the dangerousNEGRO

The Story of Queen Nzinga

This is an excerpt from The Destruction of Black Civilization by Chancellor Williams (available here).  If you don’t know a lot about African History and have only been taught Black history starting with slavery, you should definitely read this book.

The setting for the story described in the excerpt is Angola around 1622.  The Portuguese were up to their usual nefarious business of rape, murder, and pillage, even against their own economic interest (slaves were worth more dead than alive, but the savages that they were, they couldn’t help themselves and kept on with the mass murders).

It had gotten so bad that the Angolan King, who was a slave holder as well and a feeble ruler complicit in the destruction of his country, even had to put his foot down for fear of being sold into slavery himself.  So he organized a resistance.  However, the people, knowing the weakness of their king, were actually following his formidable sister, Ann Nzinga.  The resistence was causing massive losses on both sides, and the Portuguese, tired of the many defeats they were suffering, sent a peace delegation.  And that is where the story begins.

The peace conference was held at Luanda.  The black delegation was headed by the country’s ablest and most uncompromising diplomat, Ann Nzinga, not yet queen, but sister of the king – the woman power behind a weak king, and the one responsible for inspiring the people to continue the war of resistance when every hope was gone, unless she herself had become their last hope.  But even before the peace conference began, and at the risk of wrecking it, the governor’s Caucasian arrogance could not be restrained.  He had decided on a studied insult at the outset by providing chairs in the conference room only for himself and his counselors, with the idea of forcing the black princess to stand humbly before his noble presence.  He remained seated, of course, staring haughtily as she entered the room.  She took in the situation at a glance with a contemptuous smile, while her attendants moved with a swiftness that seemed to suggest that they had anticipated this stupid behavior by the Portuguese.  They quickly rolled out the beautifully designed royal carpet they had brought before Nzinga, after one of them went down on all fours and expertly formed himself into a “royal throne” upon which the princess sat easily without being a strain on her devoted follower.  Yet she rose at regular intervals, knowing that the other attendants were vying for the honor of thus giving to these whites still another defeat.  I gather from the different ways this incident is reported that the Western mind is unable to grasp its real meaning.  Some historians saw it as a cruel and inhuman use of slaves, ignoring the fact that Nzinga’s chief claim to fame was that she was the greatest abolitionist of slavery, that she herself had no slaves and, indeed, had not the slightest need for any.  One reason might be that she was so much loved and even blindly followed by her people that is was believed that all would die, to the last man and woman, following her leadership.  Such were the mean, not slaves, who gladly formed a human couch before the astonished Portuguese for their leader.

Dr. John Henrik Clarke – Anti-Christian Democracy

Unlike most of the videos we post, this is a short one.  Short, but powerful.  Dr. Clarke drops some jewels of wisdom.

“You cannot destroy slavery by becoming a part of your Master’s cultural incubator.” -Dr. John Henrik Clarke

Ask dN: Black Unemployment

Today’s question comes from Jetaime Celestin on our facebook page:  How do we approach resolving black unemployment?

Great question, and this is actually my area of expertise, so this response might be a bit long.

First, a few good books that I’ve read that deal with this subject and Black economics in general are Blueprint for Black Power, PowerNomics, and Black Economics (all available on our reading list store).  I’ve also just ordered The Black-Print by Malik Green, but I haven’t read it yet.

At a high level, I think the best way to get your mind right to even begin thinking about solving the black unemployment crisis is to view Black America as a separate nation.  I’m not saying we actually split off and form our own country (I’m not not saying that either), but just imagine that we have, and let’s call this new country…I don’t know, say….Liberia.  By viewing us as a separate nation then you can look at past examples of what other countries in dire economic times have done to turn things around.  But in order for this to work, only people that are loyal to the Black/African community should be considered a part of the community.

Skin color does not qualify a person as a member of the community or citizen of our hypothetical country (Exhibit A: Juan Williams).  In fact, treasonous Black folk that “make it” on the backs of their people and then show no reciprocity, love, or loyalty (which would be many Black celebrities and entertainers) should be banished from the country and we should not financially support anything they do.  Some might call this divisive…those people would be right.  Some things should be divided so others can unite.

Back to the subject at hand, the first thing you do is increase savings, reduce personal borrowing (as opposed to business-related borrowing used to increase the productive capacity of the economy) and reduce consumption of imported goods into the country.  There are various way of doing this, but the most effective method of increasing savings and reducing consumption is to make it a part of the culture and social norms of the community through education and social reinforcement mechanisms (e.g. foreign luxury brands must be made uncool somehow).

By importing less, people in the country spend more on goods/services produced within their own country.  For goods/services that aren’t currently being produced domestically, the increased savings can be used to invest in companies that can produce them.  Bottom line: we need to save more money, reduce spending with companies that we don’t own, and invest in companies that we do own.  It also helps if we have our own banking and monetary system that we control, but that is another long discussion altogether.

At the community level, we need to start taking control of the businesses in our predominately Black communities.  You don’t go to Chinatown and see Black-owned stores, but you go to a Black community and see every race but Black people owning a majority of the shops.  I’m not making a value judgement whether that is right or wrong, it is what it is, and it produces a certain result in that community.  It would be nice if we could all just get along and eliminate discrimination, but that’s not the case, and we can’t control how people treat us, but we can control how we perceive and respond to that treatment.  Continuing to buy from businesses that those people own is not the correct response if you are concerned with Black employment.  If you want to increase Black employment you need to increase the number and size of Black-owned businesses because those businesses are significantly more likely to hire Black people, so $1 spent at a Black-owned business increase Black employment more than $1 spent elsewhere.   But how do you support Black-owned businesses if there aren’t enough to support?  First, support the ones that do exist (Ujamaa Deals can help with that), and second invest in the creation of more of them (through the increased savings discussed above).

