Gregory, Richard Claxton ‘Dick’ (Born, October 12, 1932, St. Louis, Mo.), African American comedian and civil rights activist whose social satire changed the way white Americans perceived African American comedians since he first performed in public. Dick Gregory entered the national comedy scene in 1961 when Chicago’s Playboy Club (as a direct request from publisher Hugh Hefner) booked him as a replacement for white comedian, ?Professor? Irwin Corey.
Gregory’s activism continued into the 1990s. In response to published allegations that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had supplied cocaine to predominantly African American areas in Los Angeles, thus spurring the crack epidemic, Gregory protested at CIA headquarters and was arrested. In 1992 he began a program called “Campaign for Human Dignity” to fight crime in St. Louis neighborhoods.
In 1973, the year he released his comedy album Caught in the Act, Gregory moved with his family to Plymouth, Massachusetts, where he developed an interest in vegetarianism and became a nutritional consultant. In 1984 he founded Health Enterprises, Inc., a company that distributed weight loss products. In 1987 Gregory introduced the Slim-Safe Bahamian Diet, a powdered diet mix, which was immensely profitable.
Dick Gregory’s Position On:
In ‘68 Gregory wrote that the one qualification we should seek in a Presidential candidate is “a sensitivity to human need” (p.18) Our two party electoral system generally promotes candidates who lack this qualification for office—and who focus not on human need but on supporting and spreading corporate greed.
Smash the two party system. Gregory writes that he did not vote in the 1964 Presidential election because “I refused to be the victim of having to choose between the lesser of two evils.” Choose a candidate in ‘08 who actually represents your world view don’t just vote for the other guy, or gal, because you think they can win. And don’t vote for any candidate who accuses another candidate of stealing his or her votes. The two party system has fostered an arrogant attitude in both the Democratic and Republican parties where their candidates assume that the votes are theirs even before election day. This is why they speak so easily of red and blue states and Republican and Democratic districts. Yet anyone has the right to run for office and the votes belong to no candidate until they are cast and counted on election day.
“America speaks with pride of the fruits of democracy and advocates democracy for the rest of the world. Yet we go all over the world trying to force democracy upon people at gunpoint.” (p. 49) Elect the candidate in ‘08 who will support democracy at home and abroad not with force but with respect for the ability of a people to determine their form of government and elect their leaders. Foreign democracies have been judged good by American leaders only when they support America’s policies otherwise they are considered bad and our government undermines their ability to rule. If we truly support democratic values then we must judge a democracy to be good or bad not for its support of American policies but for its ability to recognize and express the will of its people.
“I have a dream and a vision of seeing the Constitution of the United States implemented in full for the first time in American history.” (p. 58) It has been popular in recent years for candidates to talk about amending the Constitution. What Gregory writes in 1968 is that the Constitution has never been fully implemented. He suggests, therefore, that before we talk about changing it we actually see how life in America would change if we followed the Constitution.
Gregory writes that his administration will give us the “Clean Society.“ He writes that one of his first acts will be to set aside half of his Presidential salary as a reward for any information leading to his arrest and conviction for wrongdoing in office. Further he proposes to place into escrow $10,000 for each Senator and Congressman also as a reward for information of wrong doing in office. This combined sum (around $5 million dollars he estimates) is small in comparison to the federal government’s annual budget. Yet the rewards for taking political corruption seriously would be profound.
Gregory proposed a tax on “excess-profits.“ Today we have Congressmen and Senators who will debate the excess-profits of the oil industry but will not tax it! In 2008 we need a President who will pledge to tax excess-profits.
“I will propose legislation to allow American taxpayers to bring suit against the federal government challenging the spending of a sizable portion of the national budget for a possibly illegal war.” (p. 104) In 1968 Gregory was writing about Vietnam, but what he saw then with the executive seizing more and more power and Congress spending more and more money on military actions overseas has direct parallels to the current situation in Iraq. ” Any time American troops are being used overseas as a result of orders by the commander-in-chief, the question of the constitutionality of such action should be immediately raised.” (p. 104)
Gregory pledged to respect international law and order and to create renewed respect for the United Nations. ”I will urge a redistribution of power in the UN so that every nation has an equal voice [...] ” (p. 110) Further he proposes that the UN flag become as recognizable as corporate logos, the flag announcing to people the world over that “colors, religions and political orientations place no restriction upon membership in the human family.” (p. 112)
“America must re-evaluate what is meant by developing ’stronger’ nations. A nation that is well equipped militarily, yet plagued with disease, hunger and ignorance, is not really strong.” (p.113)
Gregory wanted to see America taking leadership in eliminating world hunger and he proposed to have elementary school children contribute a penny a week and for adults to give up one meal each week the proceeds from both to be used to feed the hungry.
