BE ALL WE CAN BE

As we approach the New Year, we are presented with an opportunity, and a desire to change some of the circumstances that continue to dominate our lives. This is the time of year when we placate our desire for change. However, I submit to you, that change for the sake of change, is for the most part, not change at all. It is doing the same things a different way and, expecting a different result. You see, real change, for it to be substantial, must consist of a change of the heart.

Change by its very nature, insinuates that there must be a correction in how an individual, or a people approach their particular circumstances. Without a “heartfelt” correction, there can be no sustainability. We are destined to revert back the same situation we realized we needed to change in the first place.

That’s why, in my opinion, the gains made by earlier generations of black activist have not been sustained by us here, in the present. We talked the talk of true change, but most of us don’t feel it in our heart. True change requires sacrifice and we as a people were/are unwilling to sacrifice what we believe we have now or the potential to obtain later.

As an example: some of us say we want to lose weight, but we are unwilling to make the sacrifice of exercising and eating correctly. We look for a quick fix, taking this pill or trying that fad diet, and although initially they may provide results, those results are momentary, and sometime they are even detrimental to our overall health. But, if we feel that need to change in our heart, we understand that in order to lose that weight we must make a heartfelt change and be willing to sacrifice some of the foods we love and even undergo the “pain” of exercising if we want that change to last.

Most people have a subconscious desire to change. This, I believe is because human beings as an intellectual entity are driven to evolve, to constantly improve the current version of themselves and become better.

The military's slogan “Be All You Can Be” taps into this basic desire to improve one's current circumstances.

The latest CEO  of the corporation called America
(you may know him as President), used the slogan “WE Need CHANGE” as an effective mantra, which effectively appealed to people of various racial and ethnic persuasions. So we know that the desire for change is universal. We know that people have a inherent need to change and improve their circumstances. All it takes is the courage and discipline to bring about the change desired.

The burning question is, how can we bring about a lasting change that will effectively contribute to our evolution as a people now, and for future generations?

The path to change is often a paradox. Solutions to the issues that affect black people often appear to be simple but, their implementation oftentimes proves to be next to impossible. This is because the pseudo-change is imposed externally and is not, an internal change of consciousness thought, put into action.

I will admit that I personally don’t have all the solutions but, I do know this... that no amount of money in of itself, or government imposed program will provide solutions that will last. They will, at best have the same momentary effect as those pills and fad diets that we spoke about earlier. The only solution that will sustain true change in our community, will be the one that we embrace in our HEARTS!

In other words, we have to believe in that change, in our very soul!

 WE must take control of our own destiny. WE must accept the responsibility of our actions and in some cases, our inaction if we truly want to bring changes that last. If we are satisfied with where we are now, our circumstances, as a people will never progress!

I do have a proposal of how we can bring about lasting change. How we can bring about the effective evolution of us, as a people, now and for future generations, and it won’t cost anyone one thin dime but, it will require sacrifice.

WE must be willing to sacrifice our Eurocentric mentality. WE must reawaken our AFRIKAN CONSCIOUSNESS. WE must focus on the commonality of being an Afrikan, instead of dwelling on and focusing on our differences. As long as we see ourselves as old or young, dark or light, Christian or Muslim, rich or  poor, we will NEVER truly effect change that will contribute to our continued growth as a PEOPLE. WE must nurture our sense of community and the singularity of our circumstances.

"When the web of a spider joins together, it can trap a lion"

Ethiopian Proverb

There once was a time when we knew who we were. There was once a time when we understood the nature of who we were, instead of us now imitating a  culture foreign to our nature, built on greed, self aggrandizement, individualism and worshipping at the alter of materialism.

We were once the greatest people on this planet, but we lost our way. Dare to dream of what we could become, if we just understood who we were and who we can become again. Educate yourself, continue to read Our Story before His-Story, gain knowledge of our true selves, not to immerse ourselves in the past but, to provide a foundation from which we can stand upon, and see the beauty, on the horizon, that is our future. I ask you, with all due sincerity, how can knowlege and appreciation for our rich history and culture be in anyway detremental to our continuing development as a people?

