(ThyBlackMan.com) On September 23rd, Empire struck back. But, it wasn’t a case of Good vs Evil like Darth Vader vs Luke Skywalker. Or was it?
FOX is definitely one of the most anti-African American networks in existence. In fact, Bill Maher, a white man, criticized Fox News for presenting a “twisted view” in which Black people were taking over the country. Isaac Chotiner, another white man, wrote that Fox News created segments meant to scare its white audience into believing African Americans and Muslims are out to get them. In addition, Jon Stewart and Rachel Maddow, both white, have criticized how Fox handled the Ferguson, Missouri murder (Mike Brown) and subsequent riots.
For surely, we didn’t forget that it was Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and CEO of 21st Century Fox, who smirked as he was compelled to apologize for a picture in his New York Post that depicted two white NYPD officers holding two smoking pistols after gunning down and killing a big-eared, Black chimpanzee with high caliber bullets? The Caption read: “They’ll have to find someone else to write the stimulus bill!”
With that being said, pray tell why, according to Nielsen ratings, “61% of Fox’s Empire audience is African-American; a figure that no other show, new or old, comes close to matching?” It’s nearly impossible to overcome an oppression that we simultaneously support and empower. We can’t have it both ways. Our fascination and attraction to such glamorized drama are arming our enemies with the ammunition needed to annihilate us. Who do you think signs Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, and Megan Kelly’s check?
Let’s not forget that back in the fall of 2014, a show called Blackish aired on ABC. Three wonderful actors, Anderson, Fishburne, and Ross, starred in the comedic sit-com. Initially, it reminded me of The Cosby Show. A strong, African-American family struggling through the cultural differences, political nuances, religious restrictions and racial prejudices that accompanies Black life in white America.
Simply viewing the program was a breath-taking escape from the fictional drama of scripted, reality shows. Every week my family and I tuned in and watched the show. It was good for the children, especially the teens. Rebellious minors seeking independence oft-times shun parental advice. Anderson and Ross became liken to surrogate parents–intelligent, productive, responsible, gainfully employed prototypes–at least for a half hour per week. And, I thought that to be a good thing.
However, the sly, cunning, and mischievous nature of the FOX had other ideas. They couldn’t allow the omnipotent impact and influence of prime time television to positively shape, mold and cultivate the minds of troubled African American youths and at-risk teens. It would alter the landscape of the country. There was too much riding on the ignorance of the masses.
Suddenly, and almost magically, an advertising tsunami swept across the country informing television viewers that a new program called Empire would soon make its debut on FOX television. The promoters vowed that the episodes would be filled to its capacity with nail-biting drama. It promised sex, betrayal, murder, adultery, tragedy, gangster rap and a mostly African-American cast.
Within weeks, millions of African-American viewers jumped ship and abandoned Blackish. My family included. Perhaps, Blackish wasn’t Black enough for them. I don’t know. But, they swam over to Fox despite the network’s white wing…I mean, right wing views and politics. One thing has nothing to do with the other, they claim.
I, personally, think it’s difficult to unify a community who doesn’t have unified goals and commonalities necessitated for proper growth and development. You can’t win a war by strengthening your enemies.
Did we choose evil over good for immediate self-gratification purposes? If so, we got a lot more black-ish issues to contemplate? If we KNEW better, we’d DO better, right?
I think it may behoove us, African Americans, to take a few plays out of the Jewish community’s playbook. They have Shomrim–Jewish civilians who patrol Jewish neighborhoods and protect Jewish people from being victims of senseless crimes. The Shomrim serve as a bulwark between the civilian Jews and the police department. The presence of Shomrim reduces the risk of police brutality. They have the Anti-Defamation League. This league ascertains that rappers and entertainers won’t disrespect them like they do African Americans when they habitually call them niggers and bitches. They, too, lobby for stricter gun laws. They don’t want any “convicted felons” getting any firearm ideas.
Speaking of Jews and guns, Israel is the only country in the Middle East with nuclear capabilities. They won’t deny and confirm possession. Isn’t that the same position that Saddam Hussien held? There is not one country in Africa with such fire power. And, in America, no one has more gun-buy-back programs than the Black community.
Most of us don’t even have a spiritual connection to Africa. Shit, a lot of us don’t even like Africans. And vice versa. If you think I’m bullshitting check the passports. I betcha a dollar to a donut, you’ll find more African-Americans with passport stamps to/from South America/Europe than to/from Africa. And it has nothing to do with the price. Nig-groes got money for flashy cars and jewels. The sad truth is most African Americans don’t even have passports. Out of the small percentage of us who do have them, many aren’t planning to go to the Motherland. I’m still debating the journey myself. ‘Cause if the Africans in Africa are anything like the bootlegging Africans who are running around New York City, calling African-Americans: “sorry niggas,” then I can save my few pennies.
