We Are Currently A Dead People: Path To Rebirth Part I: Supporting Black Empowerment Media
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Posted By: Samuel Burnham on February 21, 2010 Greetings all. Recently, I read an article by David Banner (yes the rapper), asking the question of whether we (Black folk) are a "dead people" or not. Now whether or not Mr. Banner's lifestyle and or "rap style" presents the right messages to Black folk or not is an entirely different discussion. However, like it or not, the truth about a people can be spoken by folks viewed as controversial as well as folks viewed as "ordinary". Also the truth about a group of people...a collective body of individuals...is self-evident in the way the said group of people behave as a collective unified body...or lack thereof. Therefore, the obvious answer to David Banner's question is a resounding YES!!! Some will offer platitudes of individual Black "progress". This includes the well known arguments, that "Black folk are not monolithic", and similar statements. In addition, people of this ilk also point to the so-called acceptance of a few prominent African-Americans among non-Black folk (often known as "Black firsts") as "proof" that Black folk are not dead...but fail to see that the article was addressed to us as a collective, relative to non-Black folk. But just like the rest of us that are spiritual-minded, I understand the concept of being born again, from both the spiritual and mental vantage point. However, to experiance a "Rebirth of any kind, we must, with brutal honesty, point out that which currently makes us a "dead people". The 1st subject in this series is the collective failure of the Black media to report news of true empowerment and the Black communities failure to promote such media: no...not stories where we joined forces with non-Black sources...but true empowerment. Not where we take ideas sanctioned by European or other cultures not originating from Black people...but true empowerment! For example, very few "Black" media outlets covered the miracle of the Joseph Littles Nguzo Saba Charter School (JL-NSCS) of West Palm Beach,Florida. This is despite the fact that we supporters of the JL-NSCS did all we could with the resources we had to promote the school and the 2009 walkathon of 1,069 miles...to raise the awareness of the school. However, when both Al Sharpton and Newt Gingrich...an ultra conservative, put aside their difference long enough to hold joint discussions about the education of "America's youth", all the "major" syndicated Black radio, TV, and other media programs rushed to mention this! Given the divergent views of these folk, the reader can be guranteed that little positive results will come forth from this effort, no matter how well intentioned. In addition, such an effort once again shows Black folk in a position of being powerless to solve our own problems with a White face present...even one who we know promotes policies and behaviors detrimental to Black progress! Now while I know it takes a bit of cash to get airplay, especially on major programs, I also know that Black media of syndicated "talk shows" and similar programs promote what most of us Black folk are blogging about, talking about, yelling about, gossiping about, etc. Therefore, we can conclude that many Black folks that frequent the above media outlets that recieved the herioc news about the JL-NSCS did not see it as important as the "info-tainment" news they want to hear. Yet many of these same Black folk will complain bitterly about not being shown "the way" or how to be "problem solvers". The JL-NSCS has solved the problem of educating our children for over 10 years...and much in the face of opposition from other so-called Black folk who think African-centered education is "divisive"! The lack of positive media about the JL-NSCS is just one example of our collective failure to beat the drum on behalf of self-empowering news. Our "dead" mindset (as a collective) can not distinguish the difference between a "Black school" and an African-centered school. For this reason, many people will point to the recent "success" of various "Black schools" and educators,, some started by "well known" Black folk, all steeped in taking their "out of the box" thinking from mainstream-sacntioned thought itself! While many mainstream corporations will benefit from students of these institutions and their semming "success" , the majority of the Black community will not. That fact SHOULD be self-evident, when we see that the Black community has very little infrastructure...while the "best and brightest" of our community are siphoned off to build infrastructure in corporations and communities that could care less about Black folk. I also wander why the Black media has not pointed out the treacherous behavior of the National Urban Leage's leadership. Forming a partnership with Loan Sharks On Deck Capital. This scheme is where they partner up to "lend" Black buisness loans at 18-36 percent interest...that MUST be repaid through DAILY automatic "micropayments" form the business's bank account! (http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2009/11/urban_league_and_par...) Now anyone who knows a little bit about interest...and loansharking...can see what's wrong with such a "partnership"! Maybe if the Black media was reporting this as it should...and we Black folks cared more about real news that who Rhianna is dating or which Black person was on American idol...then the Urban leage would have soundly did an about face on their betrayal of the Black buisness community! In addition, organizations that try to uplift the Black community, like the Collective Banking Group, would get more media attention and show us what a REAL faith-based initiative is (http://www.collectivebankinggroup.org/). Black empowerment means methods and actions which provide self-reliance for Black people. In general, we must demand that from our media and quit playing around. It's nothing wrong with intertainment and even "info-tainment". However, when it takes priority of real news...and we are the cause of it...how can we NOT be a dead people!? Recently, a couple of my colleages asked me my opinion on the Tiger Woods fiasco. This is AFTER I forwarded them an apeal to free the wrongfully convicted William Mayo: http://www.freemayo.com/ Besides the fact that Tiger Woods had nothing to do with what I just forwarded to them (other than the skin collor Woods shares with Mayo), Tiger admitted on National TV (Oprah winfrey Show) that he doesn't consider himself "Black" because of his mother's race. This is in addition to him and his father seeming to downplay everything about their African heritage. Therefore, my suggestion to them was to leave Tiger to those he considered his friends. He cheated on his wife, that's bad, but what about stuff that really matters to the rest of us. William Mayo is a brother who was helping Black youth prior to his wrongful arrest, KNOWS he's Black , not ashamed of it, WRONGFULLY convicted because of being Black...and he needs our support no less than the members of the Jenna Six...yet there was no nationwide march for brother Mayo. No Black media, no "big named" Black folk with a bull horn, chantting "Free Mayo, etc! To bite off of a book Bill Cosby co-authored..."Come on People"! I'm stopping part I now, as this is turning into a "rant". However, rightious indignation should be felt by all Black folk who recognize that yes, we are dead...but hope for the resurrection. Respect...and wake up. Samuel Burnham, Supporter: JL-NSCS http://www.jlnscs.org/ If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Samuel Burnham
Associate, Chosen Agency Florida A&M University class of 2003 Member Since February 2009 |
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