False Black Power? (New Threats to Freedom Series)

This is an excellent and timely book. It makes a good companion to the author's previous work, "Please Stop Helping Us.". The book is short, it is also very readable. Mir. Riley is a forceful and convincing writer, but does not descend into the pit of writing a polemic. His main thesis, that the social and economic situations of too many Black people, particularly in urban areas has regressed since the early 1960's and that this regression has occurred almost in lock-step with the rise of a militant Black Power movement, is states succinctly and is supported with a great many statistics that are verified as coming from reliable sources.. His concern is that Black people too often have been misled by political leaders posing as friends, which, in turn, has allowed many of the cultural strengths of the Black community to be forgotten or generally weakened.

Observable facts and truth actually matter to Jason L. Riley and his timely and valuable book provides solid proof that Mr. Riley is interested in the truth of what is actually happening in today's society. Well researched and documented with linked footnotes/references, the reader quickly gets the clear understanding that this is both a serious academic work and analysis of what is going on in politics and racial relations in our country today. While Dr. Thomas Sowell is slowing his outstanding output of worthwhile commentary and analysis of what ails our society today, Jason L. Riley has taken the baton and is forging ahead to carry on providing clear headed analysis from a Conservative and objective viewpoint. I highly recommend this book as a timely resource for use by voters, politicians and academics to get, an at times uncomfortable, but necessary counterpoint from Leftist Dogma on where our society is today and what needs to be done to actually improve it, rather than continue with the failed programs and policies of the past. False Black Power? (New Threats to Freedom Series)

The author takes on a taboo subject by arguing that culture and personal choices—not structural racism and white privilege—are the major impediment for social and economic progress in some black communities. So, this book (which is easy to read and well researched) will probably upset a few people because it is not "politically correct." The author succeeds in showing that the sharp rise of black political power at every level of government has not advanced, but actually impeded, black upward mobility because it has relied (counter productively) on victim status as a tool for gaining and maintaining power. Notably, the author illustrates that liberal policies, such as affirmative action and the Great Society program, stymied the economic and social advancement that blacks gained before these programs were adopted in 1960s. Moreover, the author illustrates how blacks before the 1960s succeeded--and did so despite structural racism--because they had strong communities and families. Thus, contrary to liberal ideology, blacks are generally not being disadvantaged by whatever remains of structural racism (or the lingering effects of slavery and Jim Crow laws), but by social decay and the erosion of a strong family structure. This reader enjoyed the constructive criticism provided at the end of the book by John McWorter who argues persuasively that Jason Riley’s argument focuses too much on the greatly-diminished political clout of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, and not enough on current progressive commentators (e.g., Ta-Nehishi Coates) and social media sources who have made it feel conscientious if not “cool” to stereotype blacks as victims who require more and more government support to succeed—a position that McWorter finds patronizing, to say the least. Overall, the book is a measured and compelling attack on identity politics and is critical of liberals whose policies, contrary to their alleged intentions, are harming those who they claim to be trying to help.

This book is well researched and backed up by clear thinking and well documented facts. It brings front and center issues in race relations that are critical. For the black community, it is a must read but it won't be fun for blacks to read. It focuses on some inconvenient truths that must be faced, especially by blacks, if America is ever to really over come our racial divide.

Jason Riley intelligently lays out his case for an important perspective on social ills especially plaguing inner city communities. Well-written, the book cites substantive data and history. Loury and McWhorter’s contributions serve to critique and sharpen Riley’s thesis while adding a nuance of their own.

This is more an extended treatise than a nonfiction book but worth the read for those interested in socioeconomic topics. Riley kindly includes some reactions from fellow thinkers at the end. His premise is that various ethnic groups in the US have achieved power in different ways, and that achieving political power as African Americans have done in the last fifty years does not automatically lead to achieving economic power--that economic power has different roots. Riley is extremely cognizant of the unique hardships African-Americans have faced. However, he also shows the unheralded extent to which African-Americans built up their social, intellectual, economic and human capital after the Civil War through the early 1960s, with statistics otherwise seldom seen.

Everyone with skin (regardless of color) in the game of Race should read anything that Mr Riley writes. This was an even more powerful writing as it included responses from other sides of the discussions. Masterful. I would love to make it recommended reading for all knee-taking NFL players and owners. Wouldn't hurt President Trump to read as well. I may just donate a few copies to local high school libraries.

Sorry guys but the book was too wordy .

A really enjoyable and easy to read book on what Riley sees as the biggest impediment to black progression in the United States. Well sourced and highlights the often ignored history of black America post slavery in context of their outcomes today. Riley highlights the limitations of a groups political power as a route to better economic outcomes, and how this focus on cultivating political representation has been a hindrance to black people in America compared to other groups who shunned politics. Riley emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility as well as being critical of cultural attributes, which are also often ignored when discussing a groups outcomes, instead racial discrimination being the go-to explanation. What is also good about this book is that John McWhorter and Glenn Loury (both really worth checking out) give their opinions on Riley’s essay, which gives it a good balance overall.

An excellent summation of the industry that has sprung up since the 60's in divding people by race and setting us against each other. This divde and conquer nonsense has been going on for thousands of years and must be identified, called out and ended if we are to progress.

Nice round up of current empirically supported conservative rational view and why progressive emotive arguments are mostly non sequitur logically even tho powerful in effect - but there nothing new or surprising - mostly reiterates Thomas Sowell - nothing wrong with that just that you could get it from the horses mouth

Excellent book and service