I know now why THE CREATOR put it on my heart to come here, to the Charleston area. It’s because this is where it began for our people in America. Charleston was one of the primary ports where slaves were brought to be auctioned and sold. I have seen the slave museums, felt the pain and injustices perpetrated on my ancestors, in my very soul. 

In my meditations, I have heard the ancestors, they cry out, not for revenge but for our rememberance of their sacrifices. They pray that the pain and misery they endured was not in vain. They call out to us hoping that we will be a proud people again. They understand the spiritual power that we possess, that no weapon, not slavery, mental, physical torture, incarceration, negative imagery, or economic inequality can continually prosper against us, unless we allow it to!

IT'S TIME for CHANGE, by THE RENEWING OF OUR AFRIKAN MINDS

ASE’

Liberation is CONTAGIOUS

On November 10, 2010 I wrote what I believed would be my last post under the blog titled JUST THOUGHTS. There are several reasons why I came to the decision that I could no longer dedicate the time and effort to produce a blog that provided facts and opinions that no one, it seemed wanted to hear.

 Over time, since I came to that conclusion several of my readers have express despondency, over what they considered the premature conclusion of JUST THOUGHTS.  They advised that JUST THOUGHTS provided a catalyst for reflection, allowing them to look inward and provided them with the opportunity for growth.

In writing JUST THOUGHTS my intent was always to make my small contribution toward the liberation of my people from the physical, economic, and psychological incarceration that has restricted our growth, as a people, and culture from reaching our full potentiality. In my mind, the quest for liberation is, or should be contagious.
On a personal level, once I became aware of the nature of the  aggressive, negative tactics directed toward my people and the restrictive environmental conditions that we continue to exist under I became "infected" with the need to know more, to find the truth wherever it might be hidden. I believed then, as I believe now that the need for liberation is contagious, that if exposed, others will contract the "fever" and spread their desire for liberation to all they come in contact with.
Through my blog I attempted to empower my people, stating that we had the ability to control our own destiny, if we were willing to educate ourselves. Building our foundation for change upon the principles of knowledge of self.

So, for all my supporters I say "Thank You" for showing me that my efforts to inform have value, and were appreciated by those who read them. To all my detractors, well guess what, "I'm Back", more dedicated and determined than ever!



The following poem is reprinted from the book,

 The Liberation of the African Mind, The Key to Black Salvation, by Adisa Franklin

Black Man, How did you Fall?

Black man how did you fall from such a high estate

When did it happen, what far and distant date

In Africa long ago, you had built great pyramids,

Yet your knowledge on how you did it remains cleverly hid

Black man how did you fall from such a high estate

You were made a slave that others love to hate

Is it that you gave light to the human race?

Yet today you can’t even keep pace

Look at all you’ve given; you gave meaning to the word civilized

Yet today you are despised, looked down upon, and often criticized

Black man how did you fall from such a high estate

What caused this tragedy, who engineered this dark fate?

Black man how did you fall from such a high estate

When will you rise again, how long must we wait,

Before you, black man take a stand,

and act like you know you’re a man

There are inside you, all the answers you seek

To make you strong again, instead of so weak

So when your woman calls and says “where are you my dear”?

You can say with confidence, “THE MAN’S RIGHT HERE”!

Adisa Franklin

MY FINAL THOUGHT...For Now

It has been my pleasure and privilege to write the blog, JUST THOUGHTS. In my writings I always attempted to honor my readers by providing, what I believed was a factual, insightful, stimulating editorial on the current state of the black community, in the hope that such commentary might encourage an atmosphere of conscious change.

It was a monumental undertaking. A task that any individual might find daunting, and although I anticipated from the beginning that it would be difficult for people to look at themselves outside their comfort zone I felt strongly that I had to at least make an attempt. My intent was always to provoke conversation help that would galvanize us as a people and help us recognize that we are an honorable people with an illustrious heritage. One that we should embrace with pride.  We are not what others portray us to be and all I wanted was for my readers to arrive at the same conclusion.

 Even though I have dedicated the time and opportunity to elevate my awareness of the constant psychological attack that has been perpetrated on us as a people. I underestimated the effectiveness of the tactic of separating a people from their heritage and culture and the generational ramifications that would ensue as a result.

