2. Political Ignorance
The fact that we don’t understand politics could easily be the number one reason we are politically retarded. No other point has ever been made more clear to me than when Barack Obama was named President of the United States and I had to watch our community celebrate like we won the lottery, but NO ONE WANTED TO HOLD THE PRESIDENT ACCOUNTABLE to the community. And when someone did, Tavis Smiley and Cornell West, they were called everything from Coons to Haters. SMDH!
There is no other people in this country besides black folk that will say things like, you can’t expect anything from the President or politicians, they can only do so much. WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!? THEN WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU VOTING FOR????
When political blocks give money and put someone into office, they EXPECT to get their back rubbed and to have their itches scratched. Again, this applies to everyone, but black people. Just ask the Latino, Gay, financial or Wall Street communities what did they get for their votes of POTUS the last two elections? Now, ask the black community what they got?
And please, save your breathe about these programs that raise all boats because the groups I named have SPECIFIC programs that benefit them and their ambitions in this country. But leave it to black folks to make excuses for any and everyone instead of standing erect and demanding respect.
I could go on and on about this subject, but will steer back to our political ignorance and just mention we have no concept of mid term elections, our local politics and how they effect our everyday lives and taxes. It is down right shameful to be honest.
And if you think i’m lying, I am willing to bet the majority of the PEOPLE IN YOUR CIRCLE don’t know who their local politicians are or what their responsibilities are. Give it a shot, ASK THEM FOR YOURSELVES!
Finally, I will add, we believe the only thing we have to do as a people for politics is to vote. The truth of the matter is that voting is only the beginning of politics. You have to do much, much more like organize, get the word out, build coalitions, build voting blocks, develop agendas, support politicians that support you, cultivate your own politicians that will fight for you because they are backed by you, get involved, picked, write letters, ask for money, funds, call your local politicians, attend the meetings, ask questions, volunteer for campaigns, stop whining, get involved, and much, much more!
1. Lack of Knowledge of Self
For me and many around the Urban Intellectuals community, we feel many of our issues stem from us not knowing our history. We have a rich history that has been white washed when delivered to us when we were young and most of us never take the time to rectify this learning. What is worse, we allow our children to grow up in the same manner as we did and wonder why things never change.
If you were proud and understanding of who you are, what you have been through, there is no way in hell you would allow something as critically important as politics to fall by the way side and leave our future in the hands of people who have no loyalty to us or give a damn about what happens to us a people and community.
The black community is politically retarded and until we make some major changes in our lives, things are only going to get worse not better.
I would have thought 50 years after the “I Have a Dream” speech, we would have been leaps and bounds beyond our current state, but I guess my expectations are just high….like they have been for hundreds of thousands of years among our people. Know Thy Self!
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