reactive vs. proactive

[pearlsNivy]

I want to pose a question to anyone caring to respond. On a different topic, Discogodess wondered what things would be like if African-Americans were as politically active as Cuban-Americans. I too had given some thought to how different things would have been on CNN this morning(the whole Elian thing)if the events had taken place in a similar Af-Am neighborhood. Honestly, the thought of how that reality would have played out was frightening.

My question to you is: Why as a people do many African-Americans respond to any given situation reactively instead of proactively?

It bugs me to work everyday with people who do not vote but have so much to complain about. (By the way I am employed by DSS working directly with AFDC recipients.) I'm bothered by the number of people who have not as of last week returned their Census forms. I know that what I'm saying might seem hard, but if I had to depend on a welfare check, even for a little while, I'd want to know that the people in office were there because I helped get them there and that hopefully, they would act in my best interest. I know a lot of people said the Census long form asked for too much information. And truthfully, I never expected some of the questions it asked (I received a long form), but I bought into what was being put out there by the Tom Joyner Morning Show. "If you get missed, you get dissed!" How can you be helped if no one knows you are there?

I kind of got away from my original question. What I want to know is why, as a people, do we react instead of being proactive?

I can't wait to hear from you all!

(Can we tell that we just got internet at my house? Look to hear from pearlsNivy a lot more often. Sweet Pink'n'Green dreams!)

[darling1]

Hello sisterfriends. I hope that you have enjoyed this Resurrection Day. The Elian Gonzalez situation has been on my mind for a few weeks now. As a Spanish major, I am learning alot about the various dictatorship that existed in Latin America and currently continue. As much as I want to think the best of my people I am not sure that we will be totally proactive. I don't think that it will be possible because many of us still sit and are waiting for the 40 acres and a mule, others choose to think that the last 400+ years never existed. All of us will have a reaction when one of us has been wrong but it may just stop at that.

Do not be fooled, although the Latin American people seem to have that proactive spirit, there are many cultures who have been influenced by Europeans and choose to sweep things under the rug. I recently watched a foreign language film entitled The Official Story which addresses this issue. From my conversations with various professors I have been told that one of the many problems that L. America has is that the affluent do not reinvst their money into the communities. It is as if they want to horde it, so the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. That is the one think about our people that is different, we have that entrepeneurial (sp?) spirit. I can go on and on about this because this is such an exciting topic for me. I hope that this discussion will continue. God Bless

[deja]

AKAtude,

You are so very right! Most "well to do" African-Americans very seldom use the "boot strap method". I live in Matthews, it is the suburbs of Charlotte. My family and I live in a predominately white community. The few African-American neighors I do have think of me as weird because I often invite students over to assist with the process to college. Most of the students I help are Black and from the, what Charlotte refers to as, "The Center-City".

Helping my students/young people gives me great joy. I may appear to be somewhat successful to the world...but the little success I have acquired is nothing unless you share it. I am proud to say that in 1997, when living overseas, I assisted several Black students with obtaining full scholarships. To this date, out of the 10, 8 have a 3.5 or above, the other 2 are at a 3.0. WE EVEN GAINED A BEAUTIFUL NEW SOROR OUT OF THE DEAL! SHE IS THE VICE-PRES. OF HER CHAPTER....brings tears to my eyes.

I said all of that to say, if we just give a little it could amount to huge success. EACH ONE TEACH ONE!

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TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN....MUCH IS EXPECTED.

[Discogoddess]

I think that blacks are locked into the defensive/reactive posture because we spend too much time listening to the political "leadership," which profits from reactive policies, rather than chart our own course on the economic/business offensive/proactive. Though I truly believe there are still political/legal battles to be defended/won, I think that the black agenda in this century must center on economic empowerment. I have never expected our government, though we've fought and died for its defense since its' inception, to do a 180 degree turn and start proactively supporting the goals of its black citizens. Thus, we must do it ourselves!

How? Stop consuming so much; establish and grow large-scale black businesses, especially manufactoring and information-based firms; recruit and retain talented black professionals in those businesses; spend/invest money in those businesses; invest money in U.S. and global markets, especially AFRICAN/LATIN AMERICAN/ASIAN markets; rehab and revitalize black urban and rural communities through home ownership and civic works; cultivate black philanthropic support of black cultural and educational institutions on the same level as we have religious institutions; save/invest for the college educations of every child in your family (extended family as well); recognize and celebrate black achievement in fields OTHER than sports and music; form collective economic units to accomplish any or all of the aforementioned goals; and PAY OFF ALL CREDIT DEBT!

[This message has been edited by Discogoddess (edited April 24, 2000).]

[AKAtude]

Well said DG. I also would like to add that the socioeconomic gap between blacks in this country is widening. The problem I have with that is that some blacks on the upper end of that scale don't look back to help the others cross the bridge, so to speak. We have to work together and support one another.

[Discogoddess]

Soror Deja, that is excellent! You are a living example of what you believe in, and that is commendable.

I would add your actions to my list of black economic empowerment tools: nurture and actively assist young black people in post-secondary educational endeavors.

Well done, soror!

Sisterly,

DG