After America won it’s freedom from the British, we were a Country. A country ready to forge a path into history. But before we could reach the future, we had to fight amongst ourselves.
In Iraq, most of the violence is sectarian, meaning they are fighting over what they want their country to become. They are not over there saying let’s blame Saddam, the U.S., the world; I’m sure some are, but as a whole I doubt it. They are meeting with family and friends previously prohibited by their own government.
I saw a bumper sticker that said “War isn’t the answer.” I thought to myself; it’s the solution.
As Conservative Black Folks, we don’t fight like we should. We look at those on top complain just as much as the one’s on the bottom, and we’re stuck in the middle trying to navigate through hate, bias, intolerance, and a constant need to explain we are not all alike.
So I Make My Declaration of War
On our “So Called Black Leaders”, your services are no longer needed.
We have a duty to wipe out mass ignorance and not help support it, by supporting you. I will say it one more time; How in the hell did you make it? And why in the hell do you then turn around and tell me I can’t? And I’ll even answer it for you. You need me to broke and ignorant so you can succeed. Ain’t gonna happen. Your final check is in the mail.
On the FTW”S of our race, Fuck You too.
You get no more sympathy from me. If you think you have the right to sell drugs, rob, steal, beat, rape, or harass, and still be safe in our neighborhoods, you are wrong. You are a product of your environment, no you are a product of choice. You could choose to suffer a little now; go to school, maybe get picked on a little for not having the best clothes, or not get any play from the girls. But you choose to want it now, and Fuck The World. Not working anymore.
The choices you make forge that environment you blame so much. You sell more drugs-> there are more addicts-> the more addicts->the more kids grow up without the ability to have the bare necessities. You know all those things you use as a crutch. My father wasn’t there, my mother was an addict, I didn’t have food, and nobody gave a damn about me. You selling that crack to that mother causes the environment that holds you down. Seriously. Blame placed at your door step.
(Don’t send me any excuses. I got a million. But you will never hear me use one.)
On the ignorant for the sake of being ignorant of our race; What’s up?
Once black people risked their lives trying to learn to read and now you risk yours trying to stay away from a book. O.K. I had to pause right there. This should have been my first declaration. Why do we set a goal to be stupid?
When I was in high school, (gotta get personal for a moment), I was a nerd. I didn’t need a Training Bra until I was 16. I almost got into a fist fight with one of my Math Teachers’ for correcting her. I had a hard time maintaining friendships with females, so I was alone a lot. In that time, I taught myself to type, learn the math for next year, and write all kinds of poetry. I grew, even though I had to do it alone.
While you are so eager for that guy or girl to look at you, colleges are eager to give you money for an education. While you beat down those that study, you turn away assistance in helping you succeed. (Be their friend and let them help you learn) While you tell a teacher what your not going to do, you miss a chance for a flame to be sparked inside yourself. It wasn’t until I was handed an essay in middle school did I learn to appreciate Hip hop.
On black women having babies to keep a man; you know he ain’t no good.
My sistas, I know we don’t always get along, but you deserve so much more. And on top of that, You make our Men weak. I don’t want to hear you complain about Niggas’ being dogs, when you let them dog you. If you can play a dude to get yourself some bling, use that same influence to make him better himself. If he refuses, the answer is not to have a baby, it’s to move on. Do you and do it better because you don’t have some one bringing you down.
On black men having babies and not taking care of them; you know you wrong.
If your dad wasn’t there and you choose not to be there; that doesn’t make any sense at all to me. What excuse could your father tell you that would release all the pain inside you? Would you accept; my boys all got dayton’s so I had to rob that fool so I could have so too? How about; your mother wanted me to spend time with her, I had other chics to focus my attention on? I don’t think that would work with you, and I’m sure it won’t work with your child in the future.
In the coming weeks, I will be breaking down each Declaration and starting a movement on it. I purposely left out hip-hop because it will change when we do, and not a second before.
