I'm breaking my online semi-silence (until the new site launches) to give another warning and heads-up to those who will hear.
From the "I Told You So" Department-Pres. Obama Watch Division:
Those of you who have staked your futures on Pres. Obama and the “change” he promised, need to figure out what your Plan B will be when Pres. Obama completes the process of becoming a lame duck for the rest of this term. And also figure out what you'll do when he most likely fails to win reelection for a second term.
In “The Change That Never Came, Part 2,” I warned you about Pres. Obama in particular, and the general dangers inherent with Crossover Black politicians.
Here.
In “Machiavelli’s ‘The Prince’ Versus Pres. Obama’s ‘Team of Rivals’ Cabinet,” I warned about the indications of Pres. Obama’s naïveté.
In short, I warned you not to stake your survival on Pres. Obama:
“Don't stake your (and your loved ones') survival on anything that Pres. Obama might do. First of all, there's no way of knowing whether or not his economic proposals will actually work. Second, there are MANY other parties that don't want any of his proposals to succeed. Including many individuals that are nominally on his "side."
Pres. Obama Does NOT Have His Own Posse. Nobody is Watching His Back. This Means That Anything He Does WILL Be Sabotaged. From the Inside-Out.
I can see that the masses of our people will be devastated (in many different ways) when various factions from within as well as outside the Democratic Party finally pull down the Obama-ssiah.
It doesn't matter how much Pres. Obama tries to appease these factions. The problem is that these various factions cannot be appeased. This is because they don't want to be appeased. What they want is to make sure that whatever efforts the Obama-ssiah makes fail, and he gets ALL of the blame, while they position themselves to reign. . . err, rule. . . err, govern. . . once he's been politically destroyed.
This illustrates another problem with most Black folks' concept of politics. We don't understand that the "ruler" is only as strong as his infrastructure (aka "posse"). In Chicago terms, his political "machine." Does Pres. Obama actually have a loyal, faithful, strong posse of his own? Or is he somebody who was loaned the use of other people's posses? We know the answer to this.
It looks like he didn't understand that these various "retainers" are only loyal to the people who actually own and created them. They are loyal to the individuals who loaned them to him. NOT to him. He didn't create any of these people. This is one of the unspoken consequences of Pres. Obama being a crossover candidate who did not come from any sort of organized Black movement or infrastructure.
Black voters simply hopped on the Obama-ssiah bandwagon after they saw that Whites in Iowa were willing to vote for him. Pres. Obama did not come from us. Not that our infrastructure or organizations are particularly solid, but Pres. Obama has NOTHING but thin air under his feet.
Pres. Obama's recent blindsided stumbles with several cabinet nominees should be a signal to you. The manner in which all of that went down made it quite apparent to me that he doesn't have anybody who is actually watching his back. He doesn't even have an old-school, Chicago political "machine" to watch his back. That's his own fault for being naive.
Machiavelli warned about the dangers of a prince being dependent upon mercenaries. Especially foreign ones. They have a nasty habit of abruptly abandoning the prince (at the worst possible moment) in favor of the highest bidder, and/or their previous employers.
For the love of God, don't rely on this one (naive) man for your survival.”
And now, with this recent election for Ted Kennedy's former Senate seat (and its most likely repercussions), you're beginning to see all of these things come to a head.
It should be clear to those who have been counting on them, that the Democratic leadership will continue to roll over and try to placate everybody except their core constituencies. African-Americans (along with gays and lesbians) will continue to be among the first core constituencies thrown under the bus by the Democratic leadership. The Democrats will keep trying to placate people who are implacable; namely, Republicans and their supporters.
It’s time for those folks who are politically-inclined to begin the long-term project of building a viable third party, and related infrastructure (think tanks and media outlets that will support a progressive platform).
**Addendum** A helpful reader sent me the following link It's a good recap of how many (if not most) African-Americans focus on symbols instead of substance. Which is why all it takes is to have "Black faces in high places" (Black people in prominent, visible places) to pacify us.
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Exactly, this was all about Obama's poor leadership. He took his core supporters for granted and catered to people who are never going to want to work with him. I voted for him and I still prefer him to McCain, but I'm disappointed with how he's not controlling the message on the healthcare debate. I'm not a big fan of the current healthcare reform because it does nothing to curb costs or tort. However, I support it because I think that expanding coverage is good morally.
Hello there, Zoopath,
I'm done with voting for the purported "lesser evil." My (reluctant) vote for Pres. Obama was the last time for that. I betrayed my core values and voted for him in the hope of staving off the total economic collapse of this country (which would be the result of having McCain and the lunatic from Alaska in the White House).
However, for a while, I've had the sinking feeling that I betrayed my values by voting for Obama for nothing. It's looking more and more like the various collapses (economic, environmental, and others) that I feared will happen anyway---all because Pres. Obama and the Democrats refuse to actually fight to prevent these things from happening.
No more "lesser evils" for me. I'm going to make a weighted list of my core values, and see who (if anybody) will support the most critical ones. And do what I can to support the formation of a viable 3rd party.
But the warning that I'm giving with this post goes beyond Pres. Obama's failings. It's about AAs' overall TOTAL lack of preparation. Most of us are complacent in our Obama-delerium. I'm not going to talk politics at the new site, so this post is one of my last public warnings about these issues.
Throughout history, no matter what the negative event, there have always been the smaller group of people who were relatively safe and comfortable while the masses of their group suffered and often died.
The European Jews who fled various European countries EARLIER in the rise of the German Nazi regime survived. The Bosnians and others who left Yugoslavia EARLY in the civil war fared better than those who hung around long enough to end up in mass graves.
Preparation versus a lack of preparation is what usually separates the two groups. The key to survival is to respond at the first hint of a serious problem. And not wait until the problem is fully developed before you take it seriously. Right now, AAs have lulled themselves into an even deeper coma than usual with the Obama-ssiah delirium. Most of us are in denial, and won't perceive a serious problem brewing until we see the equivalent of a mushroom cloud exploding over our heads.
The AA collective is in a state that is comparable to that of Haiti's physical infrastructure---the foundations of AAs' economic survival are so flimsy and fragile that the slighest disruption will lead to many of us being out in the streets. And unlike the earlier Great Depression, modern AAs DON'T have stable family ties that we can depend on for help in a time of crisis. Especially not during a time of prolonged crisis.
There are some problems looming on the horizon that AAs as a collective are totally unprepared for.
Close-knit, FAMILY-ORIENTED, prepared collectives like the Mormons and the Amish will make it no matter what happens. For those who don't know, the Mormon Church REQUIRES each Mormon household to stockpile a year's supply of food, water, and other essentials. Just in case.
To all who are reading: If you choose not to prepare, and choose not to respond to the warning signals about various situations, rest assured that there WON'T be any particular mercy or concern for you once the "flood waters" rise above your heads.
