Just A Thought

It is my hope that Black History Month is a meaningful experience, and not just because it’s that time of the year when there’s sure to be something black, some form of black programming on every TV channel, everyday - until next year. I am humbled by those magnificent souls who’ve accomplished and sacrificed so much to remove obstacles placed before them, which have greatly benefited our lives.

One of the few things we’ve been given as American’s is the right to free speech to which it also applies to you, and this post will surely get the village smoking. Let me say, first, I speak for me and not, as Malcolm put it, “one of those chicken peckin so-called leaders”, who often times are SELF APPOINTED as spokespersons for us. Frankly, I don’t recall voting for anyone other than President Obama. With that said, the corporate sponsored representatives need to sit down and speak for themselves.

LET ME BE CLEAR, I am not chastising those who represent, speak truth, or are working for the greater good – and we know who they are. But there are some that remind me of my uncle whose name is Tom – and we know who they are too.

So let me start my commentary, as they often do with something Biblical: “The harvest is plenty but the labor is lost”. Some of these voices have been little more than co-conspirators, or at best, actively participating in the process of crucifying us. Let me explain, when you are crucified, you hang on a cross to die a horrible death. You are stripped of your garments (in this case reason), put in a position to suffer, to be degraded, and humiliated while you remain stationed in this place where they (the system) has put you and know where you will be.

History has demonstrated that anytime a black leader comes along with a message or the power to resurrect the masses, they have to be been eliminated. So why would it be in their best interest to put themselves in a position to be destroyed? Certain messengers say what they are told to say, by their sponsors, and stay in the comfort zone of the establishment.

Often times these “self-appointed” leaders and their crusades are a lot like cancer, I think, in that there is no real agenda to find a cure or solve the problem, because there is no MONEY in the cure. Am I stopping short of calling some sellouts – I’ll leave that for you to interrupt but the system is designed to protect the system.

There is, and has been a lot, too much, talk and very little action. We have talked, gathered, and marched enough, in my opinion; it’s time for action leading to solutions. We put on the Obama pins and buttons with pride and jubilation helping him to become our president, as if that was enough, expecting him to wave his hand and all of our problem would magically disappear. Well that is not going to happen.

Over the years, we have marched with a million men, a million women, and million youth, watched or attended the State of Black America events to include any number of similar events that was suppose to solve our problems – I’m still waiting. Oh, let’s not forget “The Covenant” that all of us bought that only benefited the author.

In many cases, these folks claimed to have received a “calling” to which I suppose is similar to that of someone standing in a pulpit might allege, when they say they’ve heard the voice of God calling him or her to preach the gospel. Maybe it’s just me, but I have yet to hear that voice - I am waiting though.

I said that to say this, if this is a true calling then passion is the motivator that drives one to obtain results for reasons other than self-serving agenda’s. I recently reread the “Mis Education of the Negro” and I have to say it was eerily similar to the condition our people face today. Actually, it could have been published last year and not in 1933.

Dr. Woodson said, and I believe, “if you control what a man (or woman) thinks you never have to worry about what they are thinking.” So I suggest that you be careful of false prophets and to judge them by the work they do, because your mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Today, African Americans are in the best position of any that came before us. So, why are we still no better off as a community, family, or individually than those who struggled, suffered, and died for us. We don’t support each other in business, relationships, our kids are killing each other, black on black crime is prevalent, we don’t take full advantage of educational opportunities, the dropout percentages are a disgrace - I could go on and on. Those strong proud souls who came before us must be turning over in their graves.

We have been hoodwinked, bamboozled; we’ve been took, had, and obviously still mis-educated to the point of sustaining this misery. Again, I say this is MY Thought Provoking Perspective; what will you do? Do you have any suggestions that could improve the State of Black America? Are you going to do anything that might require you to give of yourself for the benefit of others? I know many Church Folk say such things on Sunday but what about the other six days and 22 hours?

It seems to me that we are on “Calvary” and, I for one, CRY OUT to these so called leaders and you; “why have thou forsaken thee?” Let me offer an idea to be considered: “God Bless the child that’s got his own”.

There are more than 38 million African Americans living in America and some of us understand that we are a nation of people living within a nation searching for a nationality. Knowing this, why are we still waiting for someone else to solve our problems? Frankly, that is the action of a child!!! Maybe one of “our leaders” could propose something like this: if each of us contributed one ($1.00) dollar each week to a fund where we had access to our own capital, for our development and survival as a people – like other ethnic groups. We could solve many of our problems.

Let’s do the math, if the estimates are correct and there are about 38 million African American citizens. Now, add 38 million times 52 weeks = $1,976,000,000. We can assume some will give more, which will raise this figure to over A TRILLION DOLLARS annually plus interest to be used. In addition, if we begin to spend half of the 5 TRILLION DOLLARS we spend each year elsewhere within our business communities; we would establish economic power leading to a strong voice to be heard in this capitalist society.

Now, herein lies the problem; many will say whose going to handle the money, which leads to our mistrust, conditioning, and wretchedness that would not allow us to do something to remove the crutches that are embedded in our minds. Just as was stated in the Willie Lynch letter, which said - “they must trust only us…” Yet, most will gladly tithe every Sunday and get nothing but a good feeling.

Let me end with a remark made by the noble Harriett Tubman. She was asked by a reporter shortly before her death, if she knew how many slaves she saved while conducting the Underground Railroad? She pointedly said, “I could have saved a lot more, if they had only known they were slaves.”

And that's my Thought Provoking Perspective...

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