I have come to understand that providing my people with an opinion, no matter how conscientious, or true that opinion might be, it will always be met with a degree of skepticism because an opinion or assessment of facts is a highly personal endeavor and we all know what opinions are like… "everyone has one". People will always hold fast to their opinion because it reinforces their individuality, and attempting to influence or change that opinion was spurious thinking on my part and for that I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to all my readers for my arrogance.

Therefore this is my final chapter of JUST THOUGHTS, and although I believe the opinions offered have merit and I would encourage all my readers to go back and review the content in the archives. I realize that it’s time to initiate a different type of catalyst for change. I realize that the quest for knowledge of self is a long and arduous journey and any journey begins with the first step, therefore I will use this forum to replace what has been stolen, our heritage. I will attempt to elevate our awareness of self through education. In this forum I will provide historical information of our ancestors, and hopefully you the reader will enjoy this information and begin to break through the subliminal chains that bind our minds and cause us to act and react in a manner that is detrimental to our evolution as a people. Where appropriate I will provide the reference material for the historical record and I encourage everyone to investigate these facts for themselves. I hope that you, the reader will share this information with others, especially the children. They will profit greatly from this knowledge.

Once again, I offer a sincere Thank You. May GOD Bless you and keep you safe.

WADING IN THE WATERS, OF OUR OWN CHOOSING?

To all my loyal readers, I say Welcome Back! Thank you for participating in the most comprehensive blog on the net discussing issues relevant to the black community.

There may be some who have read this blog that question, “what makes this person qualified to criticize us? Where are his credentials? I don’t see any BS, or PhD’s behind his name.

It’s true I don’t have a series of degrees that supposedly add legitimacy to the subjects raised in this blog. I can only answer any question concerning my “qualifications” in much the same manner that Malcolm X did when his lack of credentials were questioned, he said, “I am not an expert in any particular field, but I am sincere, and my sincerity is my credentials”.

The time and effort necessary to insure that the content in this blog is informative and educational generates from a sincere desire to see black people, my people, rise above the psychological impediments that are continuously inflicted on us as a people, that continue to encumber our growth and potential as a people. This blog is a labor of love….period.

 It is my sincere belief that we can overcome all obstacles if we first come to an understanding of who we are as a people, make an honest assessment of the current state of our communities, and make the commitment to effect lasting change. All that being said, let’s go to work.

I like to begin by offering some statistics for your consideration:

In two U.S. wars from 2001 to 2009, 6,754 American soldiers were killed. Statistics show that more than 7,000 Black people are murdered in this country every year! During the 9½ years the U.S. has been at war overseas, about 67,000 Black people were murdered in the United States

Most of these homicides were committed by Black men, primarily men in the 17-44 year-old-age group, against other Black men in that same age group.

Black men comprise about 6.5% of the U.S. population and nearly half of all U.S. homicide victims.

For homicides in which the victim to offender relationship could be identified, someone they knew murdered 74 percent of black victims.

Homicides involving black victims for whom the circumstances could be identified, 69 percent were not related to the commission of any other felony. Of these, 56 percent involved arguments between the victim and the offender. Twelve percent were reported to be gang-related.

It’s obvious I could go on and on quoting statistics that demonstrate this point… we are killing ourselves! We have become our own worst enemy, not racisism, not the KKK, us. Black people have killed more black people than the Klan ever dreamt of killing. If you have been a reader of this blog and you don’t believe that we have been predisposed by psychological conditioning to hate ourselves, then please, take the time out your busy schedule to offer an opposing opinion. I anxiously await your response. If you do believe that we have been conditioned to act and react in a manner that is detrimental to our very existence, then let’s regain control of our communities and ourselves and initiate measures that will result in effective change.

Let’s emancipate ourselves from psychological enslavement

The statistics concerning blacks, as victims of violent crime are staggering. I can’t help but wonder where is the government response? If these numbers were applied to some type of virus or pandemic that transcended racial parameters I have no doubt scientists would be working day and night on a vaccine or "cure".

Actually the Center for Disease Control does offer recommendations for combating the crime epidemic.

These recommended strategies include:

1. Build strong families and communities and support responsible parents as the chief

advocate for reducing violence

(parental, communal responsibility, it takes a village...)

