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THE KKK SAYS RAPPERS AND THE HIP HOP MOVEMENT ARE DOING A BETTER JOB OF BRINGING DOWN BLACK FOLK THAN THEY ARE.
Freedom of creative expression is a wonderful thing. And who would have thought that the Klan and the Hip Hop Movement were unconscious comrades in arms. The history of the Klan has been to do everything possible to keep Black folk from living the American dream. Lynching, castrations, the incineration of Black people and their property and the killing of innocent people have been part of the KKK’s agenda in keeping Black folk in check. The idea was to keep us from participating in getting an education, decent employment, livable housing, and from participating in the political process.
What’s interesting is how young Black folk within the Hip Hop Movement have picked up the mantle of KKK thinking of oppressing their own people. A list of the images of Black folk that many in the Hip Hop Movement hold are: 1) To get an education is trying to be White. The KKK thought the same way after Slavery, and with the help of Jim Crow Laws, often made it illegal for Black people to get an education. 2) Black people who make it to positions of success `aren’t really Black’. How is it Black folk can question whether Barack Obama is Black enough, when he would have as much trouble trying to catch a cab in New York as any other person of color. 3) No Black person deserves respect and Black life is devalued. These folks do drive-by shootings, with little to no concern for the innocent people they may strike with bullets. This comes from a lack of self respect. They don’t believe they have much value and treat other Blacks the same way. To kill other Black folks is somehow okay to these people. These folks speak of respect without giving it. Convoluted? No doubt!
Now, this e-mail I recently received about the KKK and their disbanding because Black folk were doing the job so well, there was no longer a need for the KKK. Although this email was probably a hoax, a lot of truth was spoken here. Take a look!
The KKK Disbands: Leaves Their Job To Black Folks
The KKK leader stepped to the podium, his hood lowered around his shoulders and a look of disgust on his face.He said, "Sorry guys but this will be our last meeting; we're going out of business." A member stood up in back. "But why
sir?" The leader sighed, "Well, reverend, the Blacks are doing a better job getting rid of themselves than we ever did, so we are no longer needed."
There were rumblings and protest. The leader raised his hand to silence the Klan members, and said, "Their rap music says more vile things about Black women than we ever thought of." The members grudgingly nodded in approval. The Imperial Dragon continued: "And their women write books and make songs that demean black men better than my two speech writers ever could, looking down at two men seated in front who lowered their heads. "They shoot each other constantly ", he continued;" And as a group, they spend a huge amounts of money on cars, liquor, that stuff they call bling bling, and the proliferation of rap music -- as they talk about all that in their magazines -- and nobody needs us to talk about how a lot of their sorry butts keep playing the race and victim cards while complaining that other groups are surpassing them in economic development and supposedly getting more attention in schools. Hell, they even support a so-called "Black Hair" DVD that a white man is making money on, in four sequels at $20.00 a pop. They talk about how
Koreans have taken over the "black hair" industry, without acknowledging that Black entrepreneurs had 100 years to get a monopoly or entrenchment in the industry that Madam C.J Walker founded 100 years ago, but got out-hustled and
out-strategize, while spending investment capital elsewhere. Let's face it, they're being hoisted by their own petards."! Some members went looking for dictionaries, while most members nodded as it hit them that their job was finished; that Blacks had become their own worst enemy.
The leader shook his head. "It's time to go back to our regular lives as policemen, judges and congressmen, and leave the business of getting rid of Blacks to Blacks. They are just better at it than us." He then threw his hood on the ground
and walked off the stage. Thus ended the last KKK meeting.
Now I don’t believe for a minute that this email is true. But the things in it has to make any Black person, with a sense of their own self worth, take notice. Sure racism exists, however Black people are as much responsible for the obstacles to our success as the racists at this stage due to our beliefs about ourselves. There are things happening in the Black community that are totally in our control for which we aren’t taking responsibility.
