Are We There Yet?

I don’t have to Hate your People to Love my People.

This maybe one of the most important sections of my book. This portion of the book should minimize the commentary from external sources that will definitely try to play a role in tarnishing my reputation, questioning my motives, and discrediting my thoughts and goals for People of Color. If read in context, this chapter should eliminate the perception, that I’m “a Radical”, “a Militant”,” a Separatist”, or Anti Anybody. So before you try and start your negative, propaganda campaign, I figured I would beat you to the punch.

Where many groups/organizations/religions have gone wrong over the course of history throughout the world, is that they promote hate, violence, superiority over other groups. I’m a firm believer in the following philosophy and have stated them, and I stand by these words, but here and now in my book, is where I can memorialize it in writing:

“I don’t have to hate your people to love my people.”

“I don’t have to disrespect your people to respect my people.”

“I don’t have to drag your people down to lift up my people.”

“I don’t have to shun your people to embrace my people.”

“I don’t have to condemn your people to praise my people.”

Its evident to me, that the problem with various groups/organizations/religions over the course of history and even today, while promoting white supremacy, black pride, religious superiority, had this one major fallacy or pitfall in their doctrine; they had to vow and display hate towards other groups. In order for them to feel superior, dominant, or exclusive, they had to degrade and destroy all others. In order for them to praise their own, they had to condemn all others. In order for them to truly embrace their own, they had to shun all others. I have a very different philosophy and doctrine, and I am proud to share and promote my beliefs internationally. There is nothing wrong with self–pride, self-respect, self-worth, economic independence, and supporting people within your ethnic background. But, it doesn’t mean that you have to show blatant disregard for, or promote hate & disrespect for, or call for the demise of others. Consciously degrading others, or promoting and inflicting violence and despair on others, isn’t essential to a successful Pro-Whatever movement you’re involved in. I can be respectful towards you, interact with you, purchase products and services from you, enjoy life with you, worship with you, and this doesn’t take anything away from the pride and respect I have for my own people. Just don’t take my kindness for weakness, and don’t think for a minute, that I will allow you to mistreat me, beat me, or act violent towards me or mine without me reciprocating. This is only human nature and intelligence to be protective of yourself and your family and to stand up to injustices being waged against you.

“Can’t We All Just Get Along?” (Rodney King)

The question was so simplistic and so honest, that it often drew laughter when you heard it. But yet, the question is powerful and genuine. If we could just all work it out, talk it out, live and let live, simply get along, it would be a much better world to live in. I know you’re thinking I’m living in a fantasy, and maybe I am, but its Easier to Love than to Hate. It takes more energy and effort to go to War than it does to talk things out, find common ground, and construct a reasonable compromise to make peace. As intelligent Human Beings, we have a choice on how we handle every situation and interaction with one another. Having intellect and emotions, people can decide to fight, to ignore, to compromise, to hate, to love, to degrade, to uplift, to shun, or to embrace. It all comes down to the choices we make. The world can be a much better place if we simply “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The Golden Rule. Words to live by, simplistic, honest, and genuine. I’ll never understand how something so simple, truthful, and proven, can be one of the hardest things for human beings to do?

If people of different countries, backgrounds, cultures, religions find themselves relying on one another for their existence, it proves that commerce and finance cross all color lines, religions, languages, and ethnic backgrounds. If it didn’t the entire import and export business would be out of business. The “Global Economy” you hear about in the news everyday prove that we are all interdependent on one another. I say this only to say, “I don’t care if you’re Black, White, or Polka Dot, Money is Green”. I heard this statement many times from Barry Frank co-owner of the security company I work for.

Black people have more influence than we imagine when it comes to our buying power. If we collectively decide we’re going to make something or someone successful we have the ability and buying power to do so, we’ve proven this time after time. The Hip Hop Community alone has made hundreds if not thousands of millionaires, so the proof is in the pudding. But if we decide collectively to boycott a brand, a service, a product, as a people, we can deal a devastating financial blow to that establishment. Do you understand what kind of power that is? If not, I’m here to tell you, that if we effectively harness and collectively direct our dollars to affect change ,we can swing the pendulum in any direction we choose. All we need is a platform that we’re all plugged into and march to the beat of that drum. I’ve watched it happen with the Steve Harvey Radio Show, and the Oprah Winfrey show to provide examples. As a avid Steve Harvey Listener, I have seen them shut down web sites with hundreds of thousand of loyal listeners logging into a recently promoted site and putting that product or service immediately on the map. With Oprah Winfrey, I have seen her recommend a book in her Oprah Book Club and watch it instantly launched into the Best Sellers List. There is Power in Numbers folks. If we focus, harness, and channel our dollars and our votes, watch how quickly we become a viable entity that cannot be discarded or ignored.