One of the few good results of forced integration was the increase of knowledge and skills within the Black community.  We’ve spent the last half-century working for white folks and learning everything they know plus some and with more creativity.  Now, we need to go community by community and strategically boycott businesses one at a time.  I’m not talking about the old school boycotts where we announce it to the world and march, protest, and engage in other useless activities.  I’m talking about everyone in the community getting together and picking out the businesses that we should own (banks/credit unions, convenience stores, grocery stores, restaurants, warehouses, clothing stores, entertainment, etc.).

Next, you stop supporting those businesses on that list that are not Black-owned one by one.  Then as those stores begin to go out of business, the community pools together investment dollars and takes them over as the previous owners are forced to sell or go bankrupt.  As the new owners, we can hire whoever we want, starting with our own people in the community.  We know how to do the necessary jobs because we’ve been doing them for other people for years.  What we don’t know, we can learn.

Also, there must be an understanding that there will be no theft, vandalism, or any other crimes committed against these businesses that we own in our communities by any member of the community.  Business that we don’t own will not be intentionally harassed (at least not officially), but they will also not receive any protection, thus increasing their insurance costs and making it harder for them to compete.  Anyone who violates this rule and brings harm to any person or protected business in the community will be dealt with by the community with as little involvement as possible from any law enforcement agency that has not proven it has the best interests of the community in mind.

The community will also have a sort-of neighborhood watch/patrol (no Zimmerman) to look out for outsiders (racists, police, etc.) that come in and mean to do us harm.  So probably one of the first Black-owned businesses that we set up in the community will be a private security company that will protect the people, residences, and businesses of the community,  while employing some of these strong Black men that are out on these street corners (after re-education and training of course).

Basically, we have to go community by community and make a decision to become self sufficient and be owners, not just employees.  We can’t be worried about being called reverse racists or anything else that racists and misguided House Negroes call us when we look out for ourselves.  We also can’t be guided by anger and emotion-drive reactions.  We have to be strategic, methodical, and visionary.

When we become owners in our communities, we control employment in our communities.  Any solution that relies solely on government support or donations will most likely fail, so we have to take control of our own economic situation.  Then as we gain more economic power, we will gain political influence in our communities and actually have politicians and government institutions that work for the people instead of against the people.   Anything else will be unacceptable.

What solutions can you think of at the community level that we can start working on immediately?

3 Reasons Why the GOP Doesn’t Scare Me

I think Black people vote straight Democrat for two main reasons: 1) Ignorance and 2) They think Democrats suck but are better than Republicans.  A Bush, McCain, or Romney presidency scares the shit out of us for some reason.  All the crap we’ve been through in this country, and we straight b**** up when it comes to the thought of a Republican being President….like that’s the worst thing that could happen to us.

This is why the GOP doesn’t scare me:

1. There is no fundamental difference between the Democrats and Republicans when it comes to their treatment of Black folks…or really on their treatment of anyone.  We’re SOL with either of them (regardless of the race of the politicians in question).  Both are parties primarily serve the interests of white elites, then everyone else gets to fight over what’s left.  They differ only on superficial tactics, not fundamental world views, no matter what they say.  Watch what they do…that will tell you what they believe more than any campaign speeches.
2. If Black people don’t vote Democrat for just one major Presidential election, the Democrats will no longer be able to take our vote for granted and they might actually start paying attention to us….as will all the other parties when they see that we’re not irrationally loyal to the Democratic Party any more.  The symbol of electing a Black President was a powerful statement.  Electing one a second time really isn’t that big of a deal, especially if it’s the same one and seeing that it hasn’t meant much for the Black community anyway.  Now the powerful statement would be for Black people to completely withdraw our support from the Democrats even with a Black President.  We’ll send the message that just because you put a token Black face up there in front of us, we’re not buying it and we’re not stupid.  You still have to work for our votes, and if you don’t, we’ll take them elsewhere.
3. Let’s live in this make-believe world where the GOP really is the right arm of the devil and if a Republican is elected president it would be the worst possible scenario for Black people.  Have you ever noticed that Black people only make a lot of progress when we’re fighting a clear enemy or for a clear cause (slavery, right to vote, integration, Troy Davis, etc.)?  But the crisis has to be drastic and acute…if it slowly builds up over time and is not overt, it’s hard for us to organize around it. It’s bad right now for us, but apparently it’s not bad enough.  So maybe a GOP prez would make it so bad that we would get shocked out of our current complacency.

#OccupyEverywhere but Target Individuals

The problem with Western/Euro-centric capitalism is not that capitalism is inherently evil like so many revolutionaries seem to think.  You’ve got to be able to differentiate between the man and the weapon.  The problem is the short-sighted profit motive as a singular focus and the dehumanization/depersonalization of corporations.  We seem to forget that companies don’t run themselves…people do.  And people can be weak and vulnerable.  Capitalism itself is not the problem…the rugged individualistic mentality of Europeans and how they use the tool of capitalism is the problem.  Therefore, you do not fight corporations.  You fight individuals.

