Last night on The Factor, Megyn Kelly and I debated the concept of white privilege, whereby some believe that if you are Caucasian, you have inherent advantages in America.
Talking Points does not believe in white privilege.
However, there is no question that African-Americans have a much harder time succeeding in our society than whites do.
But the primary reason is not skin color: it's education. And not only book learning.
Here are the facts.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for black Americans is 11.4%. It is just over 5% for whites; 4.5% for Asians.
So do we have Asian privilege in America?
Because the truth is that Asian-American households make far more money than anyone else.
The median income for Asians -- close to $69,000 a year.
It's $57,000 for whites and $33,000 for blacks.
The question is, why?
The answer is found in stable homes and the emphasis on education.
Eighty-eight percent of Asian-Americans graduate from high school compared to 86% for whites and just 69% for blacks.
That means 31% of African Americans have little chance to succeed in the free market place because they are high school dropouts.
Asian-Americans tend to keep their families intact.
Also, just 13% of Asian children live in single parent homes compared to a whopping 55% for blacks and 21% for whites.
There you go. That's why Asian-Americans, who often have to overcome a language barrier, are succeeding more than African-Americans and more than white Americans.
Their families are intact and education is paramount.
American children must learn not only academics, but also civil behavior -- right from wrong -- as well as how to speak and how to act respectfully in public.
If African-American children do not know those things, they will likely fail as adults. They will be poor, they will be angry, and often they will be looking for someone to blame.
One caveat: the Asian-American experience has historically not been nearly as tough as the African-American experience.
Slavery is unique and it has harmed black Americans to a degree that is still being felt today.
But in order to succeed in a competitive society, every American has to overcome the obstacles they face.
And here is where the African-American leadership in America is failing.
Instead of preaching a cultural revolution, they provide excuses for failure.
The racial hustlers blame white privilege and an unfair society -- a terrible country.
So the message is it's not the individual's fault if they abandon their children, if they become substance abusers … if they are criminals.
No it's not their fault, it’s society's fault.
That is the big lie that is keeping some African-Americans from reaching their full potential.
Until personal responsibility and a cultural change takes place, millions of African-Americans will struggle and their anger, some of it justified, will seethe.
The federal government cannot fix this problem. Only a powerful message of personal responsibility can turn things around.
And that's the memo.