Think quick: Before the Haiti earthquake, when was the last time YOU thought about the still-suffering people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast? Yeah, that's what I thought.
In the modern-day US where AAs are NO LONGER the largest minority population: Ain't nobody else thinkin' about AAs or our problems!
Do you think Telemundo or the other Spanish-language stations broadcasting in the US will be talking about AAs' problems/concerns? Especially during a prolonged crisis? NO, and neither will the "mainstream" so-called news outlets.
People, Get Ready.
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Excellent post Khadija and welcome back.You were very much so missed.Whether we love Obama or not it is simply not smart for us to only have one plan.That plan being that Obama will fix everything for us.We have to educate ourselves so that we can be competitive point blank.That is our only chance of survival.Mediocrity and a lowly education is not working for whites anymore and it dang sure aint gonna work for us.We must continuously seek higher and higher education even when we are highly employed we need to still learn more about our professions.We need to be MASTERS at our crafts and better than the rest.It's the only way we can continue.
African americans are steadily losing political clout in america because of our bad choices and so called alliances with outsiders who are in competition for resources with us,who will sell us down the river to get what little we have.It's time to sink or swim and i'm gonna swim til i get my motor powered boat.
As far as Obama is concerned you are right his team doesn't have his back.I was just on another site telling folks that I believe that democrats purposely threw that election.I truly believe that.I do believe Barack
Obama had good intentions but as my pastor says good intentions can't save nobody you just gotta get it right.The ball is in my court, always has been.Your message has not fallen on deaf ears Khadija.I've taken this very seriously and I am getting in a position to save myself.I hope others will hear your wise words and open their eyes to what's happening so that they won't be left behind.
Hello there, TruthP.,
Thank you for your kind words and ongoing support; I truly appreciate it.
You said, "We have to educate ourselves so that we can be competitive point blank.That is our only chance of survival.Mediocrity and a lowly education is not working for whites anymore and it dang sure aint gonna work for us.We must continuously seek higher and higher education even when we are highly employed we need to still learn more about our professions.We need to be MASTERS at our crafts and better than the rest.It's the only way we can continue."
WORD!
I would just add that getting excellent higher educations and mastering the skills of our fields is just the beginning of long-term survival.
As an astute reader/blogger named Beverly pointed out in the #1 blog post I've linked to below, doing this won't ensure our survival. The reason is because our competitors for resources, Latinos, are already doing this AND they are gaining CONTROL over who gets hired. Either through political dominance (becoming elected mayors, etc.), or through economic dominance (building businesses of their own).
And as she pointed out, when Latinos gain control they generally freeze African-Americans OUT of any jobs that they control. Period. We've seen this behavior pattern from Latinos' in Miami and other parts of Florida. We've seen this in other parts of the country where they've gained significant control. As I noted during that discussion, Latinos use the bilingual accomodations that they demand as a long-term means of creating employment monopolies for themselves.
Not to mention, Whites who are in control of hiring generally prefer to hire Latinos instead of AAs. Latinos have replaced AAs for most of the entry-level, unskilled jobs as janitors, maids, wait staff in restaurants, etc.
A similar thing is in progress in the sports realm, which is a good example of how overwhelming AA participation does NOT equal dominance of a field. There used to be many, many more AA baseball players. It seems that now the bulk of the Black players are Latinos (Dominicans, etc.). I predict that a similar thing will happen with basketball as more AA male players become more troublesome with their criminal activities.
There will be more Eastern European, Chinese, and whoever else players as time goes by. And since AAs don't own any of these sports franchises, there will be nothing that we can do. We'll look up, and the AA player will be gone from these other sports. Similar to how AAs are on their way to being totally gone from baseball.
Anyhoo, as Beverly pointed out, more AAs are going to have to find inventive ways to DOMINATE our respective niches in our various fields.
I would suggest that readers read the following solution-intensive posts and discussions:
1-"Geostrategy Nerd: An Extended Reader's Money Quote From Beverly" here
2-"If You're Not on One of These 10 Roads to Riches, You're Heading Toward the Poorhouse." here
3-"Comment Overflow for the Post, 'If You're Not on One of These 10 Roads..." here
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
We can heed the warnings and prepare or dispute them and ignore it. HCR was DOA from inception. I don't know what to say about the Brown win. How a man who engaged in sexual misconduct got elected - oh wait why did I even mention it - par for the course! The collective is done anyway and we already know this. This is a message for the few of us who can still get out. Oddly enough there was more sympathy for Haitians (aside from all the inherent problems and obstructionism) than for the AAs who barely survived Katrina.
I think that your previous post was very informative and it's refreshing to see other African Americans who're conscious of the situation with our fellow "minorities"
What you wrote about Latinos is 100% true. Whites will allow basically any ethnic minority, with the exception of Blacks, to become "one of them"; And as a result, all racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. use hostility towards Blacks as a means of assimilating into the "white" majority. It's always been that way.
The problem with Latinos is that they're not assimilating. So unlike other immigrants who came before them, they'll be living side by side with Blacks in poor or working-class areas for a long, long time. This can only lead to more tension.
But in the grande scheme of things, that might not be so bad. I honestly believe that racism (REAL racism)is the only thing that can "wake up" the masses. Latinos (including those of African ancestry) have no problems with openly stating their disdain for Blacks. I have to constantly explain this to the kumbaya crowd.
But moving on, I want to comment on dominating our respective niches. I think the idea of starting a small business is awesome, and it's certainly inspiring to hear of other people who have done it. However, we should realize that a lot of people simply don't have the time, money or the drive to pursue starting and running a business.
An alternative would be to go into Sales. Yes, most sales jobs only offer commission-based pay. But if you're good at it, and I DO think many Blacks have a knack for communication (both interpersonal and public speaking), you can make just as much money as you would running a small business. Most Sales jobs don't require a college education either. So I think this is one area of employment where AAs truly could become dominant in significant numbers, not just on an individual level. Unfortunately, bilingualism is becoming an integral part of this industry too :(
Anyway, sorry for the long comment and going off topic!
Great post! Welcome back. Your voice was truly missed.Obama is on his way to be a one term president. He has not catered to his base but has instead catered to people who were never going to vote for his policies. People are tired of watching the white house and democrats bend over everytime the media and repblicans tell them to.I was even more disqusted when Reid made his comments and all the black pundits and so called intellectuals were playing the my white racist is better than your white racist because my white racist has a D in front of his name and yours has an R. As if both parties are not screwing over us. It is time to start supporting a viable third party instead of just voting for the lesser of two evils because evil is evil.
We are all going to have to get our respective hustles on! I'm a newly in practice physician but I and my young collegues know that compensation for our fields have been and will be declining and we need to put what money we can earn now to work for us. The most financially successful physicians I know have other streams of income in addition to medicine.