So this is my suggestion to community leaders involved in the #OccupyWallStreet movement.  Marching and protesting is good PR and a good start to the movement and build momentum.  But when you’re ready to start getting actual results and not just news coverage, I suggest the following three tactics:

1) Boycott strategically.  If corporations are the problem, start identifying the worst ones and go after them.  For example, If Coca Cola or Bank of America are the biggest transgressors, then organize a mass boycott of their products/services.  AND with all those people you’ve organized, take them to occupy the corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilities of those companies.  When you start costing these companies money, they will react.  The initial reaction will be bad news for whoever it’s targeted at, but if you can withstand it and keep moving they will eventually have to start cooperating or die fighting.

Also, while you’re boycotting certain companies, pick out other companies that you think are doing good.  boycotts are less effective if you don’t give the boycotters an alternative.  So you can tell people to boycott Bank of America, but then you need to find a bank that is not evil to tell people to move their money to (like Carver or Citizens Trust or your local community credit union).

2) Target individuals.  Goldman Sachs is run by people.  Pick out the key decision makers in these Wall Street organizations that you’re protesting and start making their lives difficult.  If done properly, you won’t even have to resort to violence or any physical contact with that person at all….although the threat of violence can be very effective.  Call their phone non-stop to make demands.  Start blasting them on tv, social media, radio, and everywhere you can.  Get hackers to start freezing their assets.  Make up embarrassing stories about them and publish them.  I’m just thinking off the top of my head here, but you get the picture.  If you can’t appeal to these individual’s morals (since they may be non-existent), then you start appealing to their selfishness and survival instincts.  Let them know that there will be consequences for their actions (and inaction in some cases).

But remember to pick the right people to target that actually have the power to change things.  There are a lot of good people working for bad companies that don’t really understand how they’re participating in a destructive organization.  Attacking these people will do no good.  You really need to target the executive level to get anything done.  But also appeal to the rank and file to organize internal company protests and strikes against the destructive practices of their companies.

3) Stop electing dumb asses and corporate lackeys into political office.  Democrats AND Republicans all serve the same people…elite whites.  Democrats and Republicans are like brothers fighting for the same inheritance money from their dying father.  Neither brother is worthy of it.  We have to start supporting different political parties.  You cannot reform the Democratic or Republican parties.  We don’t have to constantly choose between the lesser of two evils.  Best to just toss them out and start new.

Open Letter to Tyler Perry

Dear Mr. Perry,

I recently saw the news headline about you being the highest paid person in Hollywood this year.  This news does not surprise me one bit.  I’ve long known the power of catering to the Black consumer well.  We spend almost $1 trillion a year.  I don’t understand why companies aren’t doing a better job of targeting us, but I’m glad they aren’t because that creates opportunities for Black-owned companies (like yours) to step up and serve Black consumers better than non-Black-owned companies.

You have found a formula that people seem to enjoy.  I’m sure you’re well aware of the criticisms against some of your most popular films, especially ones featuring Madea.  I must admit that I have shared some of those criticisms.  However, I do understand the business rationale behind these movies, and there are some positive messages in them that are to be commended and perpetuated.  I wish I could get the kind of exposure your movies get to promote our clothing line and the positive messages we push with it, like “Smart is the New Gangsta.”  But, although we have a substantial following,  the commercial appeal of such messages just isn’t on the same level…yet.

First, I’m not suggesting that you stop doing what you’re doing or making the movies that you know will be successful.  However, I do have one suggestion.  With all the money you’re making, take $50 million – $100 million and invest in some movies with alternative story lines that will further the cause of Black empowerment.  There are plenty of talented writers and directors that just need funding to get started.  There are tons of stories related to Black people throughout history (especially Africans before the European contamination).  I’ve personally read many books, and I’m sure there are hundreds more, that would make great movies, have significant commercial appeal, and would not rely on the standard Black archetypes and storylines that have been repeated over and over in Black movies to date ad nauseam.

With the initial investment mentioned above, you could create a private equity fund that invests in movies, documentaries, positive music albums and other forms of edu-tainment.  The fund would be managed by professional investors and people with operational experience in the entertainment business.  With your name behind it, the fund could then go out and raise money from other Black athletes and entertainers (who we know need help with investments as 60% of all NBA players go broke within five years of retiring).  Also, for each project the fund could invest a certain percentage of the projected budget, and then the rest could be raised from fans that want to see the project move forward.

For example, I would like to see a movie based on one of Octavia Butler’s novels.  Let’s say the budget for this movie would be $10 million.  The private equity fund could contribute $6 million, and then it would sell 40,000 $100 shares to other Black investors (fans like me) to make up the remaining $4 million. These investors could easily verify their financial capacity through providing their paystubs. This investment from the fans would serve three purposes: 1) reduce the amount the fund has to risk on each project so it can invest in more projects, 2) ensure a buzz and word of mouth generated by the thousands of people that invested in the project, and 3) generate wealth in the Black community, and not just for those that are already rich.  Obviously I think all this would be very profitable as I think we have enough non-profits in the world.  We need sustainable businesses to create wealth and jobs in the Black community.  I sincerely believe that, if given the choice, Black people would support positive movies with important lessons that are still entertaining, but not stereotypical.

I have a background in entrepreneurship and strategic business development, and may be useful in the planning and implementation of this idea and some other ideas I have if you are interested.  I hope that this message reaches you and you receive it with an open heart and mind, and in the spirit of a deep love and commitment to my people and our freedom.

