(ThyBlackMan.com) The workers of Wisconsin have had it. They are tired of living in a country where jobs are being shipped overseas, and wages continue to decline in real dollar terms. They are not going to tolerate having their collective bargaining power undermined, and they are fed up with politicians who allow the rich to continue to get tax breaks while our state and federal governments become bogged down with debt.
They are taking a stand, sleeping inside the Capital building and practically 
daring the police to do something about it. They are living up to the truest essence of what America was meant to be. Whether you agree with their mission or not, you absolutely must respect their courage.
When it comes to our issues, black folks just don’t fight like that. Sure, in the 1960s, some of us stood with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the struggle for civil rights. But since that time, we’ve become complacent and quiet. Obtaining another ounce of bling or a two car garage has become worth the price of our soul. Most of our entertainers and athletes don’t take stands on issues other than their own bank accounts. We sit idly by after nearly any injustice because we’ve all agreed that it’s alright to be selfish. Sure, we’ll complain all day behind closed doors, but when it comes to standing up to the powers that be, we find a million and one reasons to sit back down.
As a result, we have politicians who ignore our needs. Our community suffers from the highest rates of unemployment, bankruptcy and foreclosure of any group in America. Our fathers and brothers are being incarcerated by the truckload, and you barely hear a wimper even from the professional athletes who grew up in their very same neighborhoods. We show up to the club in full force, with bottles of Cristal in hand, but when organizers ask us to come to the rally, we simply do not have the time.
Of course this seemingly cynical analysis doesn’t apply to all of us. There are some in our community who are willing to fight for what they believe in. But I can’t help but wonder why, for example, the National Black Law Student Association (whose president I actually respect) spends more time connecting students with prominent law firms than it does exonerating black men who’ve been falsely incarcerated. I also wonder why most Black Greek letter organizations are very good at holding parties and conferences, and even engaging in community service, but not so good at raising a little bit of hell over the fact that our community is dying.
Perhaps we can learn from the proactive spirit of the Wisconsin workers, who have truly embraced a ride-or-die attitude when it comes to organizing and fighting for their beliefs. Our celebrities and athletes can also learn from the group of billionaires (including Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey) who’ve all agreed to give half of their fortunes to charity upon their deaths. To date, I only see Diddy giving half-million dollar cars to his kid and other prominent African Americans who think that our problems are somebody else’s problem. There may come a time when we choose to truly embody the spirits of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jesus and others, who understand that a life worth living is a life committed to something greater than yourself. Until we rise above the simple paper chase and stop being afraid, we are always going to have the same problems. The workers of Wisconsin have learned this lesson. Will we?
Written By Dr. Boyce Watkins
Official website; http://boycewatkins.com/
