MidwestDiva, Poplife is indeed eloquent and 95% right, but what she continues to miss when she states her case is that key 5% element that is always overlooked. Blacks are Americans, we are not immigrants. Immigrants make their money off of their own people because they have a shared culture and language where they feel comfortable doing business with. They also come from countries where the basic economic system is socialism or cooperative economics, not capitalism. We on the other hand are raised as capitalists. Best bang for the buck, quality, service etc. White America will buy from anyone for the same reasons. Jews "used to only patronize other Jews, for the younger ones, that is not so much the case now that they have fully integrated into society, as have Italians and Irish. This pipe dream of us being like an immigrant community will not happen, because we are Americans, not African immigrants of a single tribe, culture, and language without an ability to function outside of our own zenotype. Reality is much different than the lecture hall or the book store. We need to become competitive so that all American consumers will buy from us, not just us. White kids buy Fubu, Hip Hop,etc, they buy tickets to see Black athletes and artists perform because we are the best in those endeavors. When we start producing quality products and giving 5 star service, then we will compete.

POPLIFE:

You and I basically agree. So I won't argue.

Greetings and Salutations to my sweet, lovely Sorors. Hello to my sisterfriends, fellow greek members and guests!!! I have been very, very busy at work http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif And I am Blaaa-ck....

Anyhow, 1 woman: What you have been saying is very interesting to me. It appears you have a "corporate economic" foundation and must be a professional in this field!!! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

To ALL: sorry this is long... I might not get another chance to write in awhile. Don't read if you don't want enlightenment... http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/cool.gif

My question is this, why do we even want the Black dollar to stay in the Black community? More importantly, why isn't our dollars INVESTING in the black community? (What happened to Atlanta Life? or better yet that back over dere?) Why do you think that all we do when we get money is purchase goods and services from outsiders? There is a historical reason for that, right... Can you say, Black Wall Street in Oklahoma? Basically, for us negros, what is wrong with others economically profitting from us? "They've" been doing this to us for over 500 years, and we choose to stay in amerikkklan (don't leave massa), ... Do we think it's ever gonna change? http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/confused.gif

Also, the Pan Afrikannists believe there is an actual "government" sponsored discrimination act for the TOTAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT of an Afrikan centered community anywhere in this world... The "powers that be" bombed the coastline so that the former Afrikan slaves and their descendants could be repatriated in Liberia... Yet, they wanted us NOT to go for reasons I will not go into and because we were not allowed to build ships... Moreover that is why Marcus Garvey started his movement, and why WEB DuBois renounced his citizenship to become a Ghanian.

Presidents Jomo Kenyatta and Kwame Nkrumah actively sought fellow Afrikans stuck in amerikkklan to become a citizens of their countries, but the National Security Council along with the CIA and the United Nations squashed that idea, IMMEDIATELY!!! Calling them Communists. Only Kwame Ture and a few other families have conducted full repatriation or Re-Afrikanization...

What does this have to do with the price of tea in China?

We, the descendants of Afrikan slaves, do not have an identifiable "land" which we can call our own to provide CAPITAL for the Internationa Monetary Fund (IMF) and contract PROJECTS, like building shopping centers, freeways and basically FUND a building for CITY GOVERNMENTS!!! Like "Dey, gon' let us make a Co' hawse..." ALL other ethnic groups, including relocated continental Africans have that ability...

We are basing our economies on the concept of Ujamaa, cooperative econcomics, where in amerikkklan Capitalism, kill or be killed, the rat race, the survival of the fittest, the whatever you wanna call it, just name it Yurugu's money--- is name of the game. Better yet, "Give back to Caesar, what is Caesar's!!!"

I suggest some of you survey your dollar bills and try to understand where those symbols came from and why those symbols were put there... Uh, like there are no pyramids in the United States--and that chit in Vegas don't count 'cuz since it's been built its jacked up the weather and weird chit goes on in there... Ummm, like on that pyramid, the 3rd eye is present... Why?

It seems to me, IMO, that a lot of us are very ignorant about the functional usage of economic systems in the Europee-on (New ) world (order) view. WE negroes are consumers, they (Massas) are Investors...

But we can become investors! Just not under capitalism... Oh yeah, sure, there are many of us black folx who profit under capitalism--no system is perfect. And our complete economic freedom in a Yurugian world? Okay...

And if you don't think that this happens in the 21st century, you try contracting the purchase of building permits, override city zoning based on redistricting, eviction of "undesirables" with police help and having RUNNING water, no rolling blackout with your own generator electricity and no Ma.bell.com without capital investors and the Mayor's office in a Black neighborhood to help African Americans go on an exchange program in dance and drumming in Ghana... And the Black Neighborhood has yet to be gentrified!!! 'Cuz I tell ya', mines has been cut up real bad, and these cap. investors are snatchin' up land like it ain' t no tomorrow... And there are OCEANVIEWS and a rail line that will be very, very close to the NEW Baseball Ballpark being built and close enuf, nicely, to the active upscale downtown SoCal lifestyle... I sho do wish I had me dem $$$... http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/rolleyes.gif

Nuff sed...

Ok, I see what you are trying to say...

