(ThyBlackMan.com) “When you hear about slavery for 400 years … For 400 years? That sounds like a choice.”
Let’s see. The first enslaved Africans were brought to what later became the United States in 1619. Add 400 years to 1619 and that brings us to 2019. Are we still not enslaved? If the police can shoot a Black man 50 times for reaching for his wallet, and their actions be deemed justifiable homicide, you tell me.
And this happens again and again and again. And we march and pray
and cry again and again and again. Who is responsible for the situation we’re in? “Responsible” means “response – able,” that is, “able to respond.” Are you telling me we’re helpless and can do nothing to end this madness once and for all?
The way I understand it, and correct me if I am wrong, when you set about tackling a problem, any problem, be it mathematical or political or whatever, you have to look at it with the expectation that it can, in fact, be solved. If we look at our situation with the attitude that there is nothing we can do, that we are not able to respond, then guess what? Things will never change. I believe, in fact I know, we are able to respond and effect a solution. How? Well, let’s think for a moment.
It is a given that we do not save or invest like others do. On the whole, I am not saying everyone, but on the whole we spend just about every cent we get as soon as we get it, even before we get it, which is bad, but also good in that this gives us great leverage over the consumer economy, the basis of the nation’s wealth and power.
So, though we’re just15% of the population, we account for 40% of consumer spending. Half of consumer spending takes place in the Christmas season. And at Christmas, big, big spenders that we are, we pull out all the stops and go hog wild, charging up things like crazy. Now what do you think would happen if we skipped one,just one, Christmas shopping season and stopped financing the forces of our oppression?
What if, say for example, we expressed our love for our loved ones directly without going through the middleman of enriching others? What if we brought Christmas back into Christmas and spent it enjoying each other’s company, dining together, singing together, dancing together and donating to our needy? And if we want to spend, why not spend our money with the businesses in our community? We could even take some of the money we saved and put it toward starting our own businesses. How about that?
You say, no, we won’t do it? Why not? Why won’t we do it? More importantly why won’t you do it? Maybe Kanye was right. After all, is it not a choice?
Staff Writer; Arthur Lewin
This talented author has just published a NEW book which is entitled; AFRICA is not A COUNTRY!.
For more articles written by this talented brother click on the following link;https://thyblackman.com/?s=lewin.
