6

Throughout this period I ^{appeared regularly} I first hosted and then later served as commentator on America's Black Forum, the oldest syndicated talk show in the United States. I became a talking head in an arena when almost all such figures were white and male - and where most continue to be white men today.

All the while, I served on the Board of the NAACP and five years ago, was elected Chairman, and have subsequently been re-elected every year since then.

My life to date and especially this last position has made me a "source" for journalists; my opinion is often solicited on various issues of race.

But I do more than wait to have someone seek out my position; I eagerly offer it as well, in 50 or more speeches around the country every year and in opinion pieces written for the country's newspapers, black and white.

I must say there is something a trifle uncomfortable about all of this - I have opinions on a number of subjects that have little to do with discrimination; almost never am I asked to comment on those. I am victim of a kind of opinion isolation, my thoughts restricted to a ghetto populated by others like me who cannot possibly think about anything other than our race.

^{TheWhateverself-described pub-- catlRichard Posnec has to say, the real decline [illegible] among [illegible] [illegible] but is the coarsening of the discourse. [illegible] We need more not fewer people, who can intelligently discuss and debate the issues of the day.}

7

Throughout this period I ^{appeared regularly} I first hosted and then later served as commentator on America's Black Forum, the oldest syndicated talk show in the United States. I became a talking head in an arena when almost all such figures were white and male - and where most continue to be white men today.

All the while, I served on the Board of the NAACP and five years ago, was elected Chairman, and have subsequently been reelected every year since then.

My life to date and especially this last position has made me a "source" for journalists; my opinion is often solicited on various issues of race.

But I do more than wait to have someone seek out my position; I eagerly offer it as well, in 50 or more speeches around the country every year and in opinion pieces written for the country's newspapers, black and white.

I must say there is something a trifle uncomfortable about all of this - I have opinions on a number of subjects that have little to do with discrimination; almost never am I asked to comment on those. I am victim of a kind of opinion isolation, my thoughts restricted to a ghetto populated by others like me who cannot possibly think about anything other than our race.