PERSPECTIVE ON THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON : Economic Rights: A Matter of Access for All

“W here do we go from here?”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. posed this question to America in his last book more than 25 years ago. The question is still burning from within, and so is the nation, especially our urban centers from Los Angeles to Miami.

Again on Aug. 28, as was the case in 1963, hundreds of thousands will gather in Washington to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the historic March on Washington. This time, the organizers and leaders have adopted a broad-ranging theme under the banner of “A New Coalition of Conscience for Jobs, Justice & Peace.” It is not surprising, therefore, that this gathering will represent perhaps the greatest level of diversity ever witnessed in our country to come together for a common cause--more “economic rights” for all. Indeed, 30 years of progress have revealed that gaining and ensuring civil rights for all were only the beginning of what this greatest of countries needs to do for all its people. Real progress can be measured only by gains in economic rights or benefits.

No urban center recognizes the urgency of addressing the economic-rights issue more than Los Angeles. Yes, as the undisputed “pilot study” urban center of America in the 1990s, Los Angeles now is truly aware that the paramount need is to assemble and seriously address the core issues that have continued to tear us apart, especially in recent years. It is encouraging to note that hardly a week goes by without the insidious problems of economic disparity listed as a top agenda item in Los Angeles. Are we finally moving in the right direction?

While we could go back 130 years to 1863 and the Emancipation Proclamation, it is necessary only to look back to 1963 to understand vividly the roots of our problems and discern clearly our direction. Not until that year of great revelations did we begin to strive toward civil rights for all. The “Great March” laid the foundation for the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Fair Housing Act of 1966 and many other important legislative and judicial acts of civility. We finally began to activate for all citizens the constitutional provisions that are so precious and fundamental.

But witness the balance of the ‘60s, much of the ‘70s, virtually all of the ‘80s and even the first two years of the ‘90s, and we find benign neglect of the next logical step--from ensuring civil rights for all to granting economic rights to all. So, “Where do we go from here?” How do we fully shift to the economic agenda?

It’s 1993 and we are still in the ‘60s in many respects pertaining to economic rights for all. Admittedly, many have indeed “overcome,” but many segments of our society still remain locked out, up and down. What we need now is a new focus on civil economic rights--call it CER (pronounced “Sir,” as in Aretha Franklin’s “Respect”). CER can be defined as the special privilege of an American citizen to participate in and benefit from the wealth of this country in a just and legal manner. Having civil rights without economic parity, or at least a fair opportunity to gain economic parity, given all the facts and circumstances, is of little benefit in this capitalistic society and in no way indicates that one has gained his or her civil economic rights.

By again answering the question that has so frequently been asked--what more do we want and why do we still need to march?--the meaning of CER may be explained more clearly.

What do we want? Simply stated, we want access, economic access. Access to capital and credit and fewer, many fewer barriers to entrepreneurial opportunities. We want to create an economic system that will eliminate redlining and race-based discrimination in lending. The system must also provide parity in community business development.

Inherent in this new economic system is affordable housing, meaningful jobs and a quality school system. Indeed, economic disparity has made drug trafficking, carjacking and related urban crimes quick, viable and lucrative options for an entire generation. Ensuring CER in the next generation of our youth will enable us to avoid regenerating yet another generation of those who hurt society rather than help society. We must seek to help those who are hurting and save those who are doing the hurting by creating a safer living and working environment underscored with a new economic parity and leverage.

A factual example illustrates the great economic disparity in our country, particularly as it relates to lending. According to the 1990 Census data, in the nation’s capital, African-Americans represent 66% of the population, yet received a disproportionate number of home-mortgage loans. For example, one area of the District of Columbia that has a white population of 88% received 20% to 25% of the city’s total mortgage loans. Another area, which has exactly the same percentage of single-family, owner-occupied homes, and which is 91% black, received only 9% to 13% of the city’s total mortgage loans. Additionally, in the study of 14 area banks, only half of them made any mortgage loans at all in predominantly black areas.

Why do we still march? We march to raise awareness and sensitize the public, especially policy-makers, to the dire economic problems facing African-Americans and other minorities.

We’re marching 30 years later because racism is more pervasive, economic despair has spiraled and poverty and homelessness are at record levels. The march next weekend is a plea to purge the lopsided economic realities in our nation’s African-American and other minority communities.

Until and unless we implement civil economic rights for all Americans, urban crimes and other inner-city ills will continue to escalate; economic stagnation and contamination of our society will keep festering, putting us all at risk.