it is something is -- something else. these are some very complex issues that will impact all of us. i think that -- when i first heard some of the discussions, i was not clear if those who were protesting really knew what they were protesting. i think there is a bigger issue. the largest issue is the

president and his team and congress have a huge challenge of finding ways to get resources to main street. so that people can acquire competence and -- unfortunately, we do not know if we've reached bottom. you have to be very careful when you say this. you also need to be truthful. the people need to know the truth. this economy is obviously very abolish tile right now. when we get to the -- barry boulton i'll -- very volatile right now. when we get to the bottom, you can only go up. one of the greatest issues is -- if the president and his team were merkel workers and could get the economy working appropriately -- were miracle workers and could get the

economy working appropriately, some of that would begin to subside. i would like to think that is not the majority. that is just not. -- that is just not positive thinking. >> he continues to do very well relative to other presidents at a similar poll in their administrations in polling. the polling showed him that 49%. she has higher positive ratings than does the congress -- he has higher positive ratings than does the congress. >> anybody has higher ratings than congress. >> that was a bad choice. when you put somebody up and they immediately begin to be pulled down -- is that race or is that the nature of the way we do politics? >> or is there room for honest policy disagreement? >> i understand what people

argue. i see the pictures of the bones through his nose. there is purulent -- it virulence racism that exists. and people simply disagree with policy -- can people simply disagree with policy? winter racism happens, you stop listening. when you call everything racist, it shuts down the conversation. we're trying to have the conversation and continue the conversation that started on this stage. if we automatically say they are just the tea partiers who are just a bunch of racists, we're writing off a lot of people hop. they did not see it trajectory for their lives which exceeds their parent's.

>> we're going to start kicking in audience questions. -- taking audience questions. with two beautiful women who are serving as microphone holders. >> she summed it up nicely. >> thank you. >>@@@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cost of education in this country is such that if it could be reduced by 80% we could help a lot of people, including black people. even some white people. i think that that's out of hand and i think that's one of the things that's trying to destroy our country. this is not exactly a racial matter, but i think it does affect race, and if education is going to be what helps

people rise up, why are we putting that big dam there, that big barrier? >> well, look, give applause because our education costs so much. this is a country where you do have a range of choices and opportunities in higher education. you have the choice of going to a community college, a state institution or an elite private, and the cost -- there is a wide range of cost there. costs there. some of that is inefficient. some of that could be reduced. another part of the problem on the high cost of education is that so many americans take so long to complete its. our graduation rate is not competed in four-year spread their competed in six-year averages -- in four-years. they are computed in six-year

averages. there are opportunities to make post-secondary college education more effective and efficient and less costly as well. >> as an educator, let me add -- and as someone who was a beneficiary of special programs that made it possible -- both loans and grants -- my family could not have afforded to put me through columbia. during the 1940's, president roosevelt created the g.i. bill. during the 1960's, president lyndon johnson expanded that through a federally funded loans and grants. over time, since the 1960's, the value of those grants has gone down. college has become more expensive, especially for people coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. i would like to see the administration [applause] work toward making college education more affordable again

in the present -- in the spirit of those presidents. it would benefit students of all backgrounds in ways that are consistent with many of the opinions of president obama. >> do you think president obama will run for reelection? >> undoubtedly. unless he does not get this health care bill passed. at which point his chances become a lot tougher. all the democrats will turn on him in the next few years. any president runs and its elected on -- automatically it could be assumed that they will seek a second term unless something really horrific happens. there was a huge recession under way. it was not the cash register, which is a disputed incident. think about lyndon johnson who

did not run for a second term because of the war in vietnam. >> over here. >> i had been taught that people only change out of pain or pleasure. i'm curious as to what are some of the benefits that would come for both white people and people of color in creating a more perfect union? >> that is a good question. [laughter] >> wow. >> do you want to think about? >> i will start. we aren't idealistic people. we like this idea that one day we will -- we are an idealistic people. we like this idea that one day we will all hold hands and all get along. that is an ideal of hours.

-- of ours. even though we have hit potholes, we're constantly striving to get to a better place, if not for us, but for our children. what is the point of raising children if we do not think are a lot -- their lives will be better? if we think they're going to suffer a disproportionate blamed for all of the ills of society and get in and of the benefits? that is what we strive for in the cosmic sense when we tried to go for a more -- a more perfect union. it is not just so we do not get called a walmart. -- get called at wal-mart. >> this is a country where we just keep pushing the pomelo. we're not satisfied -- we just keep pushing the bomb elope.