Faith,
Yes, this is a message for the few of us who can still engage in rational thought and action concerning our own survival.
Out of curiosity, I did a cursory tour around the Black blogosphere after the Massachusetts election, and THESE COLORED FOOLS DON'T GET IT. They're talking like this is a minor setback, as opposed to one of the final (dead) canaries in the coal mine.
It hasn't occurred to these credulous slaves to ask the following: "If the Democrats couldn't/wouldn't accomplish anything with a majority, what will happen as that numerical majority is whittled down? Not to mention what will happen if the Ds continue to refrain from purging the numerous traitors (Joe Lieberman) and traitors-in-waiting (Harold Ford) from their inner circles?"
AAs and progressives cling to the belief that somehow, someway, these Democratic politicians are confused. Instead of recognizing that the Democratic political leadership wifully and repeatedly decided to betray its base.
The Democratic politicians do this mostly because the established pattern of progressives, AAs, labor, gays, etc. voting for the purported "lesser evil" Democrat has them convinced that we have no where else to go!
No, these Democrats aren't confused. They made what they believe to be a rational cost/benefit analysis. Right now, there's NO price to pay for betraying the Democratic base. In terms of AAs, our most potent threat was simply one of increased apathy and staying at home and not voting. That threat won't be credible in the Age of Obama. His mere presence will energize eternally-gullible AA voters into a frenzied voters' registration and voting crusade to "save" his presidency. After all, we "have to" support our "first Black president." {insert gagging sound here}
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Marlo,
Thank you for your kind words about the blog posts; I truly appreciate it.
Yes, everybody EXCEPT AAs is in the process of "becoming considered as White" in the US. And as you said, "And as a result, all racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. use hostility towards Blacks as a means of assimilating into the "white" majority. It's always been that way."
I agree with you that the underclass Latinos are not assimilating. However, the functional ones among that group ARE assimilating and taking over previously White-held positions. And since they are considered "White," functional Latinos won't be blocked by the glass and concrete ceilings that AAs are confronted with.
The other angle is that functional, assimilating Latinos skillfully use the presence of so many non-assilimiating Latinos to their own advantage. One example of this is their incessant demands for more and more bilingual requirements for various jobs. The bilingual requirements that are put in place to cater to the Latinos who refuse to learn English provide employment MONOPOLIES for the assimilating Latinos.
It's an extremely clever scam.
No, I don't think that even "real" racism will awaken AAs in the Age of Obama. The surveys cited by the Black Agenda Report essay I linked to in the addendum is an example of that. As long as AAs can see some "Black faces in high places," we'll believe that everything is basically okay and getting better. No matter what the actual, objective circumstances might be. As a local Black talk radio host often said, "We'll boogie our way into a gas chamber."
You said, "But moving on, I want to comment on dominating our respective niches. I think the idea of starting a small business is awesome, and it's certainly inspiring to hear of other people who have done it. However, we should realize that a lot of people simply don't have the time, money or the drive to pursue starting and running a business."
True, but those AAs who refuse to create their own income streams (by creating side businesses of their own) simply won't make it. I agree with you that Sales is an excellent way to create income streams. HOWEVER, as you noted, Latinos' demands for bilingualism are taking over the Sales industry too!
The bottom line is that the Age of Working for Nonblacks is coming to an end for AAs. These various other people don't need and don't want our service as employees anymore. They want to give the jobs that they control to other people. AAs are steadily being replaced in ALL these jobs in all these various fields.
There's no need to apologize for a long, substantive comment---I enjoy them!
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Nathifa,
Thank you for your kind words; I truly appreciate it.
You said, "I was even more disqusted when Reid made his comments and all the black pundits and so called intellectuals were playing the my white racist is better than your white racist because my white racist has a D in front of his name and yours has an R."
Yeah, that was cray-zee.
You said, "As if both parties are not screwing over us. It is time to start supporting a viable third party instead of just voting for the lesser of two evils because evil is evil."
Yes, evil is evil. It's time to stop choosing evil. And build something better. Across the board.
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Zoopath,
Congratulations!
Yes, as was discussed in some detail in the comment section of the "If You're Not on One of These 10 Roads to Riches, You're Heading Toward the Poorhouse" post, the nature of all these professions are changing.
The professions are still highly paid relative to other types of work, however they are NOT what they used to be. Not at all. Instead of clinging to obsolete models of economic survival such as getting a "good job," more AAs will have to create more income streams for themselves. More AAs will have to find ways to dominate the niche that they're in.
Let me repeat: The "Age of Working for Nonblacks" is coming to an END for AAs. As employees, AAs are being pushed out of jobs across the board. I'm reminded of an editorial cartoon I saw in a Final Call years ago. The cartoon was reprinted from a Muhammad Speaks NOI paper from the 1960s, and told AAs to say "Farewell to Welfare." Well, to update this for the 21st century, it's time for AAs to say, "Goodbye to 'Good Jobs.'" These various "good jobs" will be completely off-limits to AAs pretty soon.
I know that most of us refuse to develop the mental resilience that it takes to create businesses. I know that most of us want to remain dependent, and not take on that level of responsibility. I know that most AAs want to continue our tradition of crying out to others to: (1) do right by us; (2) fix our problems; (3) include us in their plans for themselves, etc. But that's not going to happen.
For example, I've been immersing myself in the writers' blogs. Do you know the quickest method I've used to find AA writers' blogs? I did Google blog searches for "racism publishing industry." I knew that nobobdy except AA writers would be (mostly anonymously---can't risk our book contracts with "Massa") whining about racism in publishing, and how White folks aren't doing right by AA authors.
I knew that instead of talking about creating our OWN publishing companies, we would be having retro, 1950s-style conversations angrily demanding that White authors join us in crying out about the White racism that does not affect them.
For all their many flaws (including extreme sexism), at least the 1960s Black Arts folks realized that they were going to have to do it for themselves if they wanted life-giving works published, and performed.
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
For the benefit of any newbies in the reading audience, let me repeat a couple of points that I and others raised during the comments sections of earlier posts.
In particular, a few points about our "fellow people of color," and "coalition allies," the Latinos. In particular, Latinos riding the coattails of the AA civil rights struggle and dead martyrs to advance bilingualism requirements:
It's good to learn a foreign language, including Spanish. However, I don't believe that learning Spanish will protect AAs from the hiring discrimination that is often practiced against us by Latinos when they get the opportunity.
It's been my observation that in many instances Latino "gatekeepers" are using bilingual requirements as a way of reserving certain jobs for themselves, ALONE. It's a scam, and a game to have a plausible-sounding reason for excluding everybody EXCEPT their fellow Latinos.
