(ThyBlackMan.com) Candidly, blacks as a race of people in the United States of America are in serious trouble. They are not in deep trouble because of the many issues facing them, such as impending comprehensive immigration reform – more about that later; the highest unemployment rate of any working group in the country – which currently stands at 13.7% compared to last month’s 13.5%; declining wealth – black people’s median income has fallen at twice the rate of white income – hence, the black unemployment rate is almost twice the white rate; and declining home ownership – down almost 25%. Blacks are in trouble because as a group they are in denial, refusing to see their declining status. Most are suffering from what I call “the presidential-celebrity affect.”
The country has an African-American president in the White House and celebrity civil rights leaders. Come on now, how genuine can a civil right leader be with his own television show? Does he pay more attention to the ratings or what truly ails the black community? Most blacks have been slowly lauded into complacency, while getting poorer and more and more irrelevant. The only relevancy blacks appear to have to the Obama Administration is that of a live body ready to cast their vote during elections.
It reminds me of the slow boiling frog story. The basis of the story is that if a frog is placed in boiling water, it will immediately jump out, but if it is placed in cold water that is gradually heated, it will not notice the danger and will be cooked to death. The story is used as a metaphor to illustrate the unwillingness of people to react to significant changes that occur gradually. The black race rate of decline is taking place gradually, occurring over the last five years, (five years of double-digit black unemployment) much like the heat, which is slowly turned up on the frog as it boils to death!
The question of when blacks will wake up to their reality is important in turning around their decline?! The discussions revolving around comprehensive immigration reform may give them and others who feel disenfranchised the perfect opportunity to show some life and emerge from their self-imposed complacency ready to engage this issue which is fundamental to their future.
A petition titled “To The President of the United States and Congress : Immigration Reform, No Win for American Labor without a Job Creation Plan ” started by me needs your help, along with others you can bring to the table to get it off the ground. Take 30 seconds to sign it right now. Here’s the link:
http://www.change.org/petitions/the-president-of-the-united-states-and-congress-immigration-reform-no-win-for-american-labor-without-job-creation-plan
Now, here’s why the petition is so important. The most important concerns of the black community are job security and job creation. As I indicated, the current black unemployment rate for June is 13.7% while the national unemployment rate for the same period is 7.6%. The President and Congress, if they have their way will unleash by the end the year over 11 million undocumented immigrants upon the American labor market!
Does anyone think these newly minted citizens are going to stay down on the farm once they have been given the legal right to compete within the American job market with impunity? Does anyone think if the border is not secured as close to 100% as possible that illegal aliens will not be crossing it seeking to become citizens of the United States. Once an established path to citizenship has been laid out, I suggest to you more immigrants will come if the border is not secured. Do we not think for a moment immigrant-citizens already in the country will not help others who want to come to America “game” whatever system we establish?
Even the Congressional Budget Office projects lower wages will result initially as these 11 million immigrants compromise the wages of the American worker as they seek employment in an anemic job market. What responsible government leadership allows 11 million plus new workers to enter a labor pool that is already suffering from over capacity, (11 million Americans are currently unemployed) without a national job creation plan (http://www.sslumpsum.com)?
That type leadership says you and the American worker, are either to stupid or lazy to grasp the significance of the immigration legislation. Perhaps they feel Americans in general, and Black Americans specifically are complacent and will not hold them accountable. Well, here is your opportunity to hold them accountable! Sign the darn petition and spread the word!
Staff Writer; James Davis
More information about JD and his Deficit Neutral Stimulus Plan Can be founded at http://www.sslumpsum.com.
One may also pick up this brother latest book which is entitled; Hey…God’s Talking To You The Study Book.
I agree w/ Terrence Amens. But black ppl have been spending money w/ other races longer than 27 years. I’d say it was during the civil rights movement when blacks abandoned black businesses and and took their money to the white community. Civil rights activist was on that “white is right” trip. White ppl could do things better, cheaper, and it would save the black man time, energy, and money. But that’s not the way it turned out b/c black men now feel useless, helpless, and hopeless. And twenty yrs later when the crack cocaine epidemic/era hit, it was no wonder blacks eagerly embraced this illegal activity. They were broke and tired of being broke. However, they mishandled all of the millions of dollars they earned. Instead of building anything solid and long-lasting, poor folks became nigger–rich, materialistic, and selfish.
It was a pleasure and dream come true for them to have the ability (and money) to buy whatever items other races had to offer for sale. Blacks who were fortunate enough to even own a business had to deal w/ black customers wanting credit or something free or some kinda discount. But it didn’t matter anyway b/c legal black businesses weren’t respected by those who were disrespectful.
