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 !!!

LEGACY

First, before I begin, let me thank those of you who have taken the time and opportunity to read my blog. Now that I’m retired, I often reflect on what I will eventually leave behind. What will be my personal “legacy”, as it were? I also contemplate the current state of the black community and how we arrived at the predicament we exist in today, our “legacy”. This blog contains my Just, (as in righteous, truthful) Thoughts and I appreciate you at least considering them as you go about your daily lives, that being said, let’s proceed…

A legacy or legacies is what someone or something is remembered for, or what they have left behind that is remembered, revered or has influenced current events and the present day. Wikipedia

Something inherited from a predecessor; a heritage, Wikipedia Dictionary

 

When you talk about legacy, incorporating the definition listed above, in the case of black people you have to consider what was initiated, and left behind from slavery that has directly influenced present day events in the black community. What did we inherit, does it affect our mentality today, and is it still being utilized to affect our advancement as a community? Are the same strategies employed to indoctrinate and maintain control over a slave population still being used on the black community today? Let us take a retrospective, then you decide for yourself.

I always wondered how a country allegedly founded on; religious freedom and the principle “that all men are created equal” could justify the existence of chattel slavery.

The "founding fathers", (Thomas Jefferson was one of the largest slave owners of his time) had to circumvent this moral dilemma. They had to fabricate the ideology of white superiority, and that blacks were inferior, subhuman. Jefferson was the major architect and proponent of this ideology. 

They indoctrinated both the slave master and slave with this profane, and immoral doctrine.

In order for this concept to be accepted as true, both parties had to accept it. Well, if you are the ones being told you are superior it doesn’t take much to accept it as fact, especially when this doctrine is being supported and advocated, by pseudo science, leadership (government) and the church (the Catholic church condoned slavery). 

Both the slave and the slave master learned to accept the doctrine of black inferiority, either through physical, psychological abuse (slave), or through appeasement of the ego (slave master). However, in the case of the slave there are generational consequences that continue until today.

The process of making a slave (mentality) was credited to an alleged historical figure named Willie Lynch, a West Indian plantation owner. There is some debate as to whether Willie Lynch ever existed, however there can be no debate on the effectiveness of the “system” he is credited with developing. Lynch equated the making of a slave, with the “breaking” of a wild horse and described in detail how to accomplish this in a letter to Virginia slave owners in 1712.
In this forum I won’t go into detail as to the contents of the letter. You can, if you haven’t done so already, obtain this information in the book, The Willie Lynch Letter and the Making of a Slave, or on various Internet sites. Whether or not the Willie Lynch document is authentic is not important, because the cause and effect described in the letter is real.

When you bring up the subject of slavery (cause) today,  most people’s reaction is,
“ Man that’s ancient history”, “That happened so long ago, we need to forget about it” .
This attitude is a direct result of continued conditioning (effect). It is important to remember that our history did not begin with slavery. We were not “slaves”, we were a people with a vibrant culture, and a proud heritage, who were enslaved.

Our actions as a people today, echo the pain of our past. We can build a "House of Harmony", that will stand for generations to come, but first we must build a strong foundation.
We kill each other, in a futile attempt to kill the ugliness and shame we see in ourselves. We are the single largest ethnic consumer group in America, thinking that we can buy our self esteem, prestige, and the respect we deserve, based on what we believe we "own". If you doubt the "slave mentality" still exists ask yourself:

1. Why do we still embrace "Black stereotypes"?
2. Why do we call each other "dog", a domesticated animal, that is subservient to it's "master"?
3. Why do we keep killing each other?
4. Why can't we support each other?
5. Why is the joke always on us?

We can only gain understanding through knowledge of self. Using knowledge of self, we will gain awareness, and with the realization that comes with awareness we will finally obtain the WISDOM, that we will bestow upon future generations. 

Let me ask you, would it be valid to ask a person of Jewish ancestry to forget the holocaust, of course not. The Jewish community has used this episode in their history as a source of strength, unifying them as a people. They can accomplish this because they are a people, abundant in culture and proud of their heritage.

We must embrace our history, and be proud of it, because once we do that; we can begin to analyze the events of the past, and connect them to what is presently occurring in our communities.
The accessibility of military grade weapons, and the proliferation of narcotics, are all a continuation of the mental, psychological, and physical enslavement of our people. This is the enduring aftermath of "America's Holocost".

You can’t cure the Disease, if you don’t treat the Symptoms

In the aftermath of slavery we must first learn to accept that it is an integral part of our history. We must recognize that we were subjected to extreme physical, mental, and psychological tortures (disease).

Yet despite the greatest psychological attack on a people in the history of mankind, we continue to survive. This is a true testament to our resiliency and strength. We have always made a way out of no way.

We need to acknowledge the existence of deteriorating family values, economic stagnation, outrageous homicide statistics and extensive incarceration rates, that exist in our communities (symptoms).

“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds”

Robert (Bob) Nesta Marley

We can begin to counteract the disease by treating the symptoms. Where the system attributed to Willie Lynch sought to create an atmosphere of fear, we can learn to exhibit bravery by standing up for truth and what’s right. Where there is distrust, we can learn to trust and deal with others with respect. Teach the young to respect their elders, for they posses the wisdom that will guide their journey into the future. Don’t succumb to feelings of dissimilarity based on the various skin tones of our beautiful people. We cannot succumb to the "age-old" strategy of divide and conquer.  

We are all the same,... One Tribe!.

“The answer lies in each of us. For somewhere in your past ... there rose from the smoldering ashes of slavery a proud and humble people who suffered and struggled with life. A people who found the strength to endure all the indignities of life in America, and that people had the hope for a taste of her bounties in the future”.

W.E.B DuBois

We can learn to treat these “symptoms”, by first acknowledging their existence. It is especially incumbent upon our black men to begin to reestablish our rightful place as teacher and protector in our communities. This is our obligation as men. We can’t sit back and wait for someone else to come to our communities rescue.

Black Men, what will be our LEGACY?

If not us,... Who? If not now,... When?

The time is Now. The who, is Us.

The time has come to begin…

"THE MOVEMENT"

"Peace"

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