For example, let's say the Latino "gatekeeper" has a choice between hiring:
1-another Latino who speaks a "minority" Spanish dialect relative to the local area [for example, a native speaker with a Mexican accent in a majority Cuban area in Florida]; OR
2-an AA who is fluent in the local "majority" Spanish dialect [Cuban-accented Spanish in Florida],
the Latino gatekeeper will most likely hire the Mexican. "Mismatched" accent be damned.
Let me stress this for the audience:
There are sometimes wide variations in regional accents with any language. Especially when it comes to casual, non-formal conversation and slang. For example, I find that even though I understand the news from the BBC (because this is formal speech), I find some of the dialogue (especially slang) in British movies VERY difficult to understand. And I generally can’t understand Scottish accents at all.
The sort of hypothetical situation I described above is is what I've heard goes on in Miami. Latino anti-Black racism is AS BAD or WORSE than White anti-Black hiring discrimination.
And our (mis)leaders have had us crying over, and supporting, these people coming here.
Part 2
Let me be clear, I'm not knocking Spanish. [I'm studying Spanish---the European version---because I would like to spend some more time in Spain.] It's just that this "learn Spanish to increase your employability" hype is yet another example of how things almost NEVER work as advertised when it comes to AAs.
From what I've observed, the odds are that Spanish-language fluency will probably NOT be of much meaningful benefit for most AAs in terms of getting hired in the US.
Here's why: These bilingual job requirements are NOT motivated by a desire to facilitate communication. Instead, the REAL purpose of bilingual job requirements is to create an ethnic employment monopoly for Latinos in this country.
Another reader confirmed my Chicago-based observations about this when she described how job ads in Miami actually say: "NATIVE SPEAKERS ONLY." This practice shows that the ultimate goal is NOT about communication, it's about reserving certain jobs for Latinos ONLY.
Other people have traditionally lied to AAs. They tell us that if we just had certain (ever-changing and ever-shifting) qualifications, then we would be hired. In many of these cases, it's not about credentials. It's about employment discrimination. Let's be real about this.
Too often, AAs naively take things at face value. As a result, we fall for the okey-doke.
This "if you just learn Spanish then you'll be okay" hype is pure bull****. It's just another lie in a LONG series of lies that we've been told as a cover story for employment discrimination. When are AAs going to wake up, and build our own sources of employment?
Latino racists don't care if an AA is fluent in Spanish. Whenever they can get away with it, Latino gatekeepers will only hire NATIVE SPEAKERS (i.e., other Latinos). Miami is a good example of that. And a sneak preview of the employment practices that Latinos will enforce once they get in power in other areas of the US.
If they aren't already reserving jobs for "native Spanish speakers only" in a particular area, it's because they aren't powerful enough to get away with it. YET.
So by all means, anybody who's interested should learn Spanish! [Like I said, I'm studying Spanish---the European version {chuckling}.] Just don't have the delusion that being fluent in Spanish will protect you from employment discrimination from Latino gatekeepers.
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Hi Khadija *smiles*, just stoppping in to let you know that I will be rereading your previous posts, 1-"Geostrategy Nerd: An Extended Reader's Money Quote From Beverly" here
2-"If You're Not on One of These 10 Roads to Riches, You're Heading Toward the Poorhouse." here
3-"Comment Overflow for the Post, 'If You're Not on One of These 10 Roads..." here,
so that I can get a better understanding of all the things you've said here.
This blog is defitnetly for people like myself who are not just trying to be hearers but doers.At times I have found that some of the things discussed here were hard to digest so I wanted to run away.I'm done with that mentality.I'm done with the laziness.I've got a mind to work and i'm getting things done.I want to thank you for ringing the alarm Khadija you are greatly appreciated(I can't say that enough).I am expecting to learn and to grow and to live a prosperous life on the basis of my own hardwork and dedication.I thank you for your kind words and encouragement.It is because of BWE blogs like yours that I no longer feel like the perpetual victim anymore and that I have the potential to overcome anything, no mater how great or small.I look forward to supporting you in all your future endeavors.
I am so glad you are blogging again. I have been a fan of your blog for quite some time and I finally had the courage to "delurk" lol.
Funny you titled your blog "I told you so" because when I heard about Harold Ford's latest carpetbagging antics, I thought of you. You posted a blog a while back about black women's Pavlovian response to a black man in distress (Van Jones). You said that we often make the mistake of supporting every BM that comes along, without ever looking to see if that support is being reciprocated. I have to admit I thought you being harsh, and was still in knee-jerk "gotta look out for the brothers" mode.
I guess it stung because I remember how I was just so outraged at the racist ads made about Ford when he was running for Senate in TN. I was so upset. The injustice! It is just so unfair! Now since Ford is back in the public eye, his true character is coming out. This man, whose justice I was so concerned about, seems to care little about social justice for anyone else. His policies and idealology goes against everything I stand for. Then I thought about all that time and effort I spend worrying about someone who will do NOTHING to advance my own interests. I thought about you, and that you would probably say "I told you so".
And now, your predictions about Obama are proving to be correct as well. I was a staunch supporter or Obama, and I still am. But I can't ignore the fact that he has squandered many opportunities to truly make change a reality. His failure to lead, his incessant need to be liked by everyone (these "post-racial" blacks always seem to have this problem, but that is a whole 'nutha topic lol), and his naivete' has pretty much destroyed any real chance of repairing the damage that Bush done to this country. To make matters worse, his weakness is whats embolding these Tea Party lunatics, and there is a VERY strong possibility that one of these deranged individuals will be in the White House in 2012.
I don't think a lot of people understand just how disastrous the consequences of the Mass elections are. The Obama honeymoon is officially over, and his political capital has completely evaporated. Many of us are in complete denial.
Truth P.,
You're welcome and THANK YOU for your kind words, ongoing support and encouragement; it means a lot to me and I truly appreciate it.
You said, "At times I have found that some of the things discussed here were hard to digest so I wanted to run away."
I DO understand. I remember how upset and disoriented I felt when I first stumbled out of the Matrix. The coverage of the Dunbar Village Atrocity over at WAOD was what initially snapped me out of the complacent, Black Nationalist trance that I had been in since college.
That crime against humanity, and Black folks' mostly inappropriate responses to it, shook me to my core. And shattered all the comforting beliefs that I had previously held about the AA collective. The Matrix tells comforting, sleep-inducing lies. But it's best to face reality (even when it's ugly) and move forward. Onward and forward into the Promised Land.
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Magenta,
Thank you for de-lurking, your kind words and ongoing support; I truly appreciate it.
Oh, but I was/am being harsh. {chuckling} The reality of our collective situation as AA women is extremely harsh. It makes no sense to whisper when giving the alarm that the house is on fire.
Harold Ford is . . . FOUL. But so are so many other BM that BW blindly rush to worry about and support. I while back, I came across a blog that referenced the racist, anti-Black "jokes" that Tigger Woods (yes, I deliberately typed it that way--for several reasons) told in the presence of a reporter in 1997.