Interested in joining my War?
I would like to tell you it’s easy, but I can’t. It won’t be easy, because you will be judged by those who like excuses. They will pull up slavery, Rodney King, and anything else they can to keep you were you are. They will say you ain’t fly because you don’t rock Gucci. They will say your not black enough because you speak with proper vocabulary. They will say you don’t care about the plight of black people because you don’t want hand outs.
To me it’s easy to laugh at these things, but it’s not that easy for everyone. The power comes in the little successes. When you receive your report card and see A’s instead of F’s, it gets a little easier to fight. When you get that job and that white man shakes your hand and tells you he looks forward to having you as an employee, it gets a little easier to fight. When a real man or woman approaches you and you can tell and appreciate that person, the fight gets alot easier. But these are not things that happen overnight. These are things that take Sacrifice.
Start small. Find a little way to see if I’m right. Call up your cousin that’s always in trouble, and spend the next couple weekends with him or her. Take them to a museum, a play, or some other event they wouldn’t normally got to. Find their passion and entice them with it. Watch them change because they get a chance to see some new. It will be the first time they think in terms of choices, and you will have won a battle in my cause.
Encourage your child to play with the kid that sits alone in the corner. Not just for the benefit of the kid in the corner, but for the benefit of your child. Teach them to see Character in Man, not the outside showing.
Teach them we all belong, and sometimes all it takes is an introduction to spark a long lasting friendship. They will then see that there are choices. Then we could have students competing for Valedictorian, not just prom queen and king. Then you will have struck a blow to those who say change is impossible.
Allow your children to listen to Hip-hop, then make them hate it by breaking it down for them. (This is one of my Favorites) Sit down and try to have your child (say 8 and up) explain Soulja Boy to you. Seriously, ask them what that song means. And watch as they can’t answer. Then play Tupac (any song will do, even a violent one; but for the kids stick with Brenda had a Baby or Keep Your Head Up) and ask them what the song means. Just do the experiment. If you don’t have kids, use a niece or nephew. If you’re a teenager, ask your friends. You do that and watch the conversation spark. You are helping to build my arsenal with each debate.
Come up with your own experiments based on what’s going on in your community. Like I said start small. If you have a good job and fly car, go to the ghetto during the day when most of the playgrounds are filled with kids and talk to them. When they tell you nice car, say yeah it cost me four years in college, but boy is it worth it. I got a job, a house, and a nice car. It was worth it. Set up a time for them to meet you in the library or rec center and show up. Be on time, dressed properly, and show interest in them. Show them how a man operates, and maybe something you’re missing in your life will open up. I’m just saying, we all have room for improvement. But improvement brings rewards. You keep this up and you’ll be a General in my army.
If you choose to stand in my way
Go ahead a try. See that’s the difference between me and you. You see an obstacle and look for an excuse. I see an obstacle and I look for a way to tear it down. I have confidence you don’t have the stamina to fight toe to toe with me for 12 rounds. I’ll be moving forward, while your looking backwards. I’ll be gaining success, even if in small measures, and you will continue to be at the mercy of someone else. To paraphrase Specta; Don’t give me fish, give me a fishing pole, I can do the rest myself.
But I will question what do you have to gain by staying in your current position. Are the Ghettos’ getting better without my knowledge. Are politicians keeping promises made during campaigns, it’s just were to stupid to see all the changes? Why are you satisfied with the script handed to you by those that benefit from your misfortune? Are you truly satisfied with our people right now?
If in answering these questions, you still find yourself opposing my position, I’m ready. The War Is On.
Could you imagine if we win? If each one of us takes a little step and we actually push our people past drugs, aids, poverty, defeatist thinking, misogyny, materialism, violence, and negativity that keeps us poor and oppressed. Imagine schools that pay for books not metal detectors. Imagine communities that pay for playgrounds instead of jails. Imagine stores opening in black neighborhoods, where white people aren’t scared to go.
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