My grandmother used to always comment on news of something that was outrageous, "that's a sin and a shame." When it comes to the Black community, there is always a trail of broken promises, neglect and outright exploitation. As an example, African Americans faithfully put their money in Citibank and Bank of America, but the Greenlining Institute, San Francisco, reports that Citibank made not one SBA business loan in California to an African American in the first six months of 2001 and Bank of America awarded less than 1% of its contracts to Black firms last year. "That's a sin and a shame!"

Because of discrimination in this country, affirmative action laws have been passed directing the Federal government to assist Blacks and other minorities to go into business and become competitive in the market place. There are over 800,000 Black firms in this country, but only 8% have staff. Therefore, the US Small Business Administration (SBA) has the 8 (a) program to set-a-side a share of federal contracts originally for Black firms and now for all minority businesses. Of the 6000 firms admitted to the 8 (a) program, 218 firms do over 50% of the $5.8 billion in contracts and more than half of the 6000 firms get nothing! Also 80% of the firms that get contracts are in the Washington, DC area, as if the rest of the country doesn't exist. "That's a shame."

In another area of Federal assistance, the US Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is supposed to provide technical assistance to minority businesses. But MBDA has no technical assistance center in the San Francisco Bay Area, the fourth largest metropolitan population area in the Country. It has three centers in Los Angeles, however. MBDA traditionally bids the contracts to run its Assistance Centers out to the white Big 8 CPA firms, who appear to be the only ones getting any money. The National Black Chamber of Commerce is investigating MBDA's largest grant of over $2,000,000.00 that went to the Michael Milken Foundation, a white foundation in the Los Angeles area. Now "that's a sin."

NY State Controller H. Carl McCall is well ahead in the race to become the first Black governor of New York. Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk is in the lead to become the first Black US Senator from Texas. But don't expect any big economic gains for African Americans! At one time Blacks were mayors of 6 of the 10 largest cities in this nation, but no meaningful translation of Black political power into economic empowerment for Black folks occurred, except for Atlanta, GA. The largest 100 Black firms in this country have a combined income of $11.5 billion, less than that of PG&E. Of the $532 billion that African Americans earn each year, enough to be the 10th wealthiest nation in the world, only 3% is spent with Black businesses. Sometimes, we are our own worst enemy. "That's a sin and a shame!"