Here are a couple of Tigger's comments:
""What I can't figure out," Tiger Woods asks Vincent, the limo driver, "is why so may good-looking women hang around baseball and basketball. Is it because, you know, people always say that, like, black guys have big d*cks?"
And:
""He puts the tips of his expensive shoes together, and he rubs them up and down against each other. 'What's this?' he asks the women, who do not know the answer. 'It's a black guy taking off his condom,' Tiger explains."
See the December 7, 2009 entry at the Freedom Rider blog. http://freedomrider.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-i-cant-figure-out-tiger-woods-asks.html
This says VOLUMES about how Tigger's Black father and "hasn't said a peep in public to defend her son" Asian mother raised him to think about Black men.
As far as the Obama-ssiah situation, you are correct: Many (if not most) of our people are in denial. I'm not talking to them---they're not going to make it. I'm talking to those BW (AND these BW's supporters of any race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender) who are serious about surviving and thriving.
My worries about the damage Obama-ssiah worship would do to AAs was what prompted me to start this blog.
Part 2
As I said during the very first post:
Those of you who know me already know that I've been yelling the alarm about the coming financial collapse. And about how most Black folks (due to Obama-related-mania) are not doing anything to prepare. Here's a recap:
1. This economy is going to crash around our heads. This process has already begun. I strongly urge everyone to develop as many income streams as possible. ASAP. Depending on a single paycheck is courting disaster.
2. We haven't seen the full extent of the damage because the powers that be (PTB) have been hiding much of the damage. The PTB have done this to protect the image of the boy-prince, George W. Bush. The PTB won't extend the same service to Sen. Obama if he is elected president. In fact, if Obama is elected, they'll let it all fall apart to ensure that he gets the blame for the past 8 years of fiscal mismanagement.
3. In the midst of frolicking in our Obama-mania, most Black people haven't thought through the repercussions of having Sen. Obama elected.
4. For example, if Sen. Obama is elected president this means that the days of crying to Whites about racism are OVER. For real. They won't entertain that noise anymore. They will say that racism can't be that bad---after all, a Black (sort-of) man was elected president.
[For the purposes of this discussion, I won't go into detail about how in order to be the first viable "Black" presidential candidate, it seems that the candidate must be half-Other and half-foreign origin. In order to have a serious chance to be the first Black president, it helps that Sen. Obama is half-White and half-something-other-than-African-American. Politically, this is a a new "paper bag test" in operation.]
5. Black leadership (such as it is) does not have any other strategy beyond protesting racism. Collectively, Black folks don't have a back-up plan. This is a problem.
6. If elected, a Pres. Obama will feel the need to prove to Whites that he's not partial to us. He will do this by ignoring our issues and problems. There won't be any help coming from an Obama Administration. Not specifically for Black folks.
7. Because Black folks are addicted to symbol over substance, most of us will continue to support a Pres. Obama no matter what he does. Even while he literally ignores us to death. After all, we "gotta support a brother." We love seeing Black faces in high places. Even when these Black-skinned folks do a great deal of damage to our interests. [For examples, see Black folks' continued expressions of support and admiration for Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, etc.]
Here's a quick reading list for those who are ready to face reality and prepare:
8. The excellent articles by Dmitry Orlov posted at www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net. Check out his series entitled "Post-Soviet Lessons for a Post American Century," and "Surviving a Financial Collapse."
9. And the following books:
a. When Technology Fails: A Manual for Self-Reliance & Planetary Survival by Matthew Stein.
b. Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times by Steve Soloman.
c. The Secure Home by Joel M. Skousen.
People, Get Ready!
These are the worst of time for many of our people. These are also potentially the BEST of times for those of us who prepare and take advantage of every available opportunity.
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Great post. I tried to compose a short response but it's not working. I find myself repeating what's already been said. So I'll just co-sign and urge everyone who reads the post and the comments to read, research, and incorporate the referenced information especially regarding how to survive after peak oil.
Self-reliance and reciprocal alliances are the way forward. Emotionalism, symbolism and reliance on failed organizations and failed strategy are a waste of valuable time and energy.
Peace
Wow this is some serious stuff about to pop off
A journey to my divestment
Get a passport
Stop attending all black church/events
Stop dating only black men
Stop telling everyone your business
Get accepted to a graduate school preferably overseas and attain an advanced technical degree
Use the passport (I'm going to Sweden)
Join a gym and eat healthy(lost 22 lbs)
SouthlandDiva,
Thank you for your kind words and ongoing support; I truly appreciate it.
You said, "Self-reliance and reciprocal alliances are the way forward. Emotionalism, symbolism and reliance on failed organizations and failed strategy are a waste of valuable time and energy."
I 100% co-sign! I'm breaking my semi-silence to talk about this now, because I'm not going to talk about this sort of thing at the new site. I'm in the process of turning a page---I've moved on.
The time for mentioning these sorts of things to folks who failed to catch the obvious hints is coming to a close. They'll just have to die in the wilderness.
Those of us who are taking heed of reality need to strengthen our reciprocal connections to, and alliances with, each other.
I've used this analogy before, I'll use it here:
"Saigon" is falling! The time to get on the helicopters leaving the US embassy is RIGHT NOW! The last few flights out of Saigon are leaving NOW!"
I strongly urge readers who've never seen it to watch the YouTube documentary footage of the evacuation of the American embassy in Saigon.
And watch how the Vietnamese (who sat around and waited until it was too late to escape) desperately tried to cling to the helicopters' rudders as they took off. I find that mental picture quite . . . energizing . . . whenever I start to feel weary and unmotivated.
The other lesson in that footage was how the US military folks who told the South Vietnamese that they would always have their backs---left them to be tortured in re-education camps and DIE when the North Vietnamese triumphantly entered Saigon.
The same applies to all the Black folks who assure BW that "things aren't that bad."
You know, all the Black folks who assure AA women that "things AREN'T so bad that:"
1-AA women would need to evacuate Black residential areas to save their own (and loved ones') lives.
2-AA women would need to expand their horizons and look outside the AA collective (to nonblack men, and non-AA BM) in order to have reasonable opportunities to find family-oriented, quality husbands.
When Dunbar Village-type atrocities happen to those BW who remain within Black residential areas, these "things aren't that bad" Black folks have nothing to say. And no comfort to offer. They also have nothing to offer to those BW who live diminished lives because they mistakenly listened to that BS.
NO, make sure you catch a flight out of Saigon before it's too late!
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Khadija, its been months. I just randomly came to your site and was surprised to see a recent post as the last time I came to your site (months ago), I read on one of your posts that you were going to stop blogging, and I've been really busy with school so haven't been in the blogosphere much. Glad to see that your still around, as your site is one of my favourites!
Sistrunkqueen,
Congratulations!