Black leaders refused to deal w/ this major drug problem, which still exists today. Now when/if they do address the illegal drug trade it falls on deaf ears b/c harmful and deadly situations have to be nipped in the bud from the very start. When Reagan made that speech about crack hitting the streets, I just knew that black leaders were going to address this deadly problem. Boy was I wrong. What I didn’t know was that black leaders and their relatives/friends were part of the drug game also. There’s no such thing as telling/ordering ppl to cease from selling drugs when you’re involved just as much as they are. Black leaders appear to be hypocrites. If blacks refuse to wake up, it’s nobody’s fault that they’re enjoying the nap.
Mr. Von: Shame on you for distorting what my article states.
I read your comments and felt compelled to respond as the author of the piece. There is no question I have a vested interest in what happens concerning Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Job Creation. All blacks do, including you. Our high employment rate makes these issues arguably the greatest two important issues of our time and we had better weight in with how we want to see these issues addressed. I apologize for the oversight, where are my manners? Thank you for reading the article and for taking the time to comment. Let’s address your issues. Firstly, no where in the article are Hispanic immigrants blamed for high black unemployment. If you can find that in the article, please quote the sentence. Secondly, I do have an agenda, and that agenda is grounded in the American democratic process. If we simply exercise our constitutional rights, we as citizens can impact the immigration legislation through the petition as the legislation works it way into becoming law. The current Senate legislation as written is not positive for blacks, because it has a heavy emphasis on a pathway to citizenship for Hispanics who are here illegally rather than border security. No one is attempting to oppress anyone. What wrong with blacks looking out for their strategic interest, when it comes to shaping this bill. Simple math tells us an influx of an additional 11-13 million undocumented workers into the labor market competing for a limited amount of jobs will affect us as we have and the article states this among all working groups of America the highest unemployment rate at 13.7%. Thirdly, no where in the article is there an allusion or any reference to intolerance and hatred? The article simply, clearly and unambiguously states facts that are well documented. It asks the question why would any leadership consider without a comprehensive job creation plan, opening up a job market already filled to over capacity (11 Americans are currently unemployed) to an additional 11-13million undocumented workers? This question is one of the most important presented by the petition. Finally, the question of white privilege. This petition is not about whites, it about blacks, and our need to get involved before a piece of legislation becomes a law. It about us participating in the process, and using the rights granted to us by the United States Constitution to speak up. We have 43 representatives in Congress. Isn’t it time we voiced in some way what our needs are? Sign the petition, contact your network of friends and ask them to do the same. Peace. God’s speed and love to you.
http://www.sslumpsum.com
By further alienating the people we don’t accomplish anything. Immigrants are not the sole reason for high unemployment among black people or anyone else in the USA, but the loss of the manufacturing sector is.
People like this writer want non-thinkers to believe this crap to advance their own agendas. Our downfall didn’t start a few years ago, it started thirty years ago.
As a people: Our passivity, denial of the truth, lack of self-knowledge, lack of self-thinking, lack of economic agendas, ignorance, apathy, conditioning, religion, stupidity, lack of unity, racism and intolerance of other’s will be and is our downfall.
The majority of you don’t realize that anyone who promotes intolerance and hatred among other people of color is not to be trusted or seen as influential when they’re trying to be like the very people who are oppressing you. Together, we can achieve so much more, especially the dismantling of white privilege in this country when we work together.
The immigrants didn’t steal your jobs, your politicians and their big business cronies did and yet we spend what hard earned money we make by attempting to buy status in the form of foreign made material goods.
You people have been lulled into an illusion for a while now and I really don’t know what it will take to awaken you. I was born awake, while the rest of you are confused, asleep and scared. Forget being Kings and Queens, it’s about time that we become warriors!
And no, I’m not signing your petition!
Well written and informed article. Hopefully, rappers will also stop touting the greatness of thug life. But, I assume it’s boring to rap about doing science projects…
My Brother Terrance:
Thank you for having this discussion with me. I am sure you will agree, there is no question black people need to rise to a position in this country where they can assume real economic power. When blacks were initially freed from slavery, the federal government realized also at the time of this act that in ought for blacks to truly be free, they had to be able exercise economic control over their lives. They reasoned to leave complete economic control to the very society that previously enslaved them was essentially similar to putting them back into another form of slavery. We are currently experiencing that slavery today, which is economic in nature. This is why the Freedmen Bank was set-up. It was done to offer blacks the financial means to create businesses. However the bank was undermined by southern whites through the political process in the ensuing years. Nevertheless the federal government at the time of releasing blacks from slavery knew what it would take to make them successful economically. You say yourself in the following statements, “It’s not about doing what’s right or what will help our country, it’s all about money and power and money will give you power. Money talks, and the rest walks. I have more faith in my people than the government to solve our problems. I know it won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.”