As long as we think knowledge is the property of White folks, we are doomed as a people. As Tabacco always says in his blog (quoting Kathleen Turner in the movie Body Heat), KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! And if I might add, it belongs to no one.
How many times do we have to see friends, relatives, and family have babies without men being there first hand with their families, and see these families struggle, before you say to yourself, THERE’S GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY. How many generations of children have to repeat these same errors before their parents teach them otherwise?
I get scholarship offers at least twice a week for minority Americans students who want to go to college but don’t have the money. Too many Black folk, especially Black men, are not taking advantage of what’s available. This is not the White man getting in the way – WE HAVE TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR. What has happened to the ethic that used to be in our community regarding the importance of going to school, and later college?
We have to work on learning who and what we are. Parenting is a crucial matter. Why is the Black community bereft of parental training services considering the number of our young men who go to prison and how little parenting seems to be happening in many communities? Why do we allow the criminal justice system, prisons (which are controlled by mainly Whites), and ex-cons to set the agenda for our neighborhoods and children? A lack of self worth and self love? Ignorance?
If you take the language of many young Black folk today, you’ll see it’s not that much different than any racist talking about Black folk. We demean our women with disrespectful language, demean our fellow Black brothers, and disrespect our own children by not being there as parents and guiding them to have a better life than our own.
Aids is of epidemic proportions in many of our neighborhoods. Responsible behavior is not something we have to ask White folks for – it’s in our grasp, under our control.
In New York, my clients are virtually all White. White folks see the value in the service I offer, whereas when I enter many Black establishments to sell my services, I’m greeted with as much contempt as I would be with a racist. 'A prophet is a prophet everywhere but in his own home town.'
The proportion of Black folk who believe other Black folk have nothing of value to offer is tremendous. It’s one of the problems that Barack Obama is having in drawing Black folk from Hillary Clinton. Black folk have historically believed White folks to have more value than us. This could be an albatross for Obama. Only the bling (jewelry), the cheddar (money), what you drive, what you drink, and what labels you wear are of any value in the Black community – at least according to the videos! Why do we want to perpetuate these images? The lionshare of the cash is still going to the White man.
Collectively, Black folk need to take a look within to come in line with their true identity which can free them from the chains still on the brain. Black folk are some of the most creative people in this country, with the White population getting more credit for our creations in money and power. This will only change when we start to believe in who and what we are. This will not come without taking the time to look within. Black folk tend to be some of the most religious people in this country, but as much as we love Jesus/Christ, we are being misled about His Message. Churches tend to teach us HOW TO BE A FAN OF CHRIST, but we are doing little with respect to His Message regarding our true identity (in Spirit) and the power we have because of it.
Racism in America will change when Black people begin to see ourselves the way the Spirit sees us. The current view is despicable!
QUESTION EVERYTHING! THAT'S WHERE THE TRUTH RESIDES. USE YOUR PERSONAL POWER.
Hey Capt. I recollect one evening viewing one of those award shows on BET
with my sister and it shocked me when Katt Williams supported Michael Vick
for his act towards Canines. I thought it was a bit puzzling that he
encouraged everyone to support Vick, even though he did such a
controversial act. Williams supported his statement by convincing the
audience that everyone else had abandoned Vick, so the black community must
stick up for him. The shocking part was the complete acceptance, without
any constructive criticism or guilt. I think that was an in the moment
effect and his intentions were good, as we all have faults as humans. Never
the less, generally speaking, maybe we all as humans, have to stop making
excuses for ourselves.
Solid observations, Liz! In your mentioning of Vick, I understood that
Vick had been involved in something wrong - I had no problem with him
facing the justice system. What was bazaar was demonizing him like he was
responsible for as many deaths as our President. Yet, you don't hear folks
talking about Bush in the vile way they do of Vick. He didn't invent dog
fighting, which has a long history in this country, Black, White & Latino.
And if dog fighting is so wrong, why hasn't the effort been made to clean
it up thoroughly.