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
JaliliMaster,
I'm so happy you wandered by here. *Smile* Thank you for your kind words and support; I truly appreciate it.
Yes, I had stopped blogging. I'm very busy, and (as much as I enjoyed this) the blog was taking up too much time. At the point when I stopped in September, I hadn't decided whether or not I would convert some of the blog essays into a book. The outpouring of reader support convinced me to do so.
So, I spent from September to now busy with the book project (and other things, like traveling---you gotta love the modern gadgets that let you keep up with business no matter where you are on the planet).
Now that (inshallah) the book is coming out soon, I have a bit more free time. I figured that I'd re-emphasize certain important rants here for the last time because I won't discuss politics or other remedial survival issues at the new site.
The new site is for BW who already understand the basics and are actively moving forward toward abundant life. I'm also going to streamline how I handle the comments at the new site. Such as by closing the comments on some posts; and only responding to comments on, perhaps, 2 days per week at most.
Peace, blessings and solidarity
@sistrunkqueen
I'm a list person and love your list! Simple, yet FOCUSED.
Hope you don't mind me using it as another tool for my escape plan to move myself from a life surviving to thriving.
I agree re: the extended readers money quote regarding dominance. Other ethnicities are doing it and excluding blacks. This is not unique to America, so folks should not think that if they go to another country, they won't face this same type of discrimination. This is the same attitude that allowed these other 'ethnics' to trick AA's in the first place. They thought that other people of colour would have solidarity with them when it came to whites. Turns out, they will stand with you as far as you are needed then you get dropped.
In the UK, a Tamil man was taken to court for racially-motivated firing of black employees. Now if anyone knows about the Tamils, they are Sri-Lankan minorities who have been at war for years and are at the bottom of the country socially, economically etc. Yet, he got to britain and used all his money to buy a petrol station service shop. The first thing he did was to fire the employees one-by-one, who were all black Africans, then he hired new supervisors, all Tamil. This man was then taken to court by the employees. He was ordered by the judge to re-employ them or face fines. He chose to pay compensation to these employees than have them working for him. He was asked how he could be so okay with his racism, he felt there was nothing wrong with it as it was his business. The man who was interviewing him is some black actor(or other personality) who was doing a documentary. He was the kumbaya type of negro, questioning why people of colour cannot just 'work together'. I remember he went into Asian communities(Pakistani, Indian etc), and exposed the entrenched racism towards blacks. This silly negro started pontificating on camera, even as one Indian man boasted and even mocked that if blacks are so good, how come all the businesses in black communities are owned by Asians?! This negro started wailing that the Asians should be 'fair' and hire blacks. It never occured to him to question why blacks: (1)Refuse to open their businesses AND manage it properly, and (2) why negroes would rather patronise any other business than a black-owned one!
On a final note, the whole kool-aid(I hate using that term) drunk by black folks in relation to Obama is symptomatic of how blacks, and in particular AA's, refuse to properly vet those that claim to represent them. I've seen many AA's talk about thier 'African Brothers' and 'hang' with them in solidarity, but never make any effort to engage in economic and other financial projects that could be to their benefit. They'd stand by as these African negroes do business with whites, and the whites exclude them(AA's) from being able to partake, in many cases, with the Afircans knowledge. No offense, but AA's need to stop being fools. Alot of you seem to have this view that these African 'leaders/reps' would always have your backs, when they don't even have the backs of their fellow country men. The same thing is done with AA leaders, where having the black skin is enough. I've noticed the British governments habits (and the American too), of sending black faces to represent them in African countries when it comes to political issues (say negotiations in Zimbabwe, Sudan etc), because they think they would be better able to trick them with a black face, but then send white faces when it comes to financial issues, because they don't want black folks to be the link to their source of income. Folks need to understand that money is always going to be made, it's all about who makes it. With the recession, it is the smartest that will come out ontop, get with it!
Okay, I tried posting my comments, but it was too long so I'll break them down:
Obama is weak. That is the plain truth. In the case of Bush, only a select few were allowed to speak. With Obama, he allows many to air their views, but only takes the views of a select few into account. What he doesn't realise is that that is no different from Bush. I'm surprised that many could not see Obamas weakness till now.
Ignoring the fact that alot of the criticism from the right is racially motivated, there are some instances where he should listen. Him bowing to foreign leaders is one of them. Obama seems pretty convinced that he is this all-knowing, world-travelled man, because he lived in God knows where when he was a child. He thinks that he knowa more than anybody else about other cultures. That is why he insists on doing nonsense like bowing to other heads of state. In these countries, bowing (or kneeling/bending the knee etc) is used as a sign of respect. But thats where Obamas knowledge stops. It is used as a sign of respect to those who one considers to be above them.
It is the reason the when Laura Bush met the Queen of England, rather than curtsying, she only gave a very slight tip of the head. Why? Her husband was the head of state. She assumes his same level. Therefore, all heads of state are of the same level. The Queen is the head of state, and secondly, Laura is not a British subject, and therefore doesn't bow. I don't know whether or not Michelle had the common sense to do the same thing, although reports said that when they first met, away from cameras, she gave a little curtsey. Try paying attention to foreign media for once, one would see a difference between that and what passes for 'news' in this part of the world. I remember when he went to Saudi Arabia, the moment he bowed, the entire Saudi media went ecstatic, because they felt he was 'submitting'. That had NEVER been done by any American president before. Now, wherever he goes, this president, supposedly the most powerful man in the world, is actually expected to bow and 'submit'. They expected it in China, they got it. He did the same in other places. It's not lost on me that it is this first 'black' president that is expected to 'submit'.
On the issue of his political appointments, part of the reason that there have been quite a few social faux pas is because the person responsible for 'updating' the president on such issues is the Chief protocol officer. Guess who she is. A die-hard Shrillary nut. She was appointed by Clinton as the post is under the State Department, but she is situated in the white house. Although she is supposed to, she doesn't fly with the president and her office was moved to the State department (from what I understand, that had something to do with Michelle, as she didn't trust the woman when it came to loyalty). She had good reason not to, as this woman was a very active member of the PUMA lot, who were virulently anti-Obama. This is another reason why I think giving Clinton the SOS role was a mistake. She insisted that she should have the power to hire and fire as she pleased, a power which should solely belong to the president. Now she stuffed the state department full with her cronies.
I'm also amused when I see people talking about Hillary running in 2012. People forget that she is inexperienced. There is a reason why all of a sudden, the secretary of states responsibilities have been carved up, with envoys to various regions(Iraq, N. Korea etc) that do not report to Clinton. Being married to the president does not count as experience, especially as up to the point of being given the secretary of state job, she, like Obama, had very little to show for her political career. The silly mistakes she has made with Russia and the Israel/Palestinian issue (too long to go into now) are just one of the many signs that she is a lightweight. Another problem with her is that she seems to reward people (e.g with jobs/political appointments) beacue of loyalty as opposed to whether or not they are actually capable. This can be seen in alot of the people she had running her failed campaign (start with patty solis doyle).
