09 Feb 2007 We’ve Got Political Leaders Who Rely on Blacks Being Slaves and Underdogs, Says Project 21’s Reginald Jones

Project 21 member Reginald Jones spoke frankly about Black History Month at a speech at Ohio University earlier this week.

As reported by the Athens News (excerpted):

Black conservative activist Reginald Jones discussed his controversial view of Black History Month, criticizing the media and politicians, in a lecture Tuesday night at Ohio University.”Black History Month is a month-long funeral to bemoan the condition of black people so we will be seen as underdogs who need special help,” Jones alleged.

A native of South Bronx, Jones is a 20-year veteran of the music industry and founder of The Reggitainment Group, an entertainment company that manages, promotes, and publishes music.

He is also a spokesman for Project 21, The National Leadership Network of Black Conservatives. He has hosted his own radio and television shows and has appeared on programs on various networks, including MSNBC, CBS Radio, and the Fox News Channel…

…”Accomplishments in arts, sciences, literature — you name it — go unnoticed,” he said. “Black History Month is a month-long political message on the suffering of black people.”

But that’s a distorted picture of black America, he claimed. “We don’t all live on food stamps. We don’t all wind up in prison,” Jones said. “We’ve just got political leaders whose lives rely on blacks being slaves and underdogs.”

What this means, he said, is that uplifting role models are ignored in favor of victims.

“Any success stories, any miraculous life stories are swept under the rug and people will never know,” Jones said. “We have overcome insurmountable odds. It cannot be denied the lengths we have gone from what we once were. The majority of us have overcome and are still overcoming and defying odds. That is the true story of Black History Month.”

Jones blamed the media for the common perception of African Americans.

“Those who make it and make a difference go unnoticed. They don’t fit the template of what black people are supposed to be,” Jones said. “We have to know how dangerous it is that the media constantly portray one message and one message only.”

He used Hurricane Katrina as an example of the one-sided media portrayal of blacks. “The majority of faces of victims we saw were black,” Jones said. “Heroes were predominately black, too, and you never saw their faces. You never even heard of them.”

Jones also criticized the media for turning to Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson for comment on all African American issues.

“Media always run to the same two people and never get any other black opinion,” Jones said…

…”We feed black youth the idea that the only way out of the ghetto is to dribble a ball or get on a mic and cuss out everyone,” Jones said. “We use Black History Month to waste a golden opportunity to educate youth. Things are being left out.”

…Jones’ visit was sponsored by the Ohio University College Republicans, with the help of Young America’s Foundation….

Read it all here.