2. Teach young children ways to resolve conflict peacefully

(all life has value, violence never solve your problems)

3.  Provide mentors to serve as guides and role models for positive youth behavior

(each one, reach one, teach one)

4. Reduce social and economic causes of violence in young people's environments

(offer opportunities via ownership of our own businesses)

5. Ensure spiritual or character-based training for young children and reinforce that training throughout their early years

(knowledge of self)

It seems to me that the recommendations submitted by the CDC reflect the same information being proposed in my blog. If you don’t want to accept knowledge from me, perhaps you will accept it from the "credentialed" CDC. I have no ego. I don’t care how you get it, as long as you do... get it!

I ask myself where is the outrage? Where are all the alleged “black leaders”? Where is the display of righteous indignation from the black church? Where are the demonstrations, the protest, and the campaigns to ensure that our elected officials get involved?

If some outside force was perpetrating this plague of wanton violence against our community we would be up in arms demanding that some type of solution be enacted. When one of our own, is killed by one of our own, we accept it as if it were some type of forgone conclusion that blacks killing blacks is “normal”.

If a white police officer commits some egregious act against someone in our community we are quick to respond in earnest, calling for investigations, and demanding that the guilty be punished. However when young men from our own community’s senselessly take a life, our collective voices are strangely silent.

Right is right and wrong is wrong, even when a black person commits the wrong!

It’s apparent that we are more concerned with how whites treat us, then we are about how we treat ourselves! We must understand that the effect of continuous degradation has manifested itself as inane violence. We must make our young men understand that every time they kill a black person they are killing a part of themselves.

As a people we must acknowledge that we are in pain. The violence we see in our streets directly reflects the self-hatred we feel about ourselves. We attempt to remove the self-hatred by slowly eradicating that which continuously reminds us of what we really hate…ourselves. We must learn to love who we are, to take pride in who we are, if we are ever going to break the cycle of self-destruction.

Our silence must end. We can no longer afford the luxury of inaction. Here and now let’s make the commitment to be just as angry, and vocal about crime, whether the perpetrator is white, or black. We must commit to being just as outraged by a homicide committed by one black against another black, whether or not it’s “high profile” or whether or not it receives press coverage. All life has value. We must commit to becoming an active participant in bringing anyone who commits crime in our communities to justice. The guilty go free, when the just remain silent.

“Start snitchin, or Stop bitchin”

My father, who was a wise man, used to tell me, "water seeks it's own level". Ultimately we are in control of what type of environment we live in, what type of community we will raise our children in as they grow and mature. We determine the "water level" of our community by what conditions we are willing to accept. We can't rely on the government or  police to solve the problems of crime in our community independent of our own involvement. We must self-police, report those who bring down our community. We must send the message to anyone that engages in negative behavior, that such behavior will not be tolerated.

We decide whether we will instruct our children in the way they will go or leave them to their own devices and allow television, video games and the streets to determine the “content of their character”.

We can remain apathetic and ignore the problems that we face, or we can acknowledge their existence and begin the process of finding solutions. This is our responsibility; no one else’s… ours! The only question is whether or not we will step up and accept it, or are we as other’s perceive us, savages who are incapable of independent self determination.

We must demonstrate that we are not like children, but that we are strong men and women, capable of discarding the shackles of psychological enslavement that have restricted our development as a culture and as a people.

There is no future for us, without us…

Begin THE MOVEMENT, that will define us!!!

NIGGANOMICS

Nigganomics   -   The propensity that blacks have for overcompensating for feelings of low self worth by purchasing expensive items that will convey the impression of economic 

prosperity, also described as hustlin' , making the quick dollar, or "stackin paper" in an "unconventional" manner without regard to the accumulation of wealth

I know the title for this blog is in direct opposition to the subject matter offered for consideration in previous submissions. The reason for my deviation is that the commentary in this blog is; beyond any measure of doubt one of the most significant subjects I will present to you, the reader for consideration. It is my firm belief that our very survival as a culture depends on understanding, then rectifying it.

In past blogs I’ve attempted to explain that we are still the targets of a conscious, directed, and aggressive, campaign of mentality manipulation that started from the time we first set foot upon these shores.
I hope that you, the reader have considered the knowledge put forth in these blogs and took note of the fact that at no time have I ever used the word victim or victimization. It’s been my experience that there are basically two types of people. Those who take responsibility for the things that occur in their lives and those who blame their circumstances on external forces (victims). To use the word victim would imply that external forces have ultimate control over our actions. We cannot control the actions of others who desire to manipulated our behavior, but we can, however control how we ultimately react to their attempts at manipulation. Our destiny is our own to control.