On the whole Latino issue, the only black folks that can still be deceived with such BS are the ones that are negroes! I've seen many of the 'solutions' that have been put forward to counter the racial discrimination of these Latinos, the most common being to learn spanish. As always happens, the necessary qualifications keep on shifting as black folks meet the mark. After you learn spanish, you find out it's 'native speakers only'. The problem is that black folks are only able to see solutions to problems through the lens of how others can help. Instead of trying to figure out how to get these folks to 'do right' by blacks, think of how to make it for yourself. I remember during the campaign, when Obama said that parents should make their kids learn other languages. I though..yeah, they should. He then added, "especially spanish". Latinos got so happy. Black folks couldn't see the implications of this. Latinos would not dare openly discrimnate against whites, but you know they are more than happy to tell blacks to their face where to stick it. I know this will sound harsh, but people should stop patronising the non-black owned businesses. Whenever one says it, 'they' accuse you of racism, ignoring the fact that they themselves (be it whites, latinos, asians) don't patronise black-owned business. Also, if you are going to support a black owned business, make sure that it supports you. I don't think I need to explain what I mean by that.
Wow. Your commentary about Latino's biligual demands, and the strategy of using spanish fluency to advance really hit home. i see this dynamic at work in the social services field. I see ads with desired qualifications of 'bilingual/bicultural," basicaly meaning 'Latino'. I am at an intermmediate level in Spanish, and assumed that becoming fluent would help me, professionally. Now I know better. Our misleaders really did a job on us by teaching the collective to buy into this non-reciprocal "people of color coalition" idea. I really need to get my hustle on.
JaliliMaster,
I 100% co-sign.
THANK YOU for providing what will probably be the final Reader's Money Quotes for this blog!
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Sharifa,
Yes, it's all one big scam. I'm irritated, but not truly angry, at Latinos for working this bilingual scam---normal people/groups are supposed to advance their own interests!
My real rage is reserved for our (mis)leaders and the bottomless depths of their stupidity. As you said, "Our misleaders really did a job on us by teaching the collective to buy into this non-reciprocal "people of color coalition" idea."
It deeply angers me that I, as a non-leader, have to be one of the very few voices saying these things. I'm not one of our "official" thinkers like the folks of Tavis Smiley's annual talkfest.
Haven't these people been paying attention to how Latinos are replacing AAs in every way? Where have they been? Did they not hear our people's reports from places like LA and Miami about how these Latinos are doing us dirt?
My view is that they're so focused on looking to re-enact the Civil Rights Movement's "greatest hits" from 1963 Selma, that what these other people are doing doesn't even register to them. Because these other people don't look and sound like Bull Connor.
I know I'm going to anger a lot of audience members, but the historical facts are plain. At least the White segregationists left some paying jobs open for the Black folks that they oppressed. Unlike the Latino racists, they didn't close off every single avenue of paid employment to AAs. With Bull Connor and his ilk, AAs could find (low-paying) work to put food on their children's plates.
By contrast, once they get entrenched in a place, Latinos are relentless in closing off EVERY avenue of employment to AAs! From the unskilled entry level jobs to above.
Bull Connor didn't block AAs from getting paid to sweep the floors. With Latinos in charge, AAs can't even get a job sweeping the floor or waiting tables. How are AAs going to put food on their plates if EVERY employment sector is closed to them?
Folks need to think about this. This "access to jobs" issue is life and death. Especially for people who are as dependent as AAs---people who REFUSE to build or patronize businesses of our own.
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Hi Everyone,
This reminds me of a conversation I had with a white woman this week. I'm involved in online fandom and there's always a kerfluffle going on about "so-so and so-so are racist because they don't write/draw/show/care about black characters." And her thing was, why are so many people arguing about that online when the economy is getting worse, the democrats committed epic fail in Massachusetts, and things are looking to go from worse to horrible.
Barack Obama's going to be a one-shot president. He has no backbone and it's obvious that he was a bone thrown to the disarray that is black folks. Things are going to be worse and by the time of the next president, the state of black people is going to sink further and further. And when people will complain, they'll just say, you just had a black president, what else do you want.
I'm looking at getting into the ebook market. I write IR romance online and I want to move into writing stories for sale. I know I'll need more editing and guidance but it's time to start shopping myself around, especially since I've managed to get myself over the 50,000 word barrier. I had been considering going into the day care business but I can see the handwriting on the wall. The money for that is shrinking just like my old field (mental health). Better spend that time focusing on that to work on writing and sprucing myself up to become flawless so I can have a Quality Man find me and want to marry me (after I find him and vet him of course).
KM,
You said, "... bone thrown to the disarray that is black folks."
{chuckling}
You said, "...the state of black people is going to sink further and further. And when people will complain, they'll just say, you just had a black president, what else do you want."
Oh yeah, that's exactly what they'll say. Other people are not going to entertain any further whining from AAs (whether it's justified or not).
I'm delighted to hear that you're reviewing ALL of your options with your eyes WIDE open! {deep martial arts bow}
KM, please let me know when you have a book out. At the new site, I hope to do some reviews of emerging BW authors' books. And perhaps also some interviews with new BW authors.
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Khadija,
I'm working on getting a writing blog put up. I've managed to make bonds with some other BW authors who are mentoring me. At the same time, while they are mentoring me, I've been sharing what I've learned from BWE bloggers.
I also working on my baking. I bake from scratch and its a way I make money. I busted my elbow at work so I can't quite focus on that right now.
I'm still living in the hood but I've decided, I have a job, I have skills that can help me make the money I need to get out of debt and get out. Even if I have to go back to school to get the extra money to move, I'll do it. (When I left the mental health job because of the black people acting crazy, I had another job but my savings was too low and I had to move home. Eh. But then where I was living wasn't good anyway and its easier to live under my brother's protection from the wolves that the BC call men.)
I'll let you know when I put the blog up. This may be my last comment here for now, I need to work on updating my own BWE blog.
Exactly Khadija:
It hasn't occurred to these credulous slaves to ask the following: "If the Democrats couldn't/wouldn't accomplish anything with a majority, what will happen as that numerical majority is whittled down? Not to mention what will happen if the Ds continue to refrain from purging the numerous traitors (Joe Lieberman) and traitors-in-waiting (Harold Ford) from their inner circles?"
How in the heck do you get beat/lose up when you have more than enough - a majority for goodness sake - people there to fight with you I do not understand.
For whatever reasons folks voted him in - and I did vote for him too because I did not see any other candidates that I could choose - to vote him in again would be a waste of time. Heck, I really wanted GORE to run. All of the presidential candidates were awful to be honest.
