TODAY IS BUY BLACK FRIDAY

PLEASE PASS THIS ON! (EACH ONE TEACH ONE OR TWO!) THIS IS PHASE ONE ON HOW WE CAN HELP TO STRENGTHEN & EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY:
The 2008 not guilty verdict in the Sean Bell case evoked outrage, emotion, and debate. It is not an anomaly that the police officers involved in the Sean Bell slaying were acquitted of all charges on all counts in State Supreme Court. I could run out of ink printing the names of people who have been victimized by the inaptly named justice system.

The American justice system has been especially terroristic towards the African American community. Many community members can cite historic and personal accounts to prove this. Therefore, it would be foolhardy (at the least) to turn to a system that has methodically oppressed us, and request that they free us. We can only free ourselves through extreme discipline and intelligent planning.

As a community we have been too compliant with leaders who organize ineffective, delayed reactions. The only strategy that can save us in this last hour is one that calls for a collective code of conduct that will be conducive to improving the conditions of our community, and shifting the paradigm of how we are treated by outside entities. The first step of this code of conduct should be based on economics.

The old adage of “money talks,” still reigns true in the new millennium. Any political scientist worth his or her library card will tell you that: “Economic powerlessness equals political powerlessness,” and conversely “economic power equals political power.” This means that if we continue to allow our wealth to be extracted from our community, we will remain impotent.

The power of the collective “Black Dollar” is often discussed. However, that power has been left unchanneled. Today is the day to change that. A one-time boycott is not going to bring long-term change and respect to our community. Our community has launched boycotts before. Our success and ascension will be based on what we consistently do. For this reason, we should initiate “BUY BLACK FRIDAYS.”

BUY BLACK FRIDAYS is a small step towards our community acquiring power via controlling our economics. Every Friday, people who acknowledge the injustice and oppression that the African American community has been consistently subjected to should do one of the following:

Option #1: Spend $0 on Friday
Option #2: Spend no more than $10 on Friday
Option #3: Only Shop at Black Businesses on Friday
[PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE OPTIONS CAN & SHOULD BE EXERCISED ON A DAILY BASIS. However, we can all at the very least focus on Fridays. This way we can take a collective stand and build our collective discipline. Please remember that this is only Phase 1!].

To the people who are tempted to label “BUY BLACK FRIDAYS” as racist, I say this: In the big scheme of things, this is about right & wrong, justice & injustice. The African American community is a strong, proud community that has endured the brunt of America’s iron fist. We must stop the pounding. I feel that any fair-minded individual will concur, and join in.

ANY business that is privileged to enjoy the support of the African American community MUST return that support.

I thank you in advance for your effort and dedication.

-Elsie Law AKA Starface

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The Dangers Of Too Much Sugar

Over the years Americans intake of sugar has surged, greatly contributing to soaring rates of diabetes and obesity. Some sources have stated that on average, modern day Americans, consume about a pound and a half of sugar almost every couple of days. Comparatively, in the 1800s, the average American ingested less than 12 pounds of sugar on an annual basis. We are now being warned that most of us need to be more vigilant about our sugar levels.

An article once posted by the New York Daily News states that Brooklyn residents are increasingly dying from diabetes. The article states that: “Diabetes deaths in Brooklyn have shot up 42% over the past 15 years…The hardest-hit neighborhood was southern Crown Heights, where the number of deaths increased by a whopping 141% from 1992 to 2006…The citywide increase in diabetes deaths for [that] period is 62%. In southern Crown Heights, 51.5 of every 100,000 residents die of diabetes. That number is 54.6 per 100,000 in Brownsville and 48.1 in Bed-Stuy.”

In addition to diabetes, high-sugar intact also leads to mental deficiencies such as: a lack of concentration, and moodiness. More seriously, scientists are also looking into whether or not high-sugar levels contribute to the onslaught of Alzheimer’s disease- which is an intense state of dementia.

Let’s resolve to be more healthy. Also be sure to drink lots of water.

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Black History Fact Of The Day

Mark Dean was inducted into the Inventors Hall Of Fame in 1997. He lead the team of scientists who created a device that enabled computers to quickly communicate with each others; thus, allowing personal computers to move fast and efficient for the first time. Mark Dean also led the design team that created the first one-gigahertz computer processor chip.

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Book Excerpt Of The Week- Part 4: “The Isis Papers” By: Dr. Frances Cress Welsing

“Black people must not only commit themselves to combating inferiorization through the struggle for maximal development, we must, as a part of that struggle, begin to establish standards of academic achievement and codes will serve as the fundamental basis of developing Black self- and group-respect. Without true self-respect, all efforts for achievement will be in vain. In keeping with that goal, all Black children, before the age of six, should be taught the following fundamental exercises in Black self-respect by Black adult examples in the home, school, church and neighborhood:

(1) Stop name-calling one another.
(2) Stop cursing at one another.
(3) Stop squabbling with one another.
(4) Stop gossiping about one another.
(5) Stop snitching on one another.
(6) Stop being discourteous and disrespectful towards one another.
(7) Stop robbing one another.
(8) Stop stealing from one another.
(9) Stop fighting one another.
(10) Stop killing one another.
(11) Stop using and selling drugs to one another.
(12) Stop throwing trash and dirt on the streets and in places where Black people live, work and learn.” -From, “The Isis Papers” By: Dr. Frances Cress Welsing

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Book Excerpt Of The Week- Part 3: “The Isis Papers” By: Dr. Frances Cress Welsing

“During periods of crisis and stress, the easiest thing to do as an expression of our pain, despair and hopelessness is to moan, groan, cry or attempt to escape through alcohol, other drugs, fantasy, laughter or just fun and games. However, another possible behavioral response, which channels the body energy upward and onward as opposed to downward, is the use of the crisis as a stimulus for analysis, challenge, responsibility, growth, and great creativity.

The word crisis evolves from the Greek word ‘krisis,’ which means decision. A period of crisis is a time for decision: an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs when the decisions that are made and acted upon become all-important for determining future events.” -From, “The Isis Papers” By: Dr. Frances Cress Welsing

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