The best-laid plans of mice and men sometimes go awry

Let me offer a few statistics for your evaluation. We know that there are approximately 41.1 million blacks in America. Blacks currently generate about 740 billion dollars in buying power. It is estimated that by 2011 that number will be over one trillion dollars!

This “budget” makes Black America the ninth wealthiest “nation” in the world!

Despite our collective buying power, and because of our undisciplined spending habits we remain the poorest ethnic group in this country. According to “financial experts” most blacks, no matter what their current situation, upper, middle or lower (economic) class, maintain extreme financial risk due to extensive credit card debt and by purchasing  high interest items that quickly depreciate in value. In other words, as a rule we spend our money, we don’t save or invest our money. 

Do we have some questionable spending habits?

1.      Blacks spend over 75% more than Whites on boys’ clothing (poor investment, boys continue to grow)

2.      Blacks are estimated to spend more than $500 million per year on McDonald’s fast food. (ever really notice their commercials?, yes I know the CEO is black)

3.      Black males between the ages of 13 and 24, who are less than 3 percent of the total U.S. population account for 10 percent of the $12 billion dollar athletic shoe market, purchased more than 1 out of every 5 pairs of the overpriced shoes made by Nike ( Just do It...right)

4.      Black females, who equal approximately 6 percent of the total U.S population, purchase 15 percent of the $4 billion dollar cosmetics industry, or $600 million and spend 26 percent more on perfume than any other female ethnic group. (Do they think they smell that bad?)

I haven’t even mentioned such idiotic expressions of nigganomics like “makin it rain in the club”, specialty rims that cost $2,000.00 each on a car worth less than half what the rims cost, or the indulgent consumption of high end liquor and electronics, to reinforce our “playa status”, as the world outside our communities laugh and prosper. I did this purposely because;

  I’m not trying to humiliate,

I’m just trying to educate!

 If we truly want status, if we really want people to respect us as a people and acknowledge our economic power, let’s start producing businesses that help feed, cloth, and shelter those whom we should have a sense of responsibility toward.

It’s taken me awhile to “wake up and smell the coffee”. I’ve mismanaged a lot of situations in my life, money is only one of them, believe me. However, there did come a time when I realized my thinking was defective, and I made a conscious choice to implement change.

I understand why we display an illogical loyalty to “top brands”, as a means of creating the illusion that we are just as economically capable as anyone else.  Even though some of these "brands" have come out publicly and stated that they didn’t need or want our business, i.e. (Tommy Hilfiger).
I understand our deep seated need for instant gratification, to “have it now” because we believe our lives are fleeting, not as precious as the lives of others, after all “tommorrow is not promised”, right.

I understand, and have fallen victim to paying the “black price”, a higher price or interest rate applied to us, under the guise of “poor credit”. Yet we purchase the item anyway.

I understand that major corporations have spent and continue to spend, billions of advertising dollars, sometimes using so called black “celebrities” to keep our minds focused on material acquisition as apposed to uplifting ourselves as a people.

Watch this and then tell me I'm WRONG !!!

I understand all these things and more.

What I don’t understand is why we continue to allow ourselves to be manipulated by outside forces that only want to economically exploit us.

None of the dollars we spend outside our community ever make there way back into our community. This is why the “hood” is failing! When we make foolish decisions with our money, when our money is readily handed back over to the very people that exploited us, dominated us, and who helped facilitate the desolation of our community.  

Why do we willingly participate in the cycle of our own destruction? We’re like a hamster on a wheel, always chasing that treat that's just outside it's reach.  This is by design. It is an undeniable example of

the ramifications from continual, generational, psychological slavery.

You will never accumulate enough material wealth to free your mind from bondage. Only knowledge can do that. 

There will never be enough cologne or perfume to camouflage the stench of ignorence preventing your mind from acquiring knowledge of self.

!!! We Shall Overcome !!!

What I don’t understand is why we don’t take the time to learn the basic “ABC’s” of economics, why so many of us consciously choose to remain fiscally inept.