First off, I think that only a small number of black people feel obligated to support their own. Just look at the responses on this thread. Keeping that in mind, don't you think that the same ethic applies to the general public? The majority of blacks do not make a conscious effort to support their own. Just because a few people here say they do doesn't mean there is a large group of people that feel the same way. How can you tell the people here that they don't support their own 110%?? If they say they do then all anyone else can do is accept that. There are just not enough blacks that feel as strongly as them and that's the reasons why so many black projects fail.

Secondly, I guess no one ever mentioned that sometimes you shouldn't support black movies, music, and entertainment. I will not spend money or time on anything that does not depict my people well. We are not all single parent, ghetto dwelling, welfare collecting, slang spitting, womanizing, drug using, gun toting, hopeless, helpless, and hellish people. We are not all Sambo's, Uncle Tom's, and Aunt Sarah's. I will not support anything that portrays us as such.

I would have seen 'Bamboozled' but it was only in the movies here for a week. It was gone before I could get a day off. But keep in mind that many movies that 'flop' at the box office make up for it when they are available for rental. Besides, I buy anything Maya writes. I have all of Terry McMillion's books as well. I say if you paid to rent "Waiting to Exhale', saw it at the theater, or bought then book you supported her.

Oh well, back to reality. Poplife, I really hate to beat a dead horse, but I spend plenty of money with my people. I patronize Blacks as much as possible and practice ujaama consistently. The dollars in my church community continually recycle. My church owns a mall which is inhabited by businesses owned completely by A.As. I used to keep my money at a B.O bank (United Bank in Phila.) The brothers in my chapter constantly refer each other and use each others services. Drs,lawyers, investment counselors, real estate agents,ob gyns, contractors, you name it. Maybe, my reality is different.

LOL. I believed you when you said it the first time.

But yes, your reality is very different from other black people's. My county is mostly black and every black mall/shopping center that has been started here has failed. I would say money was the problem but my area is FILLED with black professionals.

I want to open my business where I was raised, but I wonder who would come. I think too many black people are going to go else where because they don't trust blacks to begin with. Many of them are already convinced that a white/asian/arab business is better before they even set foot in your office.

This is a discussion my friends and I often have...

It is interesting that many of us say "we won't shop in or buy from a black business if their service is bad" What do you consider bad service? I consider bad service going to an Asian nail shop once or twice every two weeks where they talk about you from the time you walk in the door until the time you leave (in their own language) but you come back on a regualar basis. I don't even get my nails done but many of us know that they are talking about us and jokes are even made about it but does that stop us from supporting that Asian business? NO!
Is this not the same as going to a BOB and coming across someone with an attitude or so called receiving bad service? yet we will never go there again and tell our friends to do the same but the minute someone asks about those nails we're happy to give out the name, address, hours, etc...

Just a Thought


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29 Jewels of N.V. # 1
Delta Delta Chapter

Tanzanite,

Very thought provoking.


By the way, I love that stone! ;-)

Hey, AKA_Monet, I just re-read this post and saw your comment. (FYI, LiberatedQueen was formerly known as 1 Woman of Virtue, I had to change it) Actually, I am not a corporate professional, I will be starting law school this fall. The reason economics interests me so much is because Black folks got all of the apologies in the world for slavery. White folks "realized" it was wrong and said "ooops, sorry." So while they apologized for the immorality of slavery (and jim crowe, and lynching, etc.) they never made amends for the economics of slavery. I never heard of abolitionists who boycotted slave-made products (they may have, and if anyone has info on this please share). Slavery was a mulit billion dollar industry...yet we never even got our damn mule, let alone 40 acres. So white america had 2 arenas to recompense for 1- the immorality, 2- (and most important to me) economically.

Oh and DoggyStyle, I live in DC, and have lived in New York. The El Salvadoreans (sp?) have no qualms buying from the Dominicans, neither do the Puerto Ricans take issue w/ buying from Cubans. Haven't you heard of this new immerging Latin take over? Just like the Indians (those from Bangalore may hate those from New Delhi, when they are in India. But as soon as they get over here, they will purchase a 7-eleven together just as soon as you can bat an eye). They may disagree over lessor cultural differences, but when it is time to support their own, "own" means anyone who speaks Spanish. And "support" means buying their own and staying true to their own, no matter what.

AKA_Monet, it is obvious that you are on that "Next Level", and I appreciate the depth of thought in your comments. If only more of us could see the importance of getting there...


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"If you do not understand White Supremacy (Racism) - what it is, and
how it works - everything else that you understand, will only confuse
you."
-Neely Fuller, Jr.

[This message has been edited by LiberatedQueen (edited August 06, 2001).]

I'm sho hoping somebody said this already. Poplife; you da shyt girl! They just don't understand; do they? The game in America is Monopoly; and we STILL don't know how to play!!! That's why we are more dependent on everybody else than this country is on OPEC for oil! That is also why ANY group of people in the world can open corner-stores in our neighborhoods and sell us expired food, beer and wine, and get away with it! One poison after another! It is clear that crack would not be found in certain neighborhoods in my city; that kinda shyt is reserved for the blacks! This is the kinda shyt they actually think because they see we care less for our lives, families, and neighborhoods than THEY DO! It takes the same kinda attitude not to care what goes on on your corner as it does to not support our black businesses!

Phuck ameriga! It's phuckin' us on the hour! And we betta hurry and wake up before they try and put us into the new-school slavery!