Gregory proposed using tax rebates as incentives for companies which establish fair employment practices. In 2008 we desperately need a candidate who will use our tax code to reward corporate behavior that benefits consumers, employees and the environment.
Gregory offers reforms for fire and police departments as well as the criminal justice system and the courts. ”As President, I will make every effort to free the court system from political ties. I will seek federal legislation to rule out the concept of judgeship by political appointment.“
The elimination of capital punishment was one of his criminal justice reforms. He sought a criminal justice system that accomplished rehabilitation of the criminal rather than merely punishment. We should not accept a candidate in 2008 who talks about compassion and respect for life if they support capital punishment. We must accept that every person is capable of finding and achieving redemption and that taking a life ends this possibility. Capital punishment is only acceptable to the cynical Christian who sees redemption in the spiritual realm alone.
One black supporter of Clinton, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, said he remains committed to her. “There’s nothing going on right now that would cause me to” change, he said.
He said any suggestion that elected leaders should follow their voters “raises the age old political question. Are we elected to monitor where our constituents are … or are we to use our best judgment to do what’s in the best interests of our constituents.” Read more
Barrack Obama and wife, Michelle, embrace as they celebrate their victories on Super Tuesday. What a beautiful couple and show of Black Love.
His response to “we’re just not sure that America is ready for an African American President.” Read more
This PDF document of “Nommo,” the newsletter for the Association of Black Culture Centers has done a great job detailing the history of the Gaines-Oldham Black Culture Center, a photo of the original center and the current building, as well as, a welcome from Nate Stephens, BCC’s Director.
We must change the system of education and instruction. Unfortunately, history has shown us that brotherhood must be learned, when it should be natural.
I did take the blows [of life], but I took them with my chin up, in dignity, because I so profoundly love and respect humanity.
I’m not intimidated by anyone. Everyone is made with two arms, two legs, a stomach and a head. Just think about that.
We’ve got to show that blacks and whites are treated equally in the army. Otherwise, what’s the point of waging war on Hitler?
The things we truly love stay with us always, locked in our hearts as long as life remains.
One day I realized I was living in a country where I was afraid to be black. It was only a country for white people. Not black. So I left. I had been suffocating in the United States… A lot of us left, not because we wanted to leave, but because we couldn’t stand it anymore… I felt liberated in Paris.
I think they must mix blood, otherwise the human race is bound to degenerate. Mixing blood is marvelous. It makes strong and intelligent men. It takes away tired spirits.
Until the March on Washington, I always had this little feeling in my stomach. I was always afraid. I couldn’t meet white American people. I didn’t want to be around them. But now that little gnawing feeling is gone. For the first time in my life I feel free. I know that everything is right now.
I believe in prayer. It’s the best way we have to draw strength from heaven.
A violinist had a violin, a painer his palette. All I had was myself. I was the instrument that I must care for.
The things we truly love stay with us always, locked in our hearts as long as life remains.
… I improvised, crazed by the music… Even my teeth and eyes burned with fever. Each time I leaped I seemed to touch the sky and when I regained earth it seemed to be mine alone.
Beautiful? It’s all a question of luck. I was born with good legs. As for the rest… beautiful, no. Amusing, yes.
Surely the day will come when color means nothing more than the skin tone, when religion is seen uniquely as a way to speak one’s soul; when birth places have the weight of a throw of the dice and all men are born free, when understanding breeds love and brotherhood.”
“I was learning the importance of names — having them, making them — but at the same time I sensed the dangers. Recognition was followed by oblivion, a yawning maw whose victims disappeared without a trace.”
“I like Frenchmen very much, because even when they insult you they do it so nicely.”
“It [the Eiffel Tower] looked very different from the Statue of Liberty, but what did that matter? What was the good of having the statue without the liberty?”
“I wasn’t really naked. I simply didn’t have any clothes on.”
One black supporter of Clinton, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, said he remains committed to her. “There’s nothing going on right now that would cause me to” change, he said.
Barrack Obama and wife, Michelle, embrace as they celebrate their victories on Super Tuesday. What a beautiful couple and show of Black Love.