The HNIC (Head Ni**er In Charge) has received a pink slip today. If there are future leaders who will choose to work specifically for the advancement of Black people, they will have to be as sophisticated and accountable as the best that this country has to offer. Sing-talking bootleg preachers will no longer suffice.
Today is the end of the “first black” to do this or that…nobody will care anymore.
Yesterday morning when I went to vote, I was struck by the hope and joy in the faces of black people. I saw people that I haven’t seen in years, folks I grew up with, parents of childhood friends – even the petty drug dealers from my old neighborhood were standing on line ready to vote.
However – let’s face it, voting is free. Furthermore, we knew exactly when we would find out if our hopes and dreams would pay off for this election. In fact, it took more effort to go to the Million Man March than to go and vote for Barack Obama. An entire nation of all colors and creeds carried this black man on their shoulders, but we are still left with the burden of carrying ourselves forward as a people. That responsibility didn’t dissolve last night. Dr.King promised us that we would get to the promised land, but the fact is we are already in it. We’ve just not learned how to fully realize the promise of the land that we’re in.
BLACK DOLLARS
South Africa has had two Black Presidents since Apartheid ended but the economic and health condition of the black masses there still lags far behind the rest of the developed world. The condition of the masses of black people is what needs to change. We are in the wealthiest nation on the planet and have not fully exploited the opportunities provided to us. Other minority groups, like the Asian and Jewish communities here in the United States thrive without prominent elected officials.
The major agenda item left for black people in this country is to create greater employment for ourselves – there is no substitute for this pursuit. America is a mosaic, not a melting pot, whose beauty and richness is preserved by the integrity and definition of each part. Nobody sees the existence of a Chinatown in every major city in America as a threat, nor do Chinese people see it as a burden or something to be ashamed of.
There are African-Americans at the top of every field of endeavor, yet the masses are still lagging behind. This is because we are not making use of our resources. It’s like trying to get good MPG out of a car with under inflated tires and a dirty air filter – it doesn’t work.
The single most important thing a black person can do on a consistent basis to lift the condition of the African-American community is to buy goods and services from a business that’s owned by or employs other blacks.
For some strange reason, blacks are still the only group in America that is lukewarm or even cold to the idea of doing for self. All of my friends and acquaintances that belong to other ethnic groups understand the value of intra-ethnic commerce. In fact it seems so natural to them, that I don’t find myself in the least bit offended.
We now have no more excuses for failure, collectively and individually. The truth is that we didn’t have any legitimate excuses long before Obama even decided to run for President, but now it’s official. Beyond striving to be the best at whatever we do as individuals, we also have a need to pool our resources if we’re going to change the collective condition of Black people.
Are there still many whites with power and influence who don’t like black people? Of course, but there simply aren’t enough anymore to justify the situation we find ourselves in today.
ATTITUDE
Without a doubt Obama’s victory has answered many of my own internal questions. From this day forward, I will proceed 100% from a principled and pragmatic point of view to help solve the problems of the Black community. No more stupid workshops and forums, no more 12-font books about Ancient Khemit, no more Illuminati, “Pale White Horse” books, no more foolishness. I’m not going to another spoken word performance to hear someone talk about the harsh cold concrete in the ghetto and roaches jumping out of cereal boxes – I’m done!
I’m going to stop referring to the Tuskegee incident as “biological” warfare, when I know damn well that the government didn’t give anybody syphilis, they just neglected to tell people who already had it that there was a cure. As bad as the latter is – there’s still a profound distinction between the two.
Many of us who travel throughout the country and have seen that America has changed, small towns and major cities alike. Many of us who travel on business greeting warmly, have friendly conversations, etc. Yet, many of us have still chosen to gripe about “white folks this” and “white folks that,” just because it’s the language we’re used to. That garbage is over with.
We have a need to promote the practice of black economic empowerment; because what comes natural to other groups doesn’t come natural to black people due to a pathological self-perception. Black merchants and black consumers have negative views of each other, which equates to a net loss in jobs for black people.
The biggest lesson that I’ve learned from Mr. Obama, is a lesson that Dr.King taught, something that my grandmother mentioned in midst of her dementia – “love lifts people”. But I also understand in a very profound sense, rooted in my understanding of the Quran, that in many respects love is duty. We have a duty by each other.
However that duty doesn’t have to be stifling, in fact if it becomes that it will only be counterproductive. I think seeing a smart, in-shape, witty, in-shape, charming, in-shape (did I mention in-shape?) black woman in the white house as first lady will have more of an impact on young black girls than simply criticizing Lil’ Kim and the like.
THE END GAME
For me, victory is when every basic statistic that is a quality of life measurement is the same for blacks and whites. That’s my goal, that’s my finish line. The task at hand is to close the gap.
As inappropriate as it feels to even speak about race because of how small a concept it appears to be right now – I still want to see my people, as a body, thrive. I also know that the majority of Blacks that are excited by Barack were excited because they took their cue from whites – prior to him winning Iowa there was very little excitement about Barack among black people. However, in order to run the last leg of our race we will need to excite ourselves – this (r)evolution will not be televised!
As America tries to figure out her path forward, will the masses of black people be left behind? Will we become equal contributors, shareholders and beneficiaries of the New Energy economy that is on the horizon? Will Al Sharpton be standing in front of wind turbines positioned out west in 2015 with pickets signs because not enough blacks got jobs? Hopefully not, the goal is to produce enough skilled black men and women whose intrinsic value will be enough to earn them a place in the future world to come.