Sincerely,
Tre Baker
CEO, dN|Be Apparel
Purveyors of Positive Propaganda
Atlanta, GA

Top Ten Things Barack Obama Must Do To Regain The Progressive Black Vote

by Demetrius D. Walker

1. Get out of Libya.  C’mon son… Going to Libya was a George Bush move.  We’re supposedly over there to protect their citizens from the big, bad, boogeyman that is Qaddafi (Gadhafi, Khaddafi, etc. depending on the media’s mood today).  Before Barack and the Frenchies started dropping million dollar bombs, Libyans enjoyed a pretty damn high standard of living. I mean free education, housing, healthcare, access to clean drinking water, a 78% literacy rate, and life expectancy of 70.2 years doesn’t sound too bad.  On the real, it sounds a lot better than Harlem, Compton, and Houston’s 3^rd Ward to me.  But let’s not forget that Libya boasts the largest oil economy on the African continent… Real slick B.O.
2. Punch Herman Cain in the nose.  Black progressives may have a few issues with Obama, but there’s no Negro more despised than Herman “Uncle Ruckus” Cain.  Son had the nerve to say cities have the right to tell Muslims they can’t build mosques where they want?!   
3. Get BET to stop playing Baby Boy every other night like it’s a got damn sitcom!  Honestly, progressive Black people try to avoid BET like the plague, but for real yo… this insanity has to cease.  Get Michelle a workout show or something.  I know some brothers that would tune in for that 😉
4. Bring the iPhone to Sprint.  Seriously, have you ever taken note of the Sprint Store demographics?  Negroes always outnumber others in line at Sprint.  We’re the only ones still loyal to this Godforsaken cell phone carrier.  Progressive Blacks covet new cell phones like Ray Ray covets Jordans.
5. Apologize to Cornel West.  Brother West is that dude man.  He always keeps it real. You let that brother show his fro at 65 campaign events and then you started ignoring his calls?  Don’t front like you didn’t get his texts either Barry.  That’s straight up triflin’.
6. Stop hanging out with Sharpton.  While we appreciate you subsidizing his Lap-Band procedure, there’s just something about the new, skinny, turkey necked Sharpton we don’t trust. 
7. Make a real decision.  Playing referee between the tea sipping GOP (see what I did there) and the sex crazed Democratic party is corny.  We’re sick of all this “let’s sit down and talk, come to a consensus, kumbaya, peace party” BS.  You keep letting that dude Boner with his fluorescent ass ties play you like a chump.  Show that you have some balls… chocolate, salty balls that people can suck on if they don’t like your decision making. 
8. Leave Afghanistan.  You already put the dezzy to bin Laden’s turban and gave him a cement shoe bath.  What more can be accomplished in this “War on Terror?”
9. Acknowledge that Black people have it worse now than we have in decades.  We know you’re the president of the whole damn country, but do we not count as loyal supporters?  Wall Street had its needs met, the oil and gas industry is ballin, and Gays can now serve openly in the military.  What about your core constituency Barack?  The wealth gap has increased, along with dropout rates and unemployment. Nobody is hurting as bad as Black America.  Could you imagine what would happen to the GOP if they ignored their Christian base?  We’d have a whole bunch of Norways going down….
10. Free Mumia.  So far Obama has pardoned 17 people during his whole presidency.  What were these people pardoned for you ask?  Slangin meth, stealing cable, distributing alligator hides, mutilating coins, and a bunch of other dumb s**t.  Worst of all, most of these people were convicted 20 years ago and have already served their weak ass sentences.  How about saving somebody that actually needs saving Barack?  If Mumia was freed it would be pretty tough for the Black intelligentsia to complain Obama was out of touch with the community.   

Leaders Urged Stop Africa from Dying, Race War in Africa…

World African Diaspora Union
Leaders Urged Stop Africa from Dying, Race War in Africa…
IMMEDIATE RELEASE       Date: 7/25/2011
Contact:  404-527-7756/718-523-3312/WADUPAM.ORG

ATLANTA, GA. July 25, 2011 – “Africa is dying” warned the former US Attorney General, Ramsey Clark as he condemns the attack on Libya as illegal and racist and called for the intensification of actions to protect Africa. The chilling but pointed messages and reports on Africa from prominent leaders were focused on critical issues such as the ongoing war in Libya, the “new scramble for the re-colonization of Africa” and the dwindling and endangerment of Black freedom and rights across the world.

During the main address to hundreds of mainly African Americans who poured into the public forum, former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney stated that the U.S. backed NATO attack on Libya is to wage a protracted war against the African Union (AU) efforts for a “United States of Africa.” She insisted that the attack on Libya is an effort to sabotage Bro. Leader President Khadafi billions of dollars fast-track approach to establish a ‘United States of Africa’. This achievement would make Africa economically and politically the most powerful continent in the world, threatening Europe’s already declining global hegemony. The U.S. of Africa concept originated with Marcus Garvey and was fervently advanced by leaders like Dr. WEB Dubois, Patrice Lumumba, President Abdul Nassar and President Kwame Nkrumah.

Additionally, the former presidential candidate called upon those in the African Diaspora to muster the spirit and principles of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Minister Malcolm X, Fannie Lou Hamer and other great leaders to promote justice and freedom in the world. McKinney urged all to contact their leaders in Washington and demand a halt to the war and for American resources to be used for jobs, education and global peace.

