Commentary

Recent opinion-editorials, letters to the editor, speeches, and testimony by Lee Walker, president of The New Coalition for Economic and Social Change. For archived commentary (before December 31, 2003), click here. The Immigration Divide June 8, 2007 Why has the current debate on immigration reform incited so much passion and become the new "third rail" of politics? Perhaps the sheer number of illegal immigrants currently living in the U.S. is the ... (read more) Queen Elizabeth’s Recent Tour Misses Historic Opportunity May 16, 2007 President George W. Bush and the Queen visited the historic town, but both of them failed to mention the importance of Jamestown for the future of American race relations. The Queen made no reference ... (read more) Invisible Hand at Work for Chicago’s Black Parents March 30, 2007 One of the tragedies of black political leadership is that too often our leaders say they are working for the community but are in fact voting for someone else’s agenda. Yesterday’s vote on the issue ... (read more) NAACP Needs New Leadership March 9, 2007 Unfortunately, I no longer recognize the once great NAACP. It is neither the powerful organization of my youth nor the courageous and dignified body I identify with Roy Wilkins. After Mr. Wilkins died, ... (read more) Fake School Reform an Insult to Black Families February 19, 2007 Legislators in Springfield are chomping at the bit to pass some version of the so called “tax swap” before the end of the current legislative session. Armed with a veto-proof majority in both the house ... (read more) Parents' Anger Misplaced June 7, 2006 The Chicago Public Schools system and basically the inner-city has taken center stage in the media again with reports that students continue to receive passing grades while flunking tests and their futures. ... (read more) Parks and Scott King: The Passing of an Era March 27, 2006 In the past few months the country has been saddened by the deaths of two great women from Alabama who, with the help of a young man from Georgia, improved race relations, not just for southerners, but ... (read more) ICC: Approve ComEd Auction; Demand Lowest Price Possible January 24, 2006 On Tuesday, the Illinois Commerce Commission has the difficult task of considering a proposal by ComEd to allow them to conduct an auction to purchase electricity, a result of the company no longer owning ... (read more) My Goodbye to Mrs. Rosa Parks November 11, 2005 Flags around the nation were flown at half-mast in recognition of the major contributions that Rosa Parks, in her 92 years of life, first in the South and then in the North, made to the history of this ... (read more) Liberal Supreme Court Land Decision Not Good for Blacks July 11, 2005 Kelo v. City of New London, the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on a case involving the economically deprived city of New London. Conn., should be a wake-up call to all politicians representing low-income ... (read more) The Media, Politics, and Blacks June 16, 2005 How fair and balanced is the media when reporting on politics? It's bit so much of what we might not know that can lead to misrepresentation, as it is how much we might know that's not true. This is a ... (read more) Book Review: Black Rednecks and White Liberals June 2, 2005 As some Blacks take a part in the current authentically Black discussions, have you ever heard the words "ax" for "ask" or "acrost" for "across"? I remember being told that an "ax" will cut you and "ask" ... (read more) A Conflict of Vision? May 27, 2005 For many years, I've been writing columns and giving speeches about public policy from a Black perspective. I pay close attention to what other Black commentators say about the issues I address. Abbott and Booker T. Washington Were of Like Minds May 19, 2005 On May 5, 1905 Robert Sengstacke Abbott [1870-1940] was standing on South Side street corners selling a four-page newspaper– handbills filled with local news, which he called the Chicago Defender. ... (read more) We Should All Be Proud of Tiger Woods April 21, 2005 Without a doubt, Black Americans continue to be stars on the world's stage of sports since the days of Jackie Robinson, the baseball star, and Joe Louis in the boxing ring. A Fresh Look at Booker T. Washington's Legacy April 10, 2005 Postage stamps issued by the U.S. federal government came into existence in the mid-1840s, but it wasn't until 1940 that the face of a Black American appeared on one. It was Dr. Booker T. Washington. Is Cosby a Conservative? March 25, 2005 Bill Cosby has never publicly described himself as a conservative; but the conservative Black movement could not have had a more influential and powerful spokesperson for the past 11 months. Social Security Reform and Blacks -- An Idea Whose Time Has Come February 23, 2005 Last month on National Public Radio, I debated David Certner, director of federal affairs for AARP, the seniors advocacy group. The topic was Social Security reform. I spoke in favor of individual private ... (read more) Renewing of the Mind February 8, 2005 As we celebrated the national holiday remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., people addressed the 2005 addressed the 2005 holiday in more ways than I have seen in decades. Maybe it was due to the after-effects ... (read more) What Does the Name Martin Luther King Jr. Mean? January 31, 2005 As we celebrated the national holiday remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., people addressed the 2005 addressed the 2005 holiday in more ways than I have seen in decades. Maybe it was due to the after-effects ... (read more) Armstrong Williams Case Is a Problem of Principle January 28, 2005 In his first inaugural address, Thomas Jefferson may have said it best: "Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle." Jefferson's words have come to mind these past few days as I've ... (read more) As We Remember Dr. King January 14, 2005 As we celebrate the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I reflect on what he stood for, and how his life and achievements affect us all as Americans. Rising from Dependency with New Thinking January 4, 2005 It's time for new thinking and a new beginning. Scripturally, it's called "the renewing of your mind." Our communities are falling apart and our morals, values, and ethics are being diminished. Dr. King's Practical View on Education December 24, 2004 I monitor quarterly educational reports on the achievement of black students. While there is some progress, we're moving at a slow pace when it comes to closing the educational gap between black and white ... (read more) Rice Succeeds Against the Odds December 20, 2004 At one time in our community, color was the common denominator. But since the Voting Rights Act, the bigger question of community identity seems to be a single political party affiliation, which is, at ... (read more)