Book Excerpt Of The Week: “Black-On-Black Violence” By: Amos Wilson

Black On Black Violence“Your freedom is the superbal expression of slavery- the freedom of slaves.
You are free to speak as long as no one listens.
Free to explain as long as no one understands.
Free to sing and dance as long as you entertain those who would have you sing and dance on a tightrope above an open grave.
Free to think as long as you think feelings.
Free to love as long as it is your tormentors and not yourself that you love.
Free to assemble as long as you gather together to screw each other.
Free to engage in self-defense as long as it is truth and reality against which you defend yourself.
Free to kiss as long as you kiss the a** of the one who offends you.
You have a right to a fair trial before a jury of your peers as long as you are a criminal.
You are free to spend your money as you like as long as you like to spend it with those who spitefully use you;
Who use it to finance your execution and to bury you in your store-bought finest.” -From, “Black-on-Black Violence” By: Amos Wilson

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Plusone Linkedin Tumblr Email

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

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Plusone Linkedin Tumblr Email

Quote Of The Day

“I’m singled out like any other Black or White cat in America that speaks out too much. Jack Johnson had to leave the country. He was forced out. Paul Robeson was forced out; Stokely Carmichael is gone; Cleaver’s gone; Ali will probably have to leave. You can go right on down the line. The thing about me is that my philosophy can’t really be attacked. They can’t fight the philosophy, but they can cut off areas where funds must be obtained to develop Black people economically. They don’t want my independence to be used as an example for others to follow.” -Jim Brown

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Plusone Linkedin Tumblr Email

Book Review: “The Making of Black Revolutionaries,” By: James Forman

The Making Of Black Revolutionaries

“The Making of Black Revolutionaries,” By: James Forman is not a book about the heroics of the author. It is a tome about the collective daring of a people who defended their right to be.

Throughout “The Making of Black Revolutionaries,” James Forman tells the stories of many unsung heroes and heroines who stood up against the unwarranted brutality Black people were subjected to. These selfless warriors, who were not individually acknowledged by the annals of history, were motivated by the desire to make things better for the next generation. They courageously relinquished employment, basic comforts, and physical safety in their quest. The tales that Mr. Forman recounts reinforces the notion that it was the everyday citizens of various communities who helped propel the “civil rights movement” forward.

While James Forman’s book also tells of his personal struggles of being a Black man in America and his motivations for adopting a revolutionary mindset, the bulk of his autobiography/historical account is dedicated to discussing a specific time period and how Black people sought to organize and grapple with the conundrum that was America.

“The Making of Black Revolutionaries” holds great value for people who wish to exam past political organizing strategies and their effectiveness. Mr. Forman deftly includes cautionary advice to the next generation who may seek to learn from his generation’s organizational errors. He examines: Nonviolence vs. Self-defense, internal conflicts in an organization and its affect on a political movement, reform organizations vs. revolutionary organizations, including White people in Black-focused organizations, the detriment of the lack of constructive criticism of organization leadership, the destructive nature of the fear of power, the trickery of government agents, and more.

For history buffs who have an interest in “civil rights leaders” and activists from the 1960s and 1970s who were noted and acknowledged by the media and other historical tomes, “The Making of Black Revolutionaries” also abounds with accounts of their lives and political activism. Stokely Carmichael, Robert Williams and Mabel Williams, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Harry Belafonte, Fannie Lou Hamer, and other leaders of their ilk are mentioned.

“The Making of Black Revolutionaries” is a great resource that can be used to analyze what makes a political movement weak, and what makes it strong. It is also a great documentation of how organizations are formed, fortified, grown, and destroyed.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Plusone Linkedin Tumblr Email

Book Excerpt Of The Week: “Soul Stories” By: Gary Zukav

“An intention is not a wish. A wish doesn’t cause anything to happen. An intention pushes against the way things are in your life. Those things push back exactly the same way. (Remember, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction).

You can see what your intentions are by looking at what is happening around you. Are the people in your life kind and loving? If so, your intentions are kind and loving. (And you are a member of the love and kindness clubs). Are the people around you angry or jealous? If so, your intentions are angry or jealous. (And you are a member of the anger and jealousy clubs).

You intentions create everything you experience. For example, if you play baseball, your intentions, not the game, determine what you experience. If you intend to win, you will be anxious before each game. You will be miserable if you lose. You will worry about you teammates, and how they play. If you intend to do your best, your experience will be very different. You will look forward to playing. You will be relaxed and ready for anything. You will be grateful to the other team for giving you the chance to do your best.” -From, “Soul Stories” By: Gary Zukav

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Plusone Linkedin Tumblr Email

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

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Plusone Linkedin Tumblr Email