Among the main concerns, other than health, poverty, and education, are political involvement and the patronage of black businesses. Voter registration is another concern, closely tied to political involvement, that many black Americans need to take note of. When more black Americans become involved with politics, they have more of an opportunity to make changes that are needed. This does not mean that Smiley advocates changing the laws and rules of this country so that blacks are in power and whites are submissive, but only that the equality that should be there for all Americans does not always extend to black Americans as much as it was designed to do originally.
Some of this discrimination is intentional, but there is also discrimination that is not deliberate, but simply happens because of the way that laws are written or the way that things have always been done. This is the kind of discrimination that should be addressed and changed, because it can be altered much more easily than dealing with the hatred of a few people that will always discriminate as much as they can get away with, as often as they can. Smiley's collection of essays indicate that this type of hatred cannot really be stopped or avoided, but that there are always legal and reliable ways for black Americans to do well and succeed if that is the path that they choose. The essays...
Once they become aware of what they might be capable of, they have the opportunity to take that new information and use it for the betterment of themselves and of all black Americans. One of Smiley's chief points in the book is that too many black Americans look at what they feel whites are doing to keep them down instead of looking at what they themselves might be doing to keep them down. The book is somewhat controversial because of this, as there are black Americans that are convinced that they are doing everything they can, and it is white society that is holding them back -- and some of this may be true.
However, when black Americans make no effort to get educated, do not take care of themselves, do not register to vote, and do not make any effort to become involved in the life of the country, this is something that white Americans do not have any control over. Black Americans cannot control what white Americans do, but they can control what they do, and they can control how they react to what others do. This is a very important lesson for all individuals to remember, regardless of their race or color.
