“The crypto-Machiavellians who serve as the perennial stewards of American public affairs understand that people on the whole are about as malleable as their history can be made to be.” -Randall Robinson
The “Keep Them In Debt” Game
Written By: Elsie Law
-
Jun•
13•14
“‘Listen,’ I said softly, ‘I know it’s hard for you to make sense of all this craziness around here, but trust me, there’s a method to my madness, especially when it comes to spending. It’s important to keep these guys chasing the dream. And it’s even more important to keep them broke.’ I gestured over to the plate glass. ‘Look at them; as much money as they make, every last one of them is broke! They spend every dime they have, trying to keep up with my lifestyle. But they can’t, because they don’t make enough. So they end up living paycheck to paycheck on a million bucks a year. It’s hard to imagine, considering how you grew up, but, nevertheless, it is what it is.
‘Anyway, keeping them broke makes them easier to control. Think about it: Virtually every last one of them is leveraged to the hilt, with cars and homes and boats and all the rest of that crap, and if they miss even one paycheck they’re up [the] creek. It’s like having golden handcuffs on them. I mean, the truth is I could afford to pay them more than I do. But then they wouldn’t need me as much. But if I paid them too little, then they would hate me. So I pay them just enough so they love me nut still need me. And as long as they need me they’ll always fear me.” -From, “The Wolf Of Wall Street” By: Jordan Belfort
TODAY IS BUY BLACK FRIDAY
Written By: Elsie Law
-
Jun•
13•14
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
Quote Of The Day
Written By: Elsie Law
-
Jun•
13•14
“It is the fool whose own tomatoes are sold to him.” – Akan Proverb
Black People Investing In The Black Community: Part 2
Written By: Elsie Law
-
Jun•
06•14
In his tome “The True Meaning Of Malcolm X,” Don Steele lays out a blueprint of how Black people can invest in Black people. He uses the city of his residency, Lexington, Kentucky as an example.
“There are about 32,000 (or, 32 K) Blacks in Lexington. Real leadership would establish a capital fund goal of $20 million (or, $20 M) per year. That works out to about $12/head per week. Naturally, this 32 K includes kids and the elderly. But most Blacks are capable of investing $20/week or more. Leadership would direct Blacks’ attention to the dollars spent on alcohol, tobacco, gambling, entertainment, high priced cars, etc.
This is an investment. Not a donation. Accounts are given. Corporations are established. I know (from my work as an “international financier”- a pretentious title) in the international banking market, without any risk to capital, how 100% APR can be had for that $20 M. After paying commissions, taxes, an 10% dividends to investors, that leaves 50%, or $10 M to work with. Understand, the $20 M is safe and undisturbed, and that 10% return to investors is more than the bank CDs’ 4%.
During this process, Blacks are put to work reviewing and analyzing various businesses. Which are the businesses which are feasible for Blacks to start, based upon a dozen or so factors? This work includes getting all information and contacts on expertise, supplies, training, etc.
A good example would be auto repair shops. Blacks own cars and need servicing. The decision is reached to open 10 Black auto repair shops, under a trade name, like “Black Town Auto Repair.” Perhaps it requires $250 K per shop. That’s $2.5 M of your $10 M. That’s one, but there are at least a 100 businesses here in Lexington that Blacks can get into.
Establishing financial institutions would be a priority. Black banks, insurance companies, venture capital groups. Favorable loans for college and job training would be guaranteed. Blacks who have good ideas for businesses will be encouraged to get Black funding. But Blacks should not, as the Bible says, ‘put a stone before a blind man.’ Blacks must adapt things to their own peculiarities and needs, and design things to genuinely help other Blacks, without being made fools of. These are not government programs, but private Black capital.
Example: Black management companies should be established. A would-be owner of a new business needing funding would effectively work first for the management company. This company would be assigned to work with this Black, knowing who she or he is, and what his or her level of skills are. Because a Black has a criminal past can’t be a taboo for this Black development…
The management company will insure that monies are not either stolen or foolishly wasted. This is because the owner doesn’t have control of the funds. An account is established for him or her, and all payments are reviewed and made by the management company.
A contract will have been signed giving the details, terms and understanding to the owner. It may take up to 5 years of such management/training before the company is completely in the hands of that Black. Owning the company requires buying it. During the chosen business apprenticeship period, if that person doesn’t work out, then instead of the whole affair being a waste of money, some other Black can be put in place who wants to own the business.
