No. 13 - The Poor and the Powerful

Time has come for us to consider a question that has the potential of removing the gloss and fog surrounding our understanding of the world we live in. We no longer have the luxury of idle rhetoric or passivity. This question, plain and simply, must be answered. Our answer, plain and simple, must be responded to. Our response, plain and simple, must include action.

The question is this: How much does it take to make history?

Let us find out…

Following the path of Iraq, Pakistan in now on the verge of Civil war. The democratic hopeful, the woman who joined hands with the people, was assassinated by yet another religious martyr. The death of Benazir Bhutto signals yet another moment in time where we can see the realities of this world today... where we cannot dispute the realities of attempting to standing up to the system. But we’ve not been looking at the situation in the way we need to.

The next time you find the daring to look at the news – yes, I know Black folk don’t like the news – put aside all the divisive rhetoric. Put aside the democrat verses republic partition… put aside the Christian verses Muslim partition. When you can do that you’ll see the true reality of our day, and what the real struggle is about.

The civil unrest and wars that are being fought throughout the world is between the poor and the powerful. Put another way, Black people are fighting for their very livelihood. The skin tone of the African, the Indian, even the many sides of the Arabs resembles the same skin tone I see – and you see – when you look in the mirror, and when we look around in our community. We all know the simple equation that resonates across the world for the masses: Poor = non-white.

Why do we need to be concerned? Because those are black people over there… and just as the struggle is spreading across the world, it is here too. We need to be mindful of that so that we can deal with the issues in a civil and intelligent way. We need to start those discussions and develop our strategies now so when things worsen we will maintain our dignity and focus.

For the record, and since we are considering this reality, I would venture to say World War Three is already upon us. I say this not to create a stir but to raise the alert that we can no longer waste our time acting as if things will work themselves out. They certainly will, but only when we take an active role in raising our collective voice on the world stage.

I’ve had too many conversations with too many people, and I’ve said it every time: We are the leaders that we’ve longed for. We have to find the courage and faith within each of us to put aside our differences and come together to dictate our future, and realize our destiny. We have to become the voice of the Black community. We can no longer afford to float in the wind…

2008 is the year of change… we can either dictate the change that will impact us all, or we can allow someone else to do so. In this very moment of time, that choice becomes our own to make… it always has been.

Let us be honest and agree with this truth: Poverty exists because people who have an unfair advantage allow their greed and ignorance to determine their perception of society. They feel there’s no reason everyone can’t have similar riches and the world is fair. They believe the poor and the powerful are needed to maintain a sense of balance in the world but that the processes in place will allow anyone to overcome their situation… if they but only try.

They fail to see the intellect and understanding so many poor folk possess. The advent of the video age has made the world a lot smaller and we all see things are worsening for all poor people while things continue to get better for those who are on the top.

Times are changing. The ugly face of greed and divisiveness is now exposed on the world stage. People are no longer willing to be pacified by deflective statements or political justification. 2008 will be a year of profound insight and, if we choose to do more then just talk about it, it will become the year a new Black voice is heard across the land.

The people who are fair and noble are standing up to the corruption and oppression that has benefited the elite. The voice of the mighty masses is now bubbling up to the forefront and “leadership” is forced to take note. Political leaders are afraid of the possibility of the world-wide impact the truth will have on their programs of unfair balance. It is the poor and disenfranchised that are stepping up to fight for their rights and human dignity, and the poor are the ones who are the greatest victims in every conflict. It is the poor who are gravitating to individuals and/or groups who speak the truth of their lives.

I’ve been thinking about forming up to become the voice of the Black community… a group that will provide the leadership needed to bring us out of the caves of despair that has hurt us so. I want to bring us together to talk about it and to make this effort our reality.

I call this entity the B.L.A.C.K. Nation. Building Legacy Around Cultural Kinship.

This is my attempt to reach out to you to become part and privy to the telling of our history. It is a request to get to know one another better and to learn how we can – and must – collaborate together.

A final question: What other tragic events must happen in our lives before we understand the time to act is now upon us?