-- the envelope. we're not satisfied. i see it different for my children and grandchildren. i expect that, though progress may be attainable, we continue to make that progress. -- though progress may be painful, we continue to make that progress. there are few places in the world where there are as many embraced differences, where people will look and live differently can live together, as they do in this country. it is not perfect, but i have not found something else i would rather have. >> we're in the national constitution center. when the constitution was signed, the bill for its perfected it. does the protecting process. -- that is the protecting --

that is the perfect thiing proc. >> one thing the civil rights movement showed us is that you have to break some eggs to make an omelet. you have to push against people's comfort zones. the rev. king and many activists in the north pushed. they ask people to go further than i thought they could and challenged the powers that be. if you're going to perfection, we cannot just wished it, we have to work for it and know that it will be a painful process sometimes. >> what school are you from? >> west catholic. do you think racism will always exist, seeing as though we all

may be biased to one's race? >> an excellent question. will racism always exist? >> maybe. that is a very good question. none of us know the answer to it. we all have an opinion and so do you. it will look at the progress that we have made -- phenomenal progress -- over the last 60 years, and we look 20, 30, 40 years from now. society will change dramatically. our latino population is larger than the african-american population. i do not like the word minority. i will get to that in a minute. my point is, as society changes

and shifts, people are going to have to change so that we can become a better society. ultimately, i do believe that race will one day be a discussion of the past. clearly, because we have this dialogue, which is great, we need to have more dialogue. my closing point is that humans relations training -- over and over again, that causes you to think of the box. the things that we do that we do not even realize are offensive to others. they do not have to offend. when the others understand culture, because every culture is different. we talked about facial hair earlier. those in corporate america -- corporate culture, in the african-american have to remove -- has to remove facial hair.

it does not mean -- it just means that you have to acclimate to succeed at this particular junction. maybe one day that becomes less of an issue. we're just not there yet. >> another student from west catholic? >> do you think that as our generation grows and becomes hopefully less concerned about ray's future african-american president will not have to worry as much about making plans for -- >> probably. being the first that anything will get you half of a little bit. that is the deal you cut. the first woman or first person of color or whatever -- the hassle is part of the price of admission. a lot of the same questions that are asked of the press -- the first black senator or the first female senator will not be asked of the third or fourth. the next, whoever that might be,

maybe you -- the next person of color who becomes president will not have the same burden, i do not think. >> good evening. i am enjoying this so far. i'm an advocate for young people. we, as adults, have the idea of calling children kids. i do not like that. if you look it up, it is a word for antelope animals. when children grow up, they are not done any more. they looked at were up and they are considered as less than human, especially young african- american males. when our young males, 16-years- old -- i do not like them he st. a group of young kids. it is like an animal. i think we need to start addressing them as young people

or young adults, especially african-american males. i'm an advocate for that. it is almost like a slang word that i do not like. i'm just speaking up were i not think we need to respect our young people more. we need to eliminate that word kid. look it up and see what it means -- antelopes, boats, animals, less than human. we need to start our young people at an early age and address them as young people, young adult, but not kids. >> thank you. over here. >> my name is albert daniels and i'm a vietnam veteran. do you think because of who obama is -- he has not gotten any help with different things from the republicans, because of

who he is, his background, so forth, his race -- does that have anything to do with it? they not seem like they want to even have a discussion with him or come to some kind of compromise about health care. >> it might be that he is a democrat. >> politics play, but i think it is more than that. he was trying to get some kind of thing going with the republicans. >> it goes to the conversation about if it is ray's or not. you said sometimes it is, sometimes it ain't. >> look, maybe he is having it harder than -- he will not be the first african-american who has had it harder than. i am just so proud he is the president having a harder than. [applause]

of public confidence that he is capable enough to overcome -- i have a lot of confidence that he is capable enough to overcome and demonstrate that he met the standard, not that he had the sense to move lower, but that it was held very high and he met the very high bar. >> we learned early on that the bar may be raised. >> we do not want to hear him complaining that they're treating the bad because i am black. >> one last question? over there. we got you. >> good evening. i the question -- i have a question. we should discuss two separate subjects. it is degrading to black people. another subject that is very