Word! We are akin to orphans. Talking about communities, we don’t even have a homeland. At least the Jews got Israel. And, what do we have? We get tricked by another Nig-gro with that Kunta Kinte, Kizzy, Chicken George and Roots shit. I was blindsided when I learned that our own beloved Historian, Alex Haley, plagiarized that bullshit from a white man, Harold Courlander. I remember making my young daughter memorize Kunta Kinte’s entire lineage. I guess Alex Haley easily rocked me to sleep after he penned Malcolm’s autobiography and orchestrated Playboy’s magazine exclusive interview with Dr. MLK, Jr.
And wasn’t the first Black FBI agent a dude named, James Wormly Jones? And wasn’t he hired by a white man, J. Edgar Hoover, to infiltrate and destroy Marcus Garvey’s movement? He opened the flood gates for more Black FBI spies and traitors; and poor ole Garvey, unfortunately, perished abroad, lonely and spent. And, nowadays, ain’t it another FBI agent, some Nig-gro named Aaron Ford, holding the reins of the hound dogs who are sniffing Assata Shakur’s tail/trail? How do you ask young Black men to work with and respect a police force that was specifically designed to emasculate, criminalize, dehumanize and destroy them? Where were the cops during slavery? Or did they conveniently need cops when they conveniently didn’t need any more slaves? Do we forget that the same people who create the criminal mind set, also the architects and designers the rehabilitation centers?
At one time there was a place called Black Wall Street; this was a Black community. As soon as them gun toting white men got wind of this thriving district, they violently invaded the colony, and wiped the brothers and sisters out. It was similar to the invasion of Iraq. Old Cowboys marauded the new Indians. Soon thereafter, desegregation kicked in, and Nig-groes have been tail-gating white people ever since. Yuppies began building highways and byways which led to suburban and exurban safe zones and escape routes from integration-happy Nig-groes. But, that didn’t stop the Buppies. Many of them piggy backed their white predecessors, and began fleeing from their disenfranchised, poverty-imprisoned, miserable brothers and sisters, too.
Elijah Muhammad, former leader of the Nation of Islam, birthed his own Black community, despite dropping out of school in the fourth grade. He published a newspaper; he opened the University of Islam to educate/re-educate Black children. The white controlled boards of education in Chicago and Detroit fought him tooth and nail.
He then refused to be drafted into American wars and was eventually imprisoned for draft dodging. After a four year prison stint, he continued to build his community. He purchased farm land and businesses to house and feed his people. He kept them gainfully employed. The mildly educated Black man owned bakeries, barber shops, grocery stores, laundromats, and a fleet of tractor trailers. He owned farmland in three different states to grow his own food. He had controlling interest in a bank, Guaranty Bank and Trust Co. He owned schools in 47 cities throughout the United States. At the time of his death, in 1975, the NOI was worth 75 million. However, all of this has been over shadowed by rumors which exposed his infidelity with young adult females; as if many of these other married Nig-groes ain’t in the strip clubs or chat rooms or porn sights every other night.
Many African-Americans, myself included, live in Neighbor-Hoods. It’s far from a community. We don’t look out for one another. We produce a lot of Hood-lums and Hood-rats. The more successful residents are usually blue collar cats and kittens who can’t wait to get away from us, despite the debt that accompanies their exodus.
And as literate people, we know who we are, and what we do. And, Empire was a good litmus test to tell if we are/were sincerely serious about resurrecting Black life to the exalted plateau that we know it fell from, or are we just poppin’ shit?
I’m sure many of us are well aware of the fact that each and every time we watch FOX, we are funding and empowering the same domestic terrorists who terrorizes us, every day all day. As Nig-groes, we will JUSTIFY our lust and fascination and hankering for violence, deception and drama by saying, “No. I’m just supporting Terrance and Taraji.”
But how the hell are we supporting someone, who in most probability, is doing better than us; and, simultaneously, willingly working for the people who are terrorizing us, our children, and the hood that some call the Black community?
One would’ve thought those of us seriously desiring a Black Community would’ve supported Anderson, Fishburne, and Ross.
Rupert Murdoch owns Fox!
African Americans know this!
Enough said!
Staff Writer; Saint Solomon
Twitter; http://Twitter.com/saintsolomon2
Instagram; http://Instagram.com/saintsolomonnyc
Official website; http://www.SaintSolomon.com
FB; http://Facebook.com/saintsolomon