No Excuses: Black Women Must Support Black Economic Unity To Cure Our Social Ills

Okay! Here we go! The fight is about to break-out.

I begin by making one thing clear regarding the above title: As black women, we have an obligation to step-up and/or initiate the process of financially supporting black-owned businesses, salespeople in other peoples' businesses, professionals, movie-makers, etc. whenever we need or want to spend our money in the "marketplace." We can no longer afford not to. Are you clear on that?

Frequently, black women tell me: "It's hard doing business with black people...Black [business] people are not reliable...They don't do good work...I can't find blacks to do the work...They don't show up...Blacks charge too much money...blah, blah, blah! Like I said: We are our own worst enemy. I am beyond ashamed of [the] blacks that believe and practice such self-oppressive rhetoric. We are in social and economic crisis mode due to this type of thinking and practices, i.e., we make it possible for everyone else to create jobs/wealth for their families by patronizing their businesses, while flat-out refusing to shop with and through blacks.

I am sick of black women [and men] advocating such [a] blanket indictment against black businesses, professionals, etc. I am sick with it! There is no excuse in the world as to why you/we should not [be] support[ing] black businesses, professionals, and blacks working in establishments owned by non-blacks.

Has it ever occurred to you that black people are [still] largely in an unfavorable economic position--globally--because of the negative attitudes we harbor against our own people? Has it ever occurred to you that other races of people prosper because they [financially] support each other (they are trained culturally to do so)? Has it ever occurred to you that other races of people embrace their moral obligation--with pride--to successfully build economic foundations from which to thrive for their people? Has it occurred to you, yet, that it is this backwards way of thinking and doing that is keeping us from achieving prosperity in masses? "White" people aren't holding us back. We are!

Black people are a very capable people. We're just not collectively utilizing our resources to benefit our people.

Pay close attention here: Collectively, we are a sleeping economic giant. A white man's greatest fear is for a black man to ascertain and sustain economic parity or superiority, and a black [wo-]man's greatest fear is actually doing it. Crazy, ain't it?!

Why?

Because our economic salvation would be their economic sacrifice--somebody has to be on the bottom. I'm simply suggesting that we engage a real-time economic strategy to take [a] top tier.

Racism is not grounded in the color of one's skin. Racism is anchored by economics--BELIEVE THAT!

Let me bring something to your attention: I once served as a Membership Chairman for the Boy Scouts of America, a top Chicago Police Commander was my co-chair, and an ex-mayor of Chicago [Eugene Sawyer] was our District Chief.

One night, we were in a planning meeting for our district's boy scouts units--blacks, whites, Hispanics, men, women--from every profession you can name was in attendance. Intelligent people, right? Right! Then the question came up about where to hold our regular meetings. White guy says: "I don't think we should have our meetings [over here anymore] in black community because people will be too afraid to come over here." (Mind you: we were meeting in an upper-middle class, well-maintained black community in a church.)

The lady who, at that time, recruited [ex-mayor] Eugene Sawyer to become the District Chief spoke up and stated: "Too afraid? I can't believe you said that! You all come to the black community to open your businesses everyday, sells drugs and guns, and you all come over here to f---! You all need to stop telling that lie--too afraid...you all eat our cooking and our p---- to. So do not insult us like that ever again."

The point is: Whites, Arabs, Koreans, Indians, Egyptians, and anybody else you want to name come to the black community to open and do business, see [their] women, sell drugs and guns to our children, and otherwise engage in multiple activities. But what they won't do is give black people jobs or economic opportunities (and we're so stupid, we're okay with that). Out of all the groups of races named, whites are twice--three times--more likely to give black people jobs.

In Chicago, back in the 1980's, it was a black women's organization that forced the issue of Arabs and Koreans hiring black people--from whom they realize 100% of their revenues. And believe it or not, it was Rev. Jessie L. Jackson and Rev. Willie Barrow (Operation Push) that interceded on behalf of the Arabs to try and stop us from pressuring Arabs for jobs--can you believe that? BELIEVE IT! (One day in the near future, I'll will discuss the carpet-begging, robber-baron, so-called black leaders in the black community, especially here in Chicago--the ones who have been standing our our necks for 40+ years, sucking the life out of whole communities via mismanagement of anti-poverty funds and pretend civil rights movements.)

I'm pissed-off! I'm ready to fight!

For you I pray. I retreat to stay and fight another day.

Love, Saishe. Holla-back!