Greedmont Park

Remaking America: From Poverty to Prosperity

Sunday, January 22, 2012 by Isabelle Ofume | No Comments | Category: Culture, Daily Inspiration, Politics, Uncategorized

On January 12, 2012, bloggers, journalist, students, professors, some of DC’s most influential people, 7 panelist, and a moderator took part in one of the most important conversations in 2012, thus far. Broadcasting live on C-SPAN, the internet, and a few radio stations, Americans got the opportunity to listen in first-hand on the opinion on how poverty in America can be reduced, if not removed. Tavis Smiley, as moderator of this great event at George Washington University, asked some of the questions that has been hovering over most Americans heads.

Panelist, such as Michael Moore appealed to the emotions of the audience leaving them enable to leave their seats. (I must admit, I didn’t know much about his side of things until that day). And Cornell West, the free-spirited Princeton Professor, did all I would be surprised to see, if told. From his singing to the confrontations, this discussion became a memorable one.

If I could personally rate the panelist from a scale of the most effective, in my opinion, it would go as followed: Michael Moore, Dr. Cornell West, Barbara Ehrenreich, Suze Orman, Majora Carter, Vicki B. Escarra, Roger A. Clay, Jr.

Some key points made…

• - 1 in 2 Americans are in poverty or near poverty
• - “Poverty is not a character flaw, but a shortage of money”
• - We need through the eyes of the original people (indigenous)
• - “Invisible” in the context of Ralph Ellison
• - No money for education…spent on jails, wars, etc.
• - “If it is a brown or black face…we overlook poverty”
• - Poverty is color-coded.
• - If it doesn’t hit the white-folks, it doesn’t matter.
• - We [America] started with a racial problem.
• - [America] is built on genocide.
• - The rich need poverty.
• - A revolution will happen when they take from the middle class.
• - Rich are getting richer, and poor are getting poorer.
• - Race & class (not separate)
• - Integration left behind the poor.
• - Poverty is a problem of national security.
• - “How to love” [no lil wayne]
• - Leader-less movement…everyone becomes leaders.
• - African-Americans are getting the most hell.
• - White supremacy on the right wing.
• - Democracy is on its last two threads…
• - [on voting] back to paper votes and moving vote day to the weekends [doesn't allow minority votes]
• - Employers do not employ people with no credit scores…so they do not employ people with no money (go figure!)
• - “Hope is delusional” – Roger
• - College education = no job in America.
• - Capitalism…few succeed…all the rest suffer.
• - “Can’t move forward until you look back.” – Cornel West
• - “Earn greatness, not quick success” – Cornel West
• - “Tax the rich…corporations aren’t people…how many gated communities can the rich build?” – Michael Moore

What do you think? What’s your side on the issue on poverty? Leave a comment or write your bit on the topic. Make sure to link me. I really want to hear opinions and thoughts on the discussion.

Catch the full episode from the Tavis Smiley Show on PBS.COM for Part 1-3 or watch the full discussion at C-SPAN.

[Editors note: Apologize for the lateness of this post]