Quote:
Originally posted by Steeltrap
The author subtly touched upon something I've thought about for a while: the early civil rights movement overlooked economic empowerment as a goal. If we had economic empowerment and the ability to practice cooperative economics, the threat of ending affirmative action would be eased a bit, IMO.
|
To build from what you've said, I believe the Civil Rights Movement hurt us more than helped us. We were and are too busy trying to be accepted by whites, be their friend, and have what whites have (materially, ie clothes, cars, things with no value) that we were and are not focusing on what is most important. And that is building our own communities and businesses. If we had that, then a lot of our problems would be diminished. Maybe still existing, but diminshed.
When white people didn't accept us (not that they totally do today), then we did what we had to do. Meaning, we shopped at our own stores, ate at our own restaurants, lived in and took care of our own neighborhoods, supported our own schools, we helped one another out, etc. But once white people opened up to us (so to speak) then we felt we were too good for our own. I have a stupid friend with her stupid parents that tried to put down HBCUs (mind you she applied to one but didn't get accepted
. It's funny because she went to a state university and she's not doing too much with herself, whereas myself, boyfriend, friends, others from HBCUs that she knows; we are all making nice scratch working in our fields. [Disclaimer: No I am not comparing HBCUs to predominantly white schools.]) My point, if you're about business, you'll handle it anywhere be it HBCU or other. Anywho, I told her and her stupid parents that it is funny how HBCUs were opened at a time when we weren't allowed to go to school with whites but now that whites "include and accept us" there are Blacks who try and degrade our own institutions. I always say, "When white people give us a dime, we think we're millionaires."
Disclaimer: And no this does not pertain to people who choose to attend non-HBCUs but more those who openly degrade HBCUs.