During the Civil Rights period we had two choices-Martin Luther King
Jr. or Malcolm-X. The former won out
over the latter because this is what White America wanted- a harmless-as-a-dove
slave that believed all the lies. MLK’s stance on non-violence was correct, at
least strategically, in view of our circumstances and experiences in this
country, but he was naïve and overestimated the capacity of the racists in
having a moral conscience. Malcolm-X, on the other hand understood this
perfectly and explains much of his harsh language and fiery rhetoric in
denouncing the White man, at least in the beginning, as “Blue-eyed devils.” MLK
might have used the Bible and faith in God as his guiding principle but he did
not know TRUTH. Malcolm-X, on the other
hand, understood “reality,” that is, how things operate in this world system,
especially American imperialism and hegemony; he therefore knew TRUTH. MLK was
driven by pie-in-the -sky theological yearnings and suffering for rewards in
the afterlife, and while such is a viable part of the Christian path, it does
not mean one must be blind to the things that are happening right before our
very eyes.
It is important to understand the nature of “power” and no better
practical explanation of it can be found than the one offered by actor Jim
Davies of the popular TV show of the 1980’s, “Dallas.” In one episode, Bobby
Ewing (played by actor Patrick Duffy) was complaining to his father Jock Ewing
(played by Davies) about the underhanded way his brother J.R. (played by actor
Larry Hagman) took over control of Ewing Oil company after Jock appointed him
to run it, at first. Jock, angry at the whining of his younger son, said,
“Nobody gives you power, Bobby, you take it.” This is the ‘answer’ in a
nutshell because as long as you are dependent on someone giving you something
then you don’t have power; at least in the true sense of the word. Take for
instance the stories about immigrants who came to America and created
businesses and major industries. They weren’t given anything but created with
imagination, perseverance, and a little luck, an industrial renaissance that
gradually changed the country into a manufacturing juggernaut.
Marxism says
that a significant minority [status quo] controls the factors of production as
well as the distribution of goods and so it seems obvious what we need, as a
starting point, is to recreate our own ‘power’ by making things, selling goods
and services that can be exchanged and sold as currency in the marketplace,
whether domestically or internationally. We have to own our own businesses
using our own money and learn to create generational wealth. The lessons
learned from the 2008 Wall Street meltdown is the tremendous power and
influence of the banking and insurance companies [AIG], and that is where the ‘institutionalized
power’ is because some of them were deemed, “too big to fail.” Blacks need to
understand about financing, investment
banking, the stock market, international business and emerging markets, and we
must take a huge stake in or control some of the major industries in America
like transportation, chemicals, insurance, technology, commodities,
telecommunications, banking, aerospace, finance, pharmaceuticals, utilities,
oil and gas etc.
As a last point we have to remember that we are part of one vast Black
community, no matter the city we live in- whether urban, rural, metropolitan,
town, or village. We are part of the African “Diaspora” and while it is not of
necessity to return to the mother Continent, but we do have to link up in an
unbroken chain of cultural solidarity with people of color all over the
planet-in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Central and South America,
India, First Nations people, Pacific Islanders, Australian aborigines, etc. If
people of color are in need of help why do we have a “White Savior” come to
the rescue-such as an international Pop star like Bono, Sting or some American
movie celebrity? If Black people can come together for a “Million Man” march
why can’t the same type of organizing take place where, for instance, every Black person or working family in
America donate just one dollar that will go towards alleviating some specific
need in the Black community? This would generate millions of dollars and we
could gradually take care of many of our own problems without asking for one
dime from others or the government. The money could provide computers and
Internet services to a neighborhood with at-risk kids by bridging the “digital
divide.” We could also keep community clinics operating just a little bit
longer that provide basic healthcare services for those who have no insurance
or can’t pay for treatments or examinations.
We could also use the money to pay daycare services for working
single-parents who take public transportation to work or college, and other
such things that are necessary. As Soul Brother # 1, James Brown said in one of
his songs, “I don’t want nobody to give me nothing, open up the door I’ll get
it myself.”
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 20, 2013
robertrandle51@yahoo.com