Well, look at the Davis Deficit Neutral Stimulus Plan, and look at it very closely. It achieves the very objectives you seek in regard to giving blacks money! It says to average retiring blacks who are able to reach the age of 66 years, that when he takes down his Social Security retirement that he has an option to take a partial withdrawal $40,000.00 dollars. This is putting the very power of money you allude to into hands of blacks on an individual basis, which gets around government control. There are great possibilities for economic development within the black community when thousands are black at the same time acquire control of such a large sum of money. If ten brothers and sisters so desired, they could come together and pool their money and start a meaningful business with $400,000.00 of seed money. With ten per cent seed money, they could attract as much as $4 to $8 million dollars in investment capital to build the kind of businesses you are talking about which give the kind of economic freedom we both agree blacks should seek to achieve. The possibilities are endless, when you consider brothers and sisters could actually plan projects prior to approaching their 66th retirement date of how they will use their funds. What is beautiful about this plan is that it is long term. I say that to say that there will probably be some mistakes made by our brothers and sisters as they initially start investing this capital. However, 17 years give them as a group time to sort out the mistakes and use the capital productively. We need the ability to raise large amounts of capital on a predictable basis to achieve economic power, which does not depend on the capricious nature of white society. I suggest the Davis Economic Stimulus Plan is the way to do just that! Please sign the petition and bring your network of contacts to this cause. God’s speed and love to you brother. http://www.sslumpsum.com
@ Brother James
The government is controlled by big business. That’s why they got bailed out, even though they caused the financial and housing crisis in the first place. Politicians need money to be elected and re-elected. That’s why they go to big business, which puts them in debt to them. Your SS plan may be the right thing to do for the country, but how many other common sense plans were discarded or never even addressed?
You say my plan is harder then yours, but you want a government that has been proven to do what’s in the best interest of big corporations to all of a sudden change their stripes? You want us to continue to rely on them when they have done very little to slow down unemployment, injustice, thievery, and health problems in our community. My point is to get our people to realize we have to start relying on ourselves in order to solve our own problems.
This has been successful in the past and I believe the only real solution we have. Once we build a strong economic base to go along with the political, we’ll be able to negotiate better deals for our community, just like every other community or big business. Unfortunately this is the name of the game in this country. It’s not about doing what’s right or what will help our country, it’s all about money and power and money will give you power. Money talks, and the rest walks. I have more faith in my people than the government to solve our problems. I know it won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.
Black Unity means financial independence and happiness
To Terrance and Robert:
Terrance, I have been to your web site. I respect your work and what you are attempting to do. What you are talking about doing is making a major sea change in the lives of African Americans. It is almost like turning around an oil tanker in a small channel. Ultimately, we do have to turn that tanker around and become more resourceful as you suggest, however, to get to that point we have to first use that which is familiar and that which most of our brothers and sisters understand. They all pay Social Security taxes and most can do simple mathematics. Let us start here with the simple and move to the complex. Join me in this endeavor to spread the word about Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Job Creation! Sign the darn petition and ask your network of friends to do the same! Robert thanks again for signing the petition. No, I am not a youngman. I do understand who we are dealing with in terms of parties, however, we meaning you and I and others who want change cannot begin our quest by attacking the whole system all at once. The way to eat an elephant is by taking one bite at a time. God’s speed and love to both of you. http://www.sslumpsum.com
@ Brother James
You are missing the major point of this problem. The problem isn’t immigration, government job creation, or social security. As I’ve said many times before. The problem stares at us in the mirror everyday. We are the the problem, but also the solution. When we stop spending 90-99% of our hard earned money with every community, but our own, then we’ll be able to solve our own problems and get respect from the government and everyone else. How can we expect the government or anyone else to respect us, when we don’t respect ourselves. We have the money and resources to create whatever we need and we do need a lot, but until we realize we’re in that boiling pot, nothing will change.
Black Unity means financial independence and happiness
@ BRO JAMES DAVIS. YOU seem to be a very naïve person and I must assume you are fairly young. THE reason why I mention this is because in a earlier comment I made about RONALD REAGAN granting the first amnesty in 1986 is because that was 27 years ago now I don’t know how old you were 27 years ago but the point I am trying to make is this treason has been going on a long time.
THE depth of this betrayal is beyond most AMERICANS imagination.
FOR a government to deliberately leave their border open to a poorer nation for the purpose of impoverishing their own citizens is beyond anything the rational mind can concieve but that is what are government is doing.
IF you really want to get to the bottom of this and fully understand it you have to loose the phony left/right paradigm that most of us are caught in because both of these parties are corrupt and responsible for this crime against their nation. ANYWAY I signed your petition in the interest of solidarity but nothing will really change until we replace his government.