There is so much to say about how right all of the comments here are. I do not believe that Obama wishes to fail, but looking at performance I can note honestly that he does not know what to do to prevent or combat anything from happening, he does not understand the place he is standing in/occupying and because of THAT he is failing miserably. I feel like sending him the Tudors season 1-3 and INFORMING him that the King may have been crazy & selfish but he undersood his place and took action and that alone put folks on notice that he is NOT to be played with. He is being played with because he takes no action. He is too busy attempting to build friendships that do not benefit him/the country. He really needs to take lessons/notes.
Other racial groups and ethnicities are NOT in our corner. Learned that from some personal situations so I know better. Pan Africanism is simply not possible because it asks folks not to look out for their own interest and that ain't happening. Multi culturalism well, it is good in theory that we get to know each other's culture BUT it is only worth it if we are getting facts not propaganda and then there is that own interest thing as well. That is not happening either.
Learning Spanish or any other language will NOT help with getting a better job. Translators exist so the idea that learning Spanish will help you get a job is bull. What would be the point when there are translators for everyday jobs available anyway? When you are an expert, people willingly pay your fees/wages. Remember that folks. Learn a language because you are intersted in it or you are in a field where that may help you (engineering - German, Chinese etc.)I am learning rudimentary Spanish because my dad got me that Rosetta stone program during the holidays. I am considering learning other languages like German or Chinese etc. because of my entreprenurial plans. Rosetta Stone is a good system by the way to use for this if you are interested = )
Congratulations and Godspeed Sistrunken Queen!!
Enigma,
You said, "How in the heck do you get beat/lose up when you have more than enough - a majority for goodness sake - people there to fight with you I do not understand."
It's breathtaking. What's even more incredible to me is that many (most?) progressives (of all ethnicities) put up with this, and make excuses about how Democratic Politician X "had to" do Incompetent/Venal Act Y. Even worse, many such folks seem to perceive Democratic politicians (from Obama all the way down the line) doing Incompetent/Venal Act Y as some sort of hip, savvy strategy! This is what I've heard AAs say about every single capitulation that Obama has made: "Don't worry; it's a strategy. Obama is really outsmarting 'them.' It just looks like he's being punked."
I'm through trying to reason with folks who insist that having urine poured on their heads is instead a refreshing spring shower.
You said, "Other racial groups and ethnicities are NOT in our corner. Learned that from some personal situations so I know better. Pan Africanism is simply not possible because it asks folks not to look out for their own interest and that ain't happening. Multi culturalism well, it is good in theory that we get to know each other's culture BUT it is only worth it if we are getting facts not propaganda and then there is that own interest thing as well. That is not happening either."
That's the bottom line. Anything that requires people to not look out for what they perceive to be their best interests will fail. AAs are the only ones who have bought into that sort of foolishness. And not because we're so holy or nice. We buy into this madness because most of us have a deep-seated slave-mindset need to be "liked" and validated by non-AAs, especially nonblacks.
You said, "When you are an expert, people willingly pay your fees/wages. Remember that folks."
Exactly! Instead of focusing on being liked, more AAs need to learn how to make themselves NECESSARY. And/or learn how to induce others to believe that we are necessary and needed. Leverage comes from others believing that they need something from you. Preferably something that they can't easily get from other sources. This is real-world definition of an "expert." Somebody who can supply/do something that you believe you need, that you can't easily get from other sources.
Whether you actually need the expert or not isn't the main point. The point is that you believe you need the expert. And many times, you actually do need the expert (who's going to perform surgery on themselves?).
Most fields that involve "expertise" have the equivalent of thieves guilds: there are industry-wide norms in terms of compensation. So yes, there are multiple available "experts," buy you're not going to be able to pay the same low amount that you'd be able to pay a layperson to (try to) provide that need.
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Khadija:
That's the bottom line. Anything that requires people to not look out for what they perceive to be their best interests will fail. AAs are the only ones who have bought into that sort of foolishness. And not because we're so holy or nice. We buy into this madness because most of us have a deep-seated slave-mindset need to be "liked" and validated by non-AAs, especially nonblacks.
It's that plus the ol' 'crabs in a barrel without the lid on it' attitude. I'm sorry but this attitude HAS to be what's behind black people not patronising businesses owned and run by other black people! I mean if you don't have the drive, desire, time, background or know-how to get your own business but you have such a problem with patronising and spreading the word of the black people who are running businesses because they DO have these?!
Black people don't even wanna buy weave hair from another black person! I'll never forget the 'running a business' series of posts you put up a few months ago Khadija, and that one commentor said that they knew one BW they went to college with who opened her own car dealership without anyone knowing that she owns it and runs it. You said that this BW was savvy and she is. And sadly in 2010 blacks who want to own businesses will still have to run things the way the car dealership owner does because blacks still can't let other blacks know that they have a business that their running unless it's a hair salon/barbershop, an 'ethnic food' restaurant of some country or region that's 'black', or a fast food franchise.
Hello Khadija,
I have finally decided to delurk also! Yes, you definitely told us so. Although I supported Obama, I always expected he would do even less for black people than the current crop of white democrats have done. He is just terrified of the prospect of being thought to have a "black agenda". This was particularly glaring with his "I can’t pass laws that say I’m just helping black folks"comment.
And it is totally true that while his election has definitely had an impact on race relations, it is decidedly not the one that black Obamaniacs expected. Just look at this interview with Gore Vidal from October:
Do you really wish you had supported Mrs. Clinton?
She would have been a wonderful president. As for my support for Obama, remember that I was brought up in Washington. It was an all-black city when I was a kid. And I’ve always been very pro-African-American – or whatever phrase we now use. I was curious to see what would happen when their time came. I was delighted when Obama appeared on the scene. But now it seems as though our original objection to him – that experience mattered – was well-founded.
In other words, "Look, we gave you people a chance and it was a mistake. You're just not up to the task."
Hello there, YMB,
Thank you for de-lurking! LOL!
I chuckled when I read the following from Boston Globe story you linked to, "Representative John Conyers of Michigan, a veteran caucus member and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has been particularly vocal, declaring that it was “hard to reconcile’ how Obama seemed to lose his compassion in the White House."
Oh, puh-leeze. What makes this clown assume that Obama ever had any particular "compassion" for AAs? We're a convenient instrument for his ambitions. Nothing more.
In fact, while at the hair salon yesterday, I saw the headline of a free Chicago-area "urban" (read: targeted at AAs) newsletter. There was a huge photo of Pres. Obama, and the caption said something to the effect of "Have YOU done enough to support him?" Lord have mercy on confused slaves who don't understand the role of public SERVANTS is to serve the interests of the constituencies that voted them into office. {shaking my head}
**And with that, I'm closing the comments to this post. Everybody, THANK YOU! See you at the new site, which is now up and running! Onward and forward!**
Peace and blessings,
Khadija Nassif
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