If black residents of the city of St. Louis and Kansas City feel ignored and insulted by Gov. Matt Blunt and his GOP henchmen, there is an action that can be taken that would bring instant attention. If African Americans don’t like the fact that the University of Missouri does not have a large number of black students or faculty members, something can be done to possibly increase those numbers.
Black Missouri voters should demand that the state’s legislative caucus start taking action similar to that of their counterparts in Alabama.
The Alabama Legislature’s Black Caucus has asked black athletes to refuse to attend Auburn University until the school agrees to rehire two black administrators fired in a reorganization of the athletic department. The Black Caucus voted unanimously Thursday to ask black athletes from across the country to boycott Auburn’s athletic teams.
“We asked athletes to boycott Auburn until this issue is resolved because of the money going into Auburn from sports. It’s the black athletes that are responsible for that. When you look at the football team, that’s what you see,” said Rep. Laura Hall, chairwoman of the Black Caucus.
State Rep. Alvin Holmes said black lawmakers were upset that the university’s president did not specifically respond to the request to rehire the two officials. He said the caucus does not expect athletes already at Auburn to leave their teams.
“We’re just asking those being recruited not to come to Auburn,” Holmes said. “When people look at a football game or a basketball game on television, they get the impression there are lots of blacks working at Auburn, and that’s not the case.”
Missouri Congressman William Lacy Clay is involved in the Congressional hearings on steroids n when he’s not personally lobbying for embattled Vashon coach Floyd Irons n and he should also be using his office to pressure the university to do better in minority hiring.
While the thought of enacting a boycott of Mizzou by black athletes to help direct public policy decisions might sound far-fetched, African Americans must realize that Blunt and Republicans have declared war on urban citizens and, as the old saying goes, “all is fair in love and war.”
And, if something is not done to increase black participation at the college, those numbers will fall as well. All the while, black athletes will be helping Mizzou cash in. What’s wrong with THAT picture?