Minister Akbar Muhammad provided a detail account of U.S. policy on Africa and highlighted the irony of the attack on Africa by a Black President, the genocidal attacks against Black Libyans, and that the undermining the African Union (AU) is to ensure a weak, impoverished and dependent Africa on the U.S. and Europe for the control of Africa’s resources. Also during the forum, Dianne Mathewitz stressed that “The atrocities committed by imperialist US and (NATO) former European colonial powers in Libya are crimes against humanity”. Indeed, legal actions and a tribunal on U.S.-NATO war crimes and other violations of international law against Africans are been pushed by human rights and international lawyers such as Attorney Wareham in NY.

After urging everyone to support the “March for Africa and Jobs” in NY on August 13, 2011, Minister P.D. Menelik proposed that the AU establish divisions across Africa to protect Africans from slipping back into chattel slavery and colonialism. He reminded the community that the AU has designated the African Diaspora as the sixth region of Africa and urged all to take on the responsibility with their skills to become part of “an African Diaspora division for the development of Africa.” For centuries, members of the African Diaspora have fought for their freedom and returned to Africa to support the rebuilding of their Homeland. Other speakers and key participants included Reverend Derrick Rice, Lucy Bradley, Keena Toney, Sobukwe Shukura, Karen Mason, Dr. Sharifa Saa, Kwame Lynburg, Thano Paris and Kofi Adjei.

The successful public forum at the historic Shrine of the Black Madonna was organized by a coalition of global, national and local organizations such as the Africa Ascension, World African Diaspora Union (WADU), The Nation of Islam, All African Peoples Revolutionary Party (AAPRP), the Pan African Ministers, the African Community Centers, UNIA/ACL, The Georgia Green Party, International Action Center, African Association of Georgia, the New Black Panther Party, The Libya Dignity Delegation, Sankofa United Church of Christ, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), The Shrine of the Black Madonna, First African Presbyterian Church, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and The Congo Coalition.

For more information, to participate or to support the August 13, 2011 Million March for Libya, Africa in Harlem, please contact December the 12th Movement at (718) 398-1766 or WADU at (718) 523-3312 in NY or go to our website at WADUPAM.ORG.

How We Should Celebrate The 4th

Hey you with that BBQ in your hands…what are you doing?  Have you lost your natural mind…yes, yes you have.  I’m about to say some un-American sh*t so get ready.  When I’m done you can tell me to go back to Africa if I don’t like it here, and I will reply, “First, I’m planning on it.  Second, unless you’re Native American, go the **** back to where you came from too.”

Most non-white people don’t celebrate white holidays the same as white people (and the 4th of July is definitely a white holiday since everyone else living in America in 1776 was getting royally screwed by white people in one way or another…so why any of us celebrate the independence of slave owners is beyond me).  We just use these days as excuses to get off work and get together with family and friends.  This is a cop out but understandable; and we still end up supporting the same BS we should be fighting.  Like most things in America, it comes down to us all enriching irresponsible corporations and being irresponsible consumers.  So this is how I suggest you celebrate this “Independence Day” and really any holiday that isn’t meant for us. Additionally, you can also check this similar sites like lizzardco.com for more information.

1. Fast and do not buy any food…actually, don’t buy anything, self control.  Put down the burger fat boy…back away from the table, slowly…slowly…let me see your hands!  If your hungry a** can’t go one day without eating, try to get something from a Black-owned establishment.
2. Do not travel.  Gas is high anyway, save your money.  If you want to see your family…video chat.
3. Work.  If your job isn’t open and you can’t do anything to make money, volunteer with a local non-profit organization and make this one big day of service so we can work towards our independence because we definitely don’t have it yet.
4. Read.  Our ignorance causes us to do dumb things and respond improperly to various situations (watching the BET awards, celebrating stupid holidays, letting our kids go to a school system that is meant to destroy their minds, vote for people just because they’re Black but don’t really do anything to help Black people, support ignorant entertainers, etc).  Read a book and maybe you won’t keep doing and saying dumb things.

The reasons behind all these suggestions should be fairly obvious.  If not, you need a lot more help than I can offer in one blog post, but stick with us kid, we’ll get you right.  Just start with our reading list and sign up for our Revolutionary Daily Thoughts in the meantime.  If we don’t have the will or discipline to take these simple steps towards independence, we don’t deserve independence.

Black Consumer 101

How To Be a Responsible Black Consumer

by Tre Baker

I’ve done a lot of studying and research on economic development as it relates to the Black community, and, as you can imagine, I’ve found many critical issues that need to be addressed.  But I think most of these issues stem from the same core  problem: lack of ownership and control of the companies that we spend most of our money with.  Economics can be complicated and boring, which I guess is why we kind of forgot to deal with it while we were worried about integrating in white schools and businesses and getting Black politicians elected during and after the Civil Rights Movement.  But a half a century later, we’re not much better off relative to whites, economically, than we were when we were getting lynched and hosed down in the streets.

What’s the solution?  Well the entire solution could fill a book (which I’m actually writing), but the average Black person doesn’t really need to concern themselves with all that if they don’t want to.  It really comes down to a very simple fact.  Melvin Gravely, in his article “When Black and White Make Green,” points out that black-owned businesses are much more likely to hire blacks/African Americans (85% more likely than their white counterparts) (Gravely 2004).  So…in order to increase Black wealth and reduce unemployment, the most efficient use of our money would be to spend it with Black-owned businesses.  One dollar spent with a Black company is more effective at creating Black jobs then One dollar spent with a non-Black-owned company.  Makes perfect sense.

With that fact in mind, here are a few thoughts on how to be a responsible Black consumer and help get us started down the path of economic empowerment.  Of course I realize that most of us (including myself) won’t have the discipline to do all of this all the time, but they’re things to think about before you pull out your wallet or dig in your purse.

