(ThyBlackMan.com) The most dangerous enemy we face in the African American community today is neither the Caucasian man nor the police. It is rather the slave mindset that infects generation after generation within the African American community. It is the mindset than promotes self instead of unity. It is the individualistic mindset that cannot see we are all connected together. It is the mindset that fails to realize what one of us does impacts all of us. It is the very slave mindset that helps other groups oppress us, play us against each other and destroy us.
What are the traits of the slave mindset? Reluctance to come together. Refusal to work together unless we can be the head, take the credit or make money off the tragedy and our people in the process. Thus the slave mindset is a focus more on the tangible rewards gained from using our people than the help we can give to our people. A programmed or brainwashed willingness and 
allegiance to work harder for our oppressors than for our own people, thus taking better care of the master’s plantation than we do our own families, communities and relationships. Another key trait of the slave mindset is waiting on someone else to lead you, think for you, rescue you or make your life better when you should be doing it for yourself. That, in part, is why so many African Americans cling to the democratic party.
We see the slave mindset amongst the African American people every Saturday or Sunday morning when so many blindly follow pedophiles like Bishop T.D. Jakes or materialistic scripture twisters like Creflo Dollar. Our people wait for Bishop Jakes to write a book or host a conference to set us free because we do not realize we were already free – at least physically. Our people dress like Elijah Mohammed because they have been cloned. And though the Nation of Islam has done a lot of good in raising the standard for some men and women, those men and women need to have an awareness of self more than an identity as a clone.
A man who knows his identity can think for himself. Then he can choose to help the whole instead of being brainwashed into doing it.
We see the slave mindset throughout many religions masquerading as spirituality, religions where the leader thinks for you and clones himself or herself in you while you struggle to get ahead and he buys jets or builds huge “temples” based on his personal agenda. We see the slave mindset as many African Americans wait, hope and pray that a “savior” president will do for us what we need to be doing for ourselves. We see the slave mindset as many of our people depend on the government plantation for welfare, WIC, Section 8 and food stamps instead of determining their own destiny. We see the slave mindset as our people hope in a minimum wage increase to $15 instead of furthering their careers, advancing their education and starting their own businesses. Yes the slave mindset is alive and well.
We see the slave mindset as our people will not move forward without a leader, failing to realize their leaders are in the mirror. We see the slave mindset as our angry people destroy their own neighborhoods in riots, sell drugs to their own people, commit black on black crime and allow themselves to mask their depression with weed that dumbs them down, never solves any problems and lulls them to sleep. We see the slave mindset as our people are afraid to think for themselves, research and do their homework on their issues and trust their own judgment.
The infection of the slave mindset upon African Americans has caused opportunists masquerading as leaders and mouthpieces for our people. Charlatans who never really seem to do anything, fix anything or resolve anything. Yet they talk a good game, build a network of support and fool far too many with “feigned words and fair speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple”. They would be most certainly the ones to expose our plans for escape from the plantation. They are egotists who are popular amongst our people yet when you look closer at their actual results, you find a lot of rhetoric, radio broadcasts, a ton of meetings, golf tournaments, football games and other entertainment they promote – all the while never uplifting our people academically, intellectually, sociologically nor economically.
These “leaders” have infiltrated the NAACP, the SCLC, 100 Black Men, 100 Black Women, our churches, the NAN, nonprofits, mosques and other organizations which seem to be for us and our causes. Look at their actual results, not their stated objectives, and you can tell if they are about real change for the betterment of our people. If you do not like this article, that’s just too bad but the truth hurts.
The slave mindset causes our people to walk in denial, refusing to look in the mirror or empower themselves to bring about real change. This mindset is self-destructive because it justified excuses, scapegoats the blame, avoids accountability as a people and shuns individual responsibility for our own actions – and it is sociologically contagious. Though both racism and police brutality are very real, damaging and prevalent facts that make it harder for us, they cannot stop a people with a strong sense of identity, responsibility and solidarity. But racism and police brutality can do considerable damage amongst a people who seek to blame everyone else for their problems. A mistake that actually empowers the very people, institutions and powers who seek to oppress us. We have to stop aiding in our own annihilation.
The solution to neutralizing the slave mindset is found in deprogramming our thinking, eradicating the mental “virus” and reprogramming our thinking with facts, empowerment, potential, unification, purpose, focus and identity. We have to stop calling ourselves “black” because we in fact are not black at all and so many of us deny their own eyes because they have forgotten their colors. Nor does any other ethnic group allow itself to be defined by color nor terms full of negatives in the American dictionary. We have to work together, especially when we do not agree with each other and particularly when we are not the ones in charge of the endeavor.
We have to turn off the technology, spend more quality time with our children, set the right examples, discipline based on respect instead of fear, push education, conflict resolution and vision, build businesses, participate in our children’s schools, clean up our own neighborhoods and hold our people accountable to a standard of excellence. Our women need to dress and behave like queens with identity and value instead of whores. Our men need to act like strong, responsible leaders and examples instead of promiscuous, materialistic, irresponsible little boys. And we need to create an entirely new cycle. Family and child support court does not need to have authority over children and relationships. And incarceration should no longer be an option when you know who you are and you can control your own behavior.
Some say it’s too late for adults on the wrong path. But I tell you, until the casket is closed, it is never too late to change and make a difference in your life as well as those around you. Wake up and realize how powerful you are, but only if you know who you are. Wake up and know that yes your future is on your hands but we still need each other because no man or woman can tackle this world alone. Let the greatness in you rise up, come out and destroy the mind of a slave. Today your chains can be broken for good. Share this article with every person you know, especially young people. And if you have never been told this, know that I believe in you are you were born for greatness.
Staff Writer; Trevo Craw