The way Jamala sees it

As she introduces The Best of ‘The Way I See It’ and Other Political Writings (1989-2010), Jamala Rogers speaks of the beginning.

She challenged her friend Donald M. Suggs, publisher of The St. Louis American, to incorporate a woman’s perspective – not necessarily hers. This resulted in a platform for publicly sharing her opinions on politics, policy, social justice, injustice, racism, equal rights and activism that has spanned the better part of 20 years. 

As she stood in front of guests recently at the Rowan Community Center, Rogers proved once again her power to get people engaged in the fight to make the world – St. Louis, in particular – a better place.

“I want to do a reality check to see if we have those critical struggles over the past 20 years,” Rogers said to the crowd. “So if you can think of a struggle that you think was important to the St. Louis region – or even to the country – say it and I’ll let you know if it was in there.”

Hands flew up and mouths opened wide, eager to challenge her.

Gang violence, the death penalty, arts and culture were called out. She had them covered via Reginald Clemons, the reggae band Infrared Rockers and a chapter on youth that chronicled the impact of gang violence on St. Louis.

Everything the community thought she could have covered, she had covered.

“What about politics in a post-racial society?” a guest yelled out.

“You mean politics in a post-Obama society,” Rogers responded.

She had that covered, too.

“Black people have a schizophrenic relationship with our president. We were all excited that he made it, and then we get really mad when we feel like he doesn’t take on issues that will impact us,” Rogers said.

“Because to me, there ought to be a national campaign against the unemployment rate of black people – particularly for black males ages 18-24, which is in some cities as high as 50-60 percent.”

The way she sees it, President Obama is fair game.

“When he does well, I say that he does well, but when he doesn’t, I’m equally as critical. Just because he’s black doesn’t mean that black people can’t criticize him,” she said.

“That’s what I try to do with my columns. Women don’t get a pass because I’m a woman; black people don’t get a pass because I’m black.”

Rogers’ publisher, Suggs, calls Rogers’ perspective a “mainstay and essential component of The American and its mission.” He said she is “a tireless and unwavering champion of social justice.”

Although the majority of the book is reprinted columns from The American, Rogers also features pieces from Black Commentator (an online publication) and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, along with column post-scripts, photographs and responses via letters to the editor.

“I think when young people look at our community, they don’t see everybody engaged in making this a better place,” Rogers said.

“So then they don’t see the value of it, and that’s the part we really have to work on. It doesn’t always mean you have to be on the picket line. It doesn’t mean you have to run for office. But you’ve got to be doing something.”

She had guests in the palm of her hands. In true Jamala fashion, she didn’t hold back or bite her tongue, even when it came to herself.

“Creating the book was a painstaking approach to make sure that those struggles get that kind of preservation in history as I see it,” Rogers said. “It doesn’t mean it’s the right way, but as I see it.” 

‘This capacity to attack things’ 

As she candidly carried on about countless topics, venturing into controversial and provocative territory, Rogers spoke out against wrongdoings and wrongdoers – including blacks.

She made a play on the spelling of Ward Connerly’s name (“CONnerly,” as she sees it) for his anti-affirmative action efforts.

She called out John Ashcroft for what she believes was a passive approach to the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic church.

She criticized then-Mayor Vince Schoemehl’s underwhelming response to the omission of black aviators on the St. Louis airport mural.

She raged at the inaction by the Bush administration in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

As she remembered these essays reprinted in the book, she showcased the same candor, especially when referencing a recent Political EYE item that featured Charles Bryson and Chief Sherman George.

“It’s kind of what happened on the plantation; when you are used and are no longer of value, you kind of get kicked to the curb,” Rogers said of the item, which reported speculatively on rumors that Bryson will be demoted from director of Public Safety.

“I think people like Bryson aught to be ostracized – isolated politically and socially, so they can understand what they have done is not going to be accepted.”

The conversation was underway.

Based on audience response and feedback from columns featured in the book, her voice has not fallen upon deaf ears.

“I have known Jamala for many years in many different ways, and I guess I had known her about six months before I realized this is what I want to be like when I grow up,” said Brenda Jones, the first African-American female to lead the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri.

Jones stepped to the microphone to offer an impromptu personal testimony.

“As you go through life, you meet lots of people who feel passionate about something and they learn how to do one thing really well, and that’s all great,” Jones said.

“But then you run into people every once in awhile who have shown this capacity to attack things across a whole spectrum. They don’t just concentrate on one thing that makes them angry – they have the capacity to really get down in there and show that type of care for issues across the board. And I really think that is represented in Jamala, and it is the difference between just compassion and a leader.”

Left Bank Books will host a discussion and book signing for The Best of ‘The Way I See It’ and Other Political Writings (1989-2010) on Wednesday, August 3 at 7 pm. The bookstore is located at 399 N. Euclid in the Central West End.