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banner_jboney_colorBlack people, what is wrong with you?



Black people possess faith and freedom.

Black people had the faith to endure hundreds of years of slavery and oppression.

Black people had the faith to beat the odds and overcome the economic, social and political disenfranchisement that sought to choke the life out of them for years.

Because of the tireless efforts and faith of many, black people now have the freedom to vote for who they want to vote for, start a business, shop wherever they want to shop, live wherever they want to live and pursue an education wherever they want to pursue an education.

The passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act opened up doors for black people that many activist leaders and supporters of equal rights for blacks fought and died for. I thank them for that!

Knowing that we as black people have such an enduring past and such a rich history, I can’t help but express my extreme disappointment at the lack of cohesive activist leadership amongst black people today that lack the same spirit as those leaders that came before us.  

In looking at the state of black America, I will say that it is embarrassing and shameful and it must change if we are going to remain a relevant group in the United States.

What other group of people in America have been given so much, yet have squandered so much more?

I mean there was a time, and might I add, not too long ago, that black people were told that they could not go to the same schools, shop at the same stores, live amongst or eat at the same restaurants as white people.  

It was during those times, that black people were forced to live amongst each other, attend the same schools as each other, shop at the same stores and eat at the same restaurants with each other.

Did having these social restrictions and having to deal exclusively with one another cause black people to regress or progress?

I would argue that although black people were not free “on paper” and as a result of unjust laws, they were free to exercise their faith and freedom amongst each other. There was limited “haterism,” because they had no other choice but to support one another socially and economically. They were forced to.

Integration, while it was one of the best things that happened to black people, turned out to be one of the worst things that happened to black people. Don’t argue my thoughts on the matter, look at the results.

Once integration took effect, many black people abandoned their neighborhoods, their schools and their businesses, seeking to gain acceptance from white people, who subconsciously became their new leaders.

Because Mr. Charlie’s ice was colder and because the grass was seemingly greener on the other side, black folks sought to follow their new leaders, who led them on a mass exodus away from their strength; their own black community.   And like Moses, who sought to lead the Israelites into The Promised Land, black people have fallen victim to the same fate as the Israelites.   Because they wouldn’t listen to their leaders they remained in the wilderness. Because they constantly complained and murmured, they remained in the wilderness. Because they chose to follow other gods, not the God that brought them out of slavery, they remained in the wilderness. It wasn’t until that old paradigm was killed off, that the new remnant of Israelites were able to actually go into the land flowing with milk and honey; The Promised Land.

Black people, you are leaving your community schools to go to schools that are “allegedly” offering better solutions for your children, rather than demanding your leaders provide you with the same quality education that those schools are “allegedly” providing.  

I have a question though, what happens if and when the school board decides that you can’t send your child to those schools anymore and because of “low enrollment,” the schools in your neighborhood are closed?

Black people, what happens when you keep following every other cultural group to every new community that they build to get away from you and begin to realize that the community doesn’t want you there and makes your life unbearable to live there, because you aren’t represented on the school board, city council or local offices?

Black people, what happens when you continue to allow your dollar to leave the black community and black businesses, because you don’t care anymore?

So listen up black folks, I say, go ahead and follow your leaders.   I just hope you truly know where they are leading you to.



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