[The Original Ape]

In my humble opinion, people assume that all black people are black, and that they think collectively. There are many people here in this country that don't identify with "black" anything; and they are dark as the darkest people in Africa. These people identify with the wider society believing the wider society will provide them greater love and opportunity than they could get hangin' out with their own kind. Due to the many ideologies held by dark people in this country, it is almost impossible for us to be "empowered" because we are not even "we" yet. I'd rather have 9 conscious people with me than 900 unconscious people behind me expecting a variety of outcomes. Empowerment? To be empowered, a group needs ownership of a commodity, or commodities, or must have a monopoly on a certain service. People of South America control the world's coffee, and tobacco supply; the Japanese-well, yall know they control the auto industry. Africa controls nothing; and the African-American (black baby boomers) is dying. The only commodity we held was labor; and today that's in jeopardy thanks to out-sourcing. We have no power because we aren't WE yet.

As for the religious point; I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole. There is only one judge, and I think I'll let HIM determine the best way for us to honor him.