A Black advertising council would be formed. Their business would be to see that Blacks, and the general public, are specifically aware of these businesses. They would advertise in the media. Weekly newsletters and sales advertisements would be distributed to Black churches, social outlets, the Community voice, and by direct mail.
Now, each year, you’re adding another $20 M to your capital base, and another $10 M of its interest invested in Lexington. So after two years, you’ve got $40 M in untouched capital, and $20 M invested plus the first years’ $10 M for a total of $30 M invested in Lexington. After one presidential term of 4 years, you’ve got a safe, untouched $80 M capital base, and $100 M invested in Black businesses, loans and employment- which will be returning high investment profits…
Land area in Lexington van be brought which will concentrate an array of Black businesses, supermarket, restaurants, cinemas, theaters. Just like many cities have Chinatowns, this mall can be known as Blacktown. Naturally, Black businesses will be located around the city, but Blacktown will be an inspiring center/magnet for Black shopping and entertainment.
Instead of you complaining about not having a radio station, you’d have several. You’d have TV programs also. The Community Voice would be a weekly newspaper, much thicker, with color photos. A big office, with a paid staff.
You’d inspire the young.” -From, “The True Meaning Of Malcolm X” By: Don Steele
Black People Investing In The Black Community: Part 1
Written By: Elsie Law
-
Jun•
06•14
“Malcolm X’s, Marcus Garvey’s, and Martin Delany’s position was that Blacks must financially and economically invest and work for themselves.
The results would be profoundly, profoundly, profoundly different. Just today, instead of abandoning Blacks, African Americans are fully capable of investing one billion dollars a week into themselves. That’s 52 BILLION dollars a year. Without asking for any new laws. Any White support. Any politics. With this funding and commitment, the many diseases infecting the Black communities would mostly vanish.
Blacks would take a seat in the world of productivity. There would be too much work to do for murder and social drop out. Every Black talent, skill and positive efforts would find an outlet, and would be rewarded.” -From, “The True Meaning Of Malcolm X” By: Don Steele
TODAY IS BUY BLACK FRIDAY
Written By: Elsie Law
-
Jun•
06•14
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
Quote Of The Day
Written By: Elsie Law
-
Jun•
06•14
“The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power; because they control the minds of the masses.” -Malcolm X
South African Apartheid vs. American Racism (Throwback Post: 2/28/08)
Written By: Elsie Law
-
Jun•
05•14
Wikipedia defines apartheid as: “A system of legalized racial segregation enforced by the National Party (NP) South African government between 1948 and 1994. It arose from a longer history of settler rule and Dutch and British colonialism.” America’s social ideals have also not been exempt from the effects of colonialism. Hence, the prevalence of racism throughout American History. Although we can optimistically hope that the irrationality of racial hatred has been diagnosed and is being cured, recent shocking events on the continents of Africa and America sadly shows otherwise.
Yesterday, a video which was recorded at the University of Free State in South Africa surfaced. In this disturbing video, several White students from the university allegedly forced five Black elderly university employees to perform humiliating acts; this included forcing the Black elders to eat food that was urinated on. The supposed motivation for this criminal abuse was a protest by the White students to oppose the university’s integrating Black and White students in residential dorms.
In response to the horrendous video, Black students and university employees have handed over a list of demands to university administrators. According to the BBC website: “The university says it has begun procedures to suspend the students allegedly implicated in the video, and says the alleged victims have received psychological support.” This is a weak response to such an inhumane act.
On the homefront, the Megan Williams case is slowly winding its way through the American court system. This case involves a 20 year old African American woman who was 
kidnapped in the Summer of 2007, tortured, raped, and forced to eat animal feces- while being called racial slurs. While sexual abuse victims usually exercise their right to remain anonymous, Ms. Williams and her family decided to reveal her identity in order to put a human face on this unconscionable crime. However, the lack of media attention involving this situation begs to ask where the concern is on the journalistic front. There is also a question of fairness in the arena of justice. Megan Williams’ family feels slighted that the prosecutor is not demanding harsher penalties.We’ll see what happens as the repercussions from these two heinous events evolve. The manner in which these two events are resolved will be telling about how far we have advanced when it comes to racial ethics.
Black History Fact Of The Day: Percy Julian
Written By: Elsie Law
-
Jun•
05•14
During World War II, Percy Julian created a fire-extinguishing foam, which put out oil and gasoline fires. He named his invention, “AeroFoam.” He created it from a soy protein.