1. Think twice and try not to buy whatever it is you’re about to buy if you can resist and don’t really need it.  Save your money instead, so when we get our economic act together, we can use all that saved up money to go out and invest in and/or take over businesses.  For example, what if Black people had been patiently saving all their money from their integrated jobs with white corporations ever since the Civil Rights Movement knowing that eventually these companies would mess up the economy and stocks would crash (recessions/depressions are built into the system).  Then when Bank of America and GM needed that bailout money and their stocks were at historical lows, we could have swooped in, bought a bunch of stock, took over the board, fired all the executives and put our own people in charge.  You want Black wealth and economic equality?…gotta think big to get it.
2. Ask yourself why you are buying what you are buying.  Do you want the thing or the feeling that you think the thing will give you (hint: it’s the feeling)?  Then ask yourself if you can get that feeling without buying the thing, or if there’s something else that’s cheaper, better for the environment, better for society, and/or better for your health that would give you the same feeling.  For example, fellas, do you really want that expensive car, or the girl you think that car will get you?  Be creative and figure out a way to save those numberswiki.com

   racks on racks on racks, and get the girl anyway.

3. Do not support companies that are destructive to your culture, humanity, or the environment.  This requires a bit of research and consumer education.
4. Do not buy things with debt unless they produce income (assets) or help you be more productive/efficient.
5. Buy things as close to their natural state as possible (especially food).
6. Buy things that are made or grown locally whenever possible.  The only exceptions are things made or grown in Africa or by Black-owned companies.
7. Buy organic, but be careful because just because it says “Organic” on the label doesn’t make it so.
8. Read ingredients labels on food and beauty products.  If there are more than a few ingredients and you can’t pronounce them, they probably don’t belong in or on your body.  Remember that your skin is porous and absorbs what you put on it, so if you can’t put it in your mouth or eat it, then you shouldn’t put it on your skin or hair either.
9. The last and most important for Black people…Support Black-owned businesses whenever possible
1. If necessary go out of your way to find them and buy from them.  I live in a fairly dense city, so my rule of thumb is that I will go up to 5 miles out of my way on a regular basis to support a Black business.  For special occasions I may go 20 to 30 miles.  (sign up at ujamaadeals.com if you don’t know of many Black-owned businesses in your area if you live in a major city)
2. DO NOT EXPECT DISCOUNTS!!!  If anything you should be willing to pay more.  Consider it a tax that is going to a good cause rather than the taxes you voluntarily pay to the US government, which is wasteful and racist.  My rule of thumbs is 10 to 20% premium for Black-owned goods and services, which means if I could get breakfast for $7 at waffle house, for the same food at similar quality, I would be willing to pay up to $8.40 consistently at a Black-owned establishment.  If, to my surprise, the Black-owned place is actually cheaper than the white/asian/hispanic owned joint, I’ll leave an extra big tip for the cause, aka the voluntary Black Tax.
3. Give them a break.  Our expectations are often higher for Black-owned companies than others, when it should be the opposite given the realities of where we are.  Don’t be so hard on them if they’re not quite up to competitive standards with non-Black companies.
4. But when you give them a break, tell them about it…respectfully.  A major complaint for Black-owned businesses (and even just Black people working anywhere) is poor customer service.  Be willing to take that bad customer service and still support the business, BUT tell the manager or owner as nicely as you can that they should try and do better, and maybe give them some suggestions on how they could do it.  In general, we all need to get rid of all these bad attitudes.  Yeah, your job may suck…it’s not my fault and maybe if you put a smile on your face, have some respect for yourself, and respect for others you’d actually feel better and do better.

Questions and Answers

The story behind this poem is pretty interesting.  Apparently, the author was put in a trance and prompted to verbalize how they felt about their situation in life and how to improve it and the interviewer encouraged them to keep going by asking questions at certain points, which explains why it jumps around a bit at times.  Don’t know if that’s true or not, but even if it’s not, it’s still deep stuff.

Author Unknown

Stream of consciousness thoughts on problems and solutions, questions and answers:

I am African American.  I feel inferior.  How do I fix it?  If I am inferior, who is superior to me?  What makes them superior?  How can I become more like them?  I am more like them now…I still feel inferior.  How can I be more like them?  Maybe they are not superior.  Maybe I am not inferior, but they want me to feel inferior.  Why would they do that?  Why did I respond they way I responded?  Maybe it is them that feels inferior and they are trying to compensate because they know my true potential.  Why do I not know my true potential and they do?  Now that I know their motives, what do I do?  What should I buy, or stop buying?  Who should I support, or stop supporting?  How do I feel good about myself?  How did my ancestors feel about themselves before their culture was attacked?  When did I stop being African and start being African American?  Did I stop being African, or am I still African?  If I am American, why do other Americans not see me as American?  Then I must be African.  If I am African, how should I behave?  Who should I support, or stop supporting?  What should I consume, what should I stop consuming?  What should I learn?  Who should I learn from?  What are my people’s problems?  Are they problems or symptoms of problems?  What are the REAL problems?  Am I African or American?  I am African, how do I behave as such?  What should I learn?  Who should I support?  What do I believe?  What is our history?  What are the motivations of the people trying to “educate” me?  Why haven’t we made any progress since 1968?  Do Presidents, mayors, or governors improve our condition?  What will improve our condition?  What is self-determination?  Can there be political and social power without economic power?  No.