You can go into any major city in this nation and find a Chinatown. You can go into any city where there is a large Mexican population and find a “Little Tijuana, or Little Mexico”.
In any of these ethnic communities you will find people of the same ethnic background doing major business with each other. You will see a variety of businesses, large and small, from major banking institutions to the small “mom & pop” type store.

Now take a look around the black community, ask yourself who owns the businesses you see? We are the only ethnic group that doesn’t own the majority of the businesses that exist in out own communities!
Our women spend millions of dollars on "imitation hair" in an attempt to lenghten and straighten the hair God gave them, and that is their privilege, yet not one dollar of the millions spent ever returns to the black community.

Now ask yourself, How would my community benefit if a large portion of the dollars I spend remain in the community where I live? Would the dollars I spend on a daily basis contribute significantly towards uplifting the community where I live? 
I believe if you are honest with yourself, perhaps you will begin to see the current state of Black America a little differently and appreciate the need for immediate change.

Blacks must begin to frequent black owned businesses if these businesses are to survive.

Black business owners must realize the value of the black customer and treat them with respect and dignity, as if their business life depended on it.

When we learn to spend a large portion of that 1 trillion dollar budget in our own communities we will begin to see an immediate impact. We are the only ones that can effect this change. There isn’t a government program in existence that will achieve the results that the commitment to our own business community will.

This is only half the battle. We must make the transition from consumer to producer, then we can create opportunities for others in the community, as well as create a stable economic enviornment.

We have the (economic) power to dictate our own reality, to bring an end to nigganomics, to create real change. The type of change that will significantly benefit our people and continue to benefit our children for generations to come. Our future, as well as our very existence could be at stake.

 In the end it’s all up to us!

Don’t Cry About It, Be About It

The speaker in this video is Dr. Claud Anderson, do yourself a favor, get his book Powernomics, you will be enlightened !!!



DARE to DREAM

Now that my generation is a little older it’s not unusual for us to reflect back with fondness, to a simpler less complicated time in our lives. A time, when life held infinite possibilities, and the future was full of positive potentiality. Our affection for those things we associate with our youth provides us with a sense of comfort and security. When I decided to write this blog I had no doubt I channeled those emotions.

I’ve been accused of being “stuck in the 70’s” and if I were honest in my self-analysis I would have to admit there is some merit to that statement. I whole-heartily believe that: Good Times, reflected the consciousness of the black community in a way that Meet the Browns does not. That song stresses like Jean Carne, Anita Baker and Phyllis Hyman, portrayed sexiness and class in a way that Beyonce and Rianna do not (there’s a difference between sexy & sex). Maybe I’m wrong but I would take Earth, Wind & Fire, Gap Band and ConFunkShun, talent wise over Lil’ John, Lil’ Wayne, or T.I any day of the week. Times do indeed change. The question is however, “Is that change always good and who decides the direction of that change”?

Sometimes you have to look back, before you can move ahead

The other night I was lying in bed unable to sleep, as is often the case. I turned on a comedy show being sponsored by Shaquille O’Neal with the female comedian Mo’Nique as the hostess. I settled in and began to listen to Mo’Nique’s opening monologue. I was completely disgusted by what I heard. This particular night, for the next, let’s say, twenty minutes, every other word was a curse word and she must have said the word “nigger” no less than a hundred times. Needless to say I didn’t find her routine the least bit funny, in fact if I could sum it up in one word I would say it was…offensive!
Now before you say, “Well if you didn’t like it why didn’t you just, turn it off”, for the record, I did, but that’s not the point I’m attempting to make here.
The complexity of adult relationships can be a fertile ground for a comedian. I’ve heard Sinbad take on the same subject matter and he had people “rollin in the aisles” without using expletives or a demeaning term for black people.
Her monologue was particularly disgusting, at least to me, seeing a beautiful black woman debase herself, and us as a people, in such a way.

I’m not picking on Mo’Nique in particular. I’m using her as an example. Mo’Nique operated in relative obscurity until she played the abusive black mother figure in Precious, then here comes the Academy. It seems that if you’re a black entertainer and you portray black people in a negative light, you almost instantly become more successful.
Denzel Washington was a “good actor” for much of his illustrious career, portraying many positive black characters, including Malcolm X (I think Glory was his best work). As soon as he portrayed a dirty cop, devoid of any moral character, here comes the Academy with a Best Actor award.
Let me ask you, “Where are the mainstream movies of abusive Hispanic mother’s. Where are the Hollywood movies that depict Asian’s as completely devoid of moral character”?

