MR. DILLARDS BOOK EXCERPTS

 

Excerpt 1:
From 1987 to 1991, 12.2 million white collar workers lost their jobs; the White middle-class has been in an economic free fall for 20 years; the down-sizing of American corporations has cut a swatch through the middle-class that will never be dosed; and for the first time in the history of our Nation, there are more white collar workers unemployed than blue collar workers.1

In the cold execution of their downsizing Corporations have no favorites -- without regard to race, color, creed, friends, family or economic status -- the bloody ax falls as mercilessly against the middle and higher managers as it does against the 30 year old, blond, blue-eyed, widowed bank teller mother with four kids at home.

Excerpt 2:
USA Today reported on January 4, 1996 that as 40,000 exemployees of AT&T headed home, agonizing over how to tell their wives, husbands and children that they have been fired from their job -- financial investors were applauding in glee.
Even within the context of America's free enterprise system, one need not be a devout student of Marxist economics to know that there is something inherently unfair in this situation.

 

 

Excerpt 1:

Standing in the vortex of the racial, social, political, and economic whirlwind of the 1990’s — by virtue of their past 36 years of legal and political progress — blacks are strategically situated to seize the moment the opportunity, and the challenge to move into the American mainstream.
With this in mind, it behooves black elected officials and leaders to sheathe their black swords, “whiten” and expand their programs so as to transcend the color line and to work through labor unions, political parties and religious, social, civic and educational groups in an integrated effort to bring their new message to a broader and to a “whiter” audience.

Excerpt 2:

In his introduction to the book “Down The Line” written by the late Bayard Rustin, C. Vann Woodward, black historian speaking of Bayard Rustin said:
“As often as he can make himself heard, Rustin has been reminding his people that the way out of their plight lies not through hair styles and bizarre costumes. Soul courses and soul food are no real answers. It may provide emotional release to ‘think black, dress black, eat black, and buy black,’ but it places one on a reactionary course.

“The real problems, from which all this is escape, are those of employment, wages, housing, health, education, and they are not to be solved by withdrawal and fantasy. They can only be solved in alliance with elements from the majority of the electorate, and the cement of such a coalition is not love but mutual interest. The way is through nonviolence, integration, and coalition politics.”