Switch.

I want to learn our culture.  I want to learn our history, but not repeat our mistakes.  I know that what I have been taught may or may not be true.  I want to learn the truth.  I want to know more.  I want to stop consuming things that do not help me or my culture grow and flourish.  I want to support my people.  I want to support our businesses.  I want us to have our own schools and institutions.  I want to save and invest my money in my people.  I do not want to enrich my enemies…the competition.  I cannot be oppressed if I do not allow myself to be oppressed.  I am not a victim.  Victims choose to be victims.  I choose to be powerful beyond measure.  I control my thoughts, and thoughts are things.  Thoughts have power and I have choices.  I choose to be healthy.  I do not choose to consume the poison that they want me to consume (physically or mentally).  I want to experience life and not just survive.  I am here to grow and expand and choose from all that life has to offer.  I come from a long history of civilization builders and enlightened beings.  I chose to come to this earth to experience life.  My journey has been interrupted, but I can still choose to continue it.  I am an African that was stolen from the land of my birth.  I thought I was African-American, but African and American are fundamentally incompatible.  American is European.  Eurasia is the bastard child of Africa.  Eurasian culture is the enemy of African culture.  They are immature little children.  In the span of human history, they are newborns.  We tried to teach them and they were incapable of learning.  I am African.  Africa has influenced all of humanity and all advanced civilization.  World history is African history.  Technology alone does not make a civilization advanced.  Science is not separate from spirituality when I understand science and spirituality.  I know what it means to be European.  I know what it means to be African.  I choose to be African…no hyphen.

Relationship advice…from 4000+ years ago

To continue Black History Year, here’s some relationship advice from over 4000 years ago.  The wisdom of Africa is much older than we are lead to believe.  From the Teachings of Ptahhotep:

21. When you prosper and establish your home, love your wife with ardor.  Then fill her belly and clothe her back.  Caress her.  Fulfill her wished for as long as you live.  She is a fertile field for her husband.  Do not be brutal.  Good manners will influence her better than force.  Do not contend with her in the courts.  Keep her from the need to resort to outside powers.  Her eye is her storm when she gazes.  It is by such treatment that she will be compelled to stay in your house.

Where Art Thou Hip Hop?

In the religious folklore that is Hip Hop, DJ Kool Herc is the Father, the author of Genesis.  Every time you nod your head, admire the rhythmic marriage of two disparate beats, kick a drunken freestyle, or watch your favorite athlete hit The Dougie after scoring, you have Clive Campbell to thank.  If Hip Hop made any sense, every culture junkie would adorn their home with a shiny, brass relief of the revolutionary DJ. Yet, despite Herc’s legacy, Hip Hop has tragically failed its founding father.

This week news spread of Kool Herc’s unfortunate health condition.  As he painfully battles kidney stones without the financial resources to pay for proper treatment, P. DitchMe and Ricky Rogaine are bragging across the internets about dropping a milli on well deserving skripper booties.  Every other wealthy beneficiary of Hip Hop is gearing up to host parties and pay 400% club inflation for overpriced bottles of bubbly during Super Bowl weekend.  Yes, the man who made it possible for Negroes to get rich while spreading the Gospel of Hip Hop writhes in pain, while his ungrateful grandchildren gallivant and wipe their asses with the 10K he needs to pay for his surgery. It’s a stark contrast to the growing focus on health and wellness, especially with the rising interest in CBD and Fitness.

WTF is wrong with Hip Hop culture?  This is not how you honor a founding father of the movement that defines your life.  Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, and Grand Wizzard Theodore should live in palaces with 200 foot monuments erected to honor their noble contributions to society.  The blatant disregard Hip Hop has for its heroes reveals why it has devolved into nothing more than irrelevant conjecture and highfalutin niggadry.

Until Hip Hop gets its head out of its ass, YOU can perform your civic duty to ensure that Kool Herc receives his just due reward. After all, he only developed the best thing that’s happened to YOU since… since… since LIFE!  Before you turn on your iPod or roll your next paper plane to Wiz Khalifa, make sure to donate to the man who made it all possible –  DJ Kool Herc HERE.  If you don’t donate go ahead and smack your own kufi off, you filthy heathen.

Assuming Problems are Problems

M.D. Turner

In this political and economic environment the mainstream media loves to talk about all these problems we’re having.  The hot buttons being unemployment, health care, failing school system, taxes, energy independence, etc.

The major assumption is that people in political and social leadership are just as incompetent and clueless as the rest of the masses about the solutions to these problems.  Very few people (of any race or culture) seem to mention the possibility that our so-called leaders know exactly what’s going on and don’t really see these things as problems.

I know for a fact that economic decision-makers completely approve of high unemployment rates from time to time to control the power of labor…aka most of you reading this.  CEO pay has increased constantly over the past several decades and on average they now make over 400 times as much as the average worker in their companies.  But when the average workers salary starts increasing too much, high unemployment is a way to bring those salaries back down.  Someone that’s been unemployed for a few months will gladly take a lower salary rather than have no salary at all.  The rich get richer, Paulson.

Is crime a problem when you have your own personal private security?  Only if it gets really bad.  A few percentage points increase in crime stats don’t really affect most of the people making the real decisions on Wall Street or Capitol Hill.  The elite just need to prevent revolution and keep a strong middle class as a buffer between them and the poor.

