Community discusses Obama's first year in office
Wynna Elbert, Columbia resident and civic activist, participates in a discussion regarding President Barack Obama's first year in office Wednesday night at the Armory Sports and Community Center. The discussion covered topics, including job production, health care reform and the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' military policy.
Columbia citizens met at the Armory Sports and Community Center Wednesday night to discuss President Barack Obama’s first year in office. This time last year, citizens met to discuss President Obama's inauguration.
The discussion shifted at times from Obama’s first year in office to policy issues and larger social circumstances affecting the black community.
Tyree Byndom, who helped organize the event, said he didn’t mind the change in topics and the event was a conversation among friends who aren’t afraid to speak their mind.
“It was just real, a lot times you don’t see that, you have to tailor things,” he said.
One of the main points of the discussion revolved around health care reform.
Former First Ward Councilwoman Almeta Crayton said she wanted to see reform pass.
Although he doesn’t support the federal government forcing people to buy health care, MU Alumnus Addae Ahmad said he does support the idea of universal health care because it leads to a healthy country.
“If you got a healthy country and healthy people it helps the community stay vibrant,” he said. Crayton said issues with health care legislation are understandable, but the end product of reform is most important.
“I don’t give a damn what they type up in that paper,” she said. “If my 3-year-old is choking and I can’t get coverage, that’s what I care about.“
Social issues were also discussed, such as the importance of higher education.
Addae said a secondary education was necessary to compete in a job market where high-paying factory jobs aren’t as common as they once were.
“A lot of African American youth think these jobs will be there when they graduate high school and enter the work force, but that’s naïve,” he said.
The discussion ended with a few brief words about Obama’s attempt to end the military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
Wynna Elbert said sexual orientation was a personal issue.
“We got so many other issues we have to deal with before we get to gays in the military,” she said. “I don’t have time to deal with that.”
Byndom said this discussion needs to happen more often, but would have liked to see more people attend the event, which was much larger after Obama won last year.
Six people participated in the discussion while 18 journalists attended.