Do you really think the proliferation of violence, disrespect for women, and disregard for the value of human life featured in today’s music and film media is an accident? Do people, black, white, or whatever look at the so called “hip hop culture” and immediately equate it as an accurate portrayal of the true nature of black people? Do you?

Do you actually know anyone who acts like the characters depicted in Tyler Perry’s television shows? If not then why are they so popular? Who’s really promoting these “stereotypical” images of Black America? I ask you, "Where is the balance"?
I wonder if this is what Dr. Martin Luther King had in mind when he dreamt of us one day being judged by the “content of our character”. I know its just jokes, right. If it’s “just jokes”…

Why is the joke always on us?

There are approximately 42 million black people in America. That’s more people than a good portion of the sovereign nations on this planet!

Like the late Dr. King, I too have a dream. There are times when I imagine what it would be like if all black people were of a like mind and purpose. I dream of a day, when  media portrayals of us, as a people, emulate our true nature and temperament. I dream of a day when the decisions we make as a people are a true reflection of the content of our character.

I imagine the sheer economic power of a unified black community. We’ve come to learn in this country that the only power that America acknowledges is economic. A unified black community could, with all their buying power, put an end to the spread of negative black images by simply refusing to spend their dollars on anything that promotes negative stereotypes. If this ever occurred, these “Lottery Ticket” type movies would disappear overnight. Comedians who repeatedly use the word “nigger” would find themselves telling “jokes” in empty auditoriums. Rappers who inject the mentality of our youth with the "virus" of glorified violence, and the illusion of narcotic generated riches would dispense their poison to an unreceptive audience. Unfortunately this dream is not yet a reality.
The reality is that we must accept some culpability for the current state of the black community.
We send the message that "coonery" is acceptable every time we pay hard earned money to view a movie or purchase a CD that presents a negative image of us as a race.
 We give the impression to our children that we're comfortable being called a "nigga", when we use this vile description in casual conversation, saying  "Oh, when you put an "a" on the end it changes the meaning". What an utterly obnoxious and ignorant excuse. Do you actually believe that we have the power to change the true meaning of this word? Do you believe that our use of the word demonstrates solidarity?

What Happens to a dream deferred?

As you ponder the content in my blogs try not to be too hard on me because I remember the potential for positive change exhibited in our past.
I can’t help but wonder if slogans like, “Say it loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud”, the natural hairstyles (afro), and the clinched fist were just “lip service” or were they evidence of our true nature fighting its way to the surface of our consciousness.
I don’t apologize for believing that you have a tendency to respect someone when you call them “Brother or Sister”, rather than, “My nigga or bitch”.

We can change the WORLD! There’s NOTHING more POWERFUL than an Idea who’s TIME HAS COME!

The only constant in life is change. I ask everyone who takes the time to read my blog to embrace change, positive change. Despite those who would have you believe that with the image of a black President that we have entered the post-racial era. That we are no longer the subjects of psychological propaganda…

"Don’t Believe the Hype".

There have been, and will always be blacks that “made it” (middle class). They are told that they are somehow “better” than those whom they leave behind, than those who are disposable, and “who just don’t act right”.
Actually, it's the educated black middle class that must lead the way toward the future of our culture! It is the economic power of the black middle class that will advance the possibility of positive change!
We can’t wait for our so-called leaders to point the way. There are no leaders! There’s only YOU!
As individuals we have to determine the future of our people, set our own example, for our children, and the youth in our communities. Those of us who have achieved a certain level of “success”, what is our obligation to those left behind? Do we show them our backs, or do we turn around and extend our hand?
All I ask is that we admit there is a problem and that we should at least begin to find viable solutions!

We are all ONE VILLAGE…ONE TRIBE… remember we are

42 million strong!!!

How can we as a people overcome the lingering psychological ramifications of slavery and initiate effective countermeasures to overcome their adverse effects?

COMMON SENSE over....NONSENSE !!!