Are Black People too Comfortable?

by Staff November 7, 2012 12 Comments News Opinion Weekly Columns

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(ThyBlackMan.com) “America fears two things, violence and finances”-David Banner.

Sometimes I find myself shaking my head when events such as the shooting death of Trayvon Martin occur and Black folks are upset one week and then the next week it’s back to the same old routine. When I ask people why they aren’t they angry or saddened a week later they tell me that life goes on or they can’t dwell on it.

This really kills a piece of my soul when my ears hear this because I know my parents or my grandparents didn’t fight against racism just to sit back and relax while we’re being slaughtered left and right. I feel that we as African Americans have gotten too relaxed after we gained civil rights back when MLK Jr. was alive. I mean what is it going to take for us to wake up?

I mean how emotionally detached are we that when one our children gets put in a body bag because he looked suspicious that we just sweep it under the rug? I mean Malcolm X, the black panthers and MLK Jr. got things done not by waiting on politicians to do them but by staying consistent and focused. Imagine if they would’ve one week fought against racism and then the next week went to the strip club and popped bottles, or went to roll up a blunt.

We would still be sitting in the back of the bus, train, Movie Theaters, restaurants, etc. I think that in order for America to start taking us seriously again we have to one become more unified, two we have to stay consistent with our goals, also boycott companies that don’t support our cause or that don’t support our communities……..

Staff Writer; Shawn Hudson

Feel free to connect with this brother via Facebook; Sha.Dimes.

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DwightJ says:
November 11, 2012 at 7:48 pm
Kid rocks missed the point three exits ago….
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kick rocks says:
November 11, 2012 at 10:15 am
Spoken like a true hypocrite. In general any kid in their early teens and twenties in the black community will let you know the POTUS has a bunch of white friends in high places which is why he’s the face of America. Since the current POTUS has been in office violence and unemployment have gone up in the black community and he has NEVER spoken publicy about these facts. However, the POTUS has taken to the air waves to unleash built up emotion lingering on from slavery. Even our kids know hypocrisy when they see it which is why they don’t consider the POTUS solid. We should be using energy to protect the most vulnerable “our kids” instead of the POTUS who lost his souls eons ago.
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Roberta says:
November 11, 2012 at 8:18 am
@kid rocks, yeah, it’s ok to have personality and a sense of humor, but make sure you have a good solid foundation underneath it….doesnt get more solid than POTUS!
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kick rocks says:
November 10, 2012 at 11:09 pm
I see what you mean teaching America how to dougie is lady like and if you feeling like a pimp go brush your shoulders is appropriate for a President to emulate.
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Roberta says:
November 10, 2012 at 7:03 pm
I want to see it be cool to be smart and educated like our President, smart, classy & ladylike , like Mrs Obama. Right now, I dont think I like what I see that kids are emulating and I’m not sure where its going to take them. .. Don’t want to hear about Ho’s and bitches all that other stuff that seems to be fashionable to say. Lets get it together.
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Billy Ray says:
November 8, 2012 at 8:55 am
I think that a honest review of AA history in this country will reveal that AAs are indeed way too comfortable with their environment. However, not surprisingly, such an orientation benefits the dominant group. Hence, one should expect a certain amount of resistance when seeking to modify said orientation.
On another point. It may arguably reflect erroneous logic to assume that for AA’s condition in this country to change that there needs to be some consensus amongst all AAs. Unfortunately, history shows us that what is actually needed is for a core group to come together and form an “invisible hand” to guide and influence the orientation of AAs in this country.
Lastly, be not mislead, the 21st century is the African century.
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Mr Reflection says:
November 8, 2012 at 8:28 am
Great job Shawn Hudson.
We came together to elect and re-elect Obama and that sure wasn’t a small group. Damn if we do damn if we don’t. What is It that we want? It’s time to band together and stop the violence in our schools and communities which is going to take the same masses used to elect and re-elect Obama. This requires us to march against ourselves because we run our schools and communities so our youth can see how bountiful opportunities are for them and not the current perception that if we kiss the right butt we can be whatever we want regardless of race.
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Mack says:
November 8, 2012 at 5:42 am
I get you Terrance.
It would seem then that the only thing binding us together is our oppression and struggle for equality in this country. Because outside of some catastrophic event like a Trayvon Martin or Rodney King, we don’t come together during times of peace. Not to support each other’s business endeavors as we should.
So maybe our oppression is actually our gift as well…
Because I don’t see us suddenly developing a universal mind to move in one direction. It didn’t happen during the 60’s. My father marched with Dr. King in Birmingham when they sprayed the firehoses on the people. He told me when a boycott was called of all the white stores around Easter, black folks would still go out and buy clothes for their kids from the white stores. The older brothers in the community would have to wait outside the stores and snatch the bags from the sell-outs and tear the clothes up. After a few more threats, the message got through.
And THAT was how they established unity. Perhaps thats what it will take these days too…
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Terrance Amen says:
November 8, 2012 at 3:38 am
I think we are doing some great things all across the country, and what Brother Mack said is true, the movement always starts small. But I think Brother Shawn’s point is we don’t come together like we did in the 60’s. Because of this so called integration, we’ve become lazy in getting the things we need, always relying on the government to do for us what we can do for ourselves. Like now with so many of our people unemployed or underemployed, in stead of waiting for the government to help create jobs, we should be spending some of those trillion dollars we spend every year with every group but our own to create jobs in our community.
We did this before when we didn’t have a choice because of segregation. Now that doesn’t exist on the level it was in the past, but we did have a community and we did create jobs for our community. I think this is what Brother Shawn meant. If we came together like most other groups do and like we used to, we wouldn’t have a lot of the problems we have now. This is yet another example that the slave mind still exist.
Black Unity means financial independence and happiness
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Mack says:
November 7, 2012 at 11:42 pm
In every movement of every kind, small groups initiate progress. And its always been this way. The Civil Rights struggle didn’t begin with masses of black folks marching towards freedom. It basically began as a small group of committed ministers who risked the ire of other black ministers and the larger society to initiate the change. The masses came much later, as they always do.
Even Jesus only had a small group of dedicated dudes following him when it was all said and done: and one of those turned out to be a snake. The masses didn’t come until much later when he was gone.
Its even said to be a small group of people dedicated to world domination who are secretly running the world, if you believe in conspiracy theories. Again: a small group.
So don’t look for the masses of black folks to rise up like a flock of pidgeons and begin flying in unison. It doesn’t happen that way. It all begins with a dedicated few who start to take flight, that begins the process of getting the whole flock to move.
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Shawn Hudson says:
November 7, 2012 at 4:48 pm
You made some good points but the concept of this article is that we as a people are too relaxed when there’s so many things that are wrong with ourselves and our communities.
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James Davis says:
November 7, 2012 at 4:37 pm
Shawn, Say It Ain’t So Brother! Say It Ain’t So!
While I feel your pain, Trayvon Martin is not a good example of where black brothers and sisters retreated from their obligation and responsibilty of holding the white power structure accountable. You may want to use the reaction of the black brothers and sisters of Sanford,Fl as a template for brothers and sisters who have similar experiences. The brothers and sisters of Sanford mobilized and called for and got the arrest of George Zimmerman who killed this youngster. They then turned their attention to the Police Chief who would not charge Mr. Zimmerman with a crime and agitated until he was removed. Hush your mouth, the black brothers and sisters of Sanford, Fl did not see the murder of this youngster as routine as demonstrated by their cry for justice which was heard around the world! Remember, Mr. Zimmerman’s trial will be coming up next year, as he has been charged with 2nd degree murder. Hope to see you there if not physically, in spirit! http://www.sslumpsum.com
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