What is war?  Population control and expansionist imperialism.  What is the drug industry?  Job creation for government agencies (DEA, ATF, FBI), money for banks (where do you think drug money goes after it’s laundered?), population control, and a source for low-cost labor (prisoners).  What is poor healthcare to the rich?  Population control (as you can see the true minorities on the earth are extremely afraid of large black and brown populations).   What is high unemployment?  Cost control.  As long as it’s not bad enough to lead to mass rebellion, it can be maintained.  I’m not saying there is a conscious conspiracy to cause these “problems.”  I’m just saying, there’s not much incentive for people in power to really fight to solve them in a highly individualistic Euro-centric society like the U.S.

Do you think these corporate executives or their politicians really care about the state of public education when they send their kids to private school?   Maybe a little, but they’re not losing much sleep over it.

So the point of all this is to say that we can’t rely on leaders that don’t relate to us.  Everything you think is a problem, may not be a problem to the people you think are supposed to be providing solutions.  If you assume that your leaders are going to solve your problems for you, you will be constantly disappointed.  Many people, even Democrats, think the government has too much power right now and isn’t getting anything done, but we give them that power by relying on them for things we should be doing ourselves.  You have to come up with your own solutions as a community and force your leaders to help implement them or stay out of the way while you implement them yourself.

Victimization Slows Progress

by Tre B.

While I’m usually the first to step out in defense of my African brothers and sisters in the motherland and at first this video upset me, I thought about it for a minute, and realized that this is just another example of the victim mentality inhibiting creative thinking and problem solving.  Whether it’s the African’s themselves or the Eurocentric journalists producing the story that are thrusting this victim status on these farmers, this line of thought does not result in productive solutions.  For example, they’re saying that the solution is for the US government to stop subsidizing their farmers.  This takes control of the situation out of African hands and puts it into the hands of the US government.  In the long history of US/African relations, does it make any sense to think that the US will do what’s best for Africa?  No, so why waste time and energy trying to change something that you have little power to change.  Why not focus on solutions that you can implement yourselves, such as:

1) Creating an African cotton trade association to promote African cotton as a premium product directly to consumers, who would then create a demand for products manufactured with African cotton (like the Made in Africa shirts that we sell at dangerousnegro.com).  These products may be a little more expensive, but the difference is minor to consumers in “developed” countries.

2) Get off cotton completely.  First, because it is not an environmentally friendly crop, it’s water intensive, and it is an inferior fiber in terms of strength and durability.  Second, because monocultures of any kind are no good.  If all you grow on your farm is one thing, you will always be subject to larger fluctuations in your personal income.  Some better cotton substitutes would be hemp or bamboo, which produce better fibers for fabric and paper, and can be used to make tons of other products.

3) Instead of these organizations spending time and money lobbying the US government, use those resources to teach the farmers how to grow more varieties of crops on the same land and grow stuff that doesn’t grow in the US so they don’t have to worry about US subsidies.

Now, I realize all these proposed solutions are easier said than done, and I just thought of them off the top of my head, but they’re much easier than getting the US to “play fair” with Africa when the US has a strong interest in keeping Africa weak and dependent.  Let the 21st century be the century that we Africans stop playing the victim and start controlling our own destiny.  As a matter of fact, I think I’ll design a t-shirt around that concept…

$16 Billion Down the Drain

by Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu

This summer and throughout the year our largest 150 African American organizations will convene their national conferences. They include the NAACP, Urban League, Operation Push, National Baptist, Omegas, Alphas, Kappas, Sigmas, Deltas, AKAs, Sigma Gamma Rho, and many more. I am honored that I will be speaking at many of them. My only regret is that we will spend $16 billion with Mr. Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, United ,American, Delta, etc. Can you imagine how much money we have spent with them since 1954? What do we have to show for it? At many of these conferences, speakers will talk about our plight and the impact of racism and White supremacy. I’m sure Mr. Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, United, American, and Delta are saying “talk about me all you want, but please don’t stop coming!”

Can you imagine if we chose to meet in Black colleges or churches? Can you fathom if we chose not to meet at all, but asked members to send in what they would normally spend? Another option would be to meet over the internet or video conferencing. In my latest book, Solutions for Black America, I discuss the net effect would be $16 billion that we could use to build four regional luxury hotels that would accommodate 2-5,000 guests. I suggest we call them the Rosa Parks Palace, Harriet Tubman Tower, Malcolm X Shabazz Suites, and the Martin Luther King Resorts. I also discuss in the book the purchasing of 10-20 corporate jets. The fleet could be named after the Tuskegee Airmen.

I have heard several problems and challenges. First, many of these organizations have signed contracts for future years. My suggestion is that we either agree to start in some future year outside the contract, or we simply pay the penalty and begin building our hotels and acquiring our Tuskegee jets. Second, middle class negroes who are accustomed to 24 hour room service and luxury accommodations have said they would not attend if they had to meet at a Black college and sleep in a dormitory. I know Harriet Tubman is turning over in her grave. She experienced similar foolishness trying to free 300 Africans in her 19 trips south. Last, organizations need their conference to financially sustain themselves. I suggest we either become better stewards with our budgets or continue to meet, but at a Black college for two years and accrue the savings estimated at $8 billion annually. In two years we would have our $16 billion. I suggest this be coordinated by the Black Leadership Forum. All monies would be sent to the Forum.

In closing, God is asking Black America have we been good stewards with our resources? How can a people who earn $688 billion, possess 9,000 plus elected officials, 4 million college graduates, and 85,00 churches that receive $3 billion annually and have $50 billion in assets be in such terrible shape? Are we suffering from post-traumatic slavery disorder?