1. The economy has tanked...I am sure that since African Americans are the last hired and first fired we are really beginning to feel the bite of a monumental blunder.
2. Balanced budgets are a thing of the past.
3. Hundreds of thousands of americans have lost most or all of their retirement funds and their jobs because of mis-management...to put it mildly
4. A constant diet of war talk.. that does nothing to help the above situations.
All of the above will and is having an effect on each individual--economically and emotionally-
wheather the individual recognizes it or not but I am sure it will affect African Americans much worse than the general public
because we have a whole set of internal problems that we refuse to deal with in good times or bad times that makes us more vulnerable to the economic and social ills listed above..
If this nation gets the sniffles we catch pneumonia.
I will deal, briefly, with four of our internal problems that we must correct if we are to survive as a viable entity.
1. Individulism
We are nation of 40 million people or more. in many cities we are 30% to 50% or more of the population but because of our individulism our communities are owned and controlled by people outside our communities.
These people work as groups and finds ways to consolidate their resources to own and control.
This individual approach we have bought into wont allow us to consolidate our resources,
set standard or work together for the betterment of the whole.
We must begin, as a group to control our assets or we will forever be buffered by any wind that blows our way.
Good stewards of our resources
When we speak of resources many of us think of money.
Money is high on the list but more importantly are our children.
We allow to many of our children to fall through the cracks of life then complain when they turn out less than perfect.
Many of our children that fall through the cracks of life are exceptionally bright.
Others that makes it through because of their genius are drawn away from the race that birthed and gave it its genius because we did not instill in them the group philosophy.
They only return when their star fade.
Money resources
We have no shortage of money in our race but we have a shortage of financial common sense.
We have the money to purchase businesses, homes, support colleges, and have large banks all over this country but in all these areas we are at the bottom.
Not for the lack of money but the lack of priorties..
We must buy homes and businesses start and save in our own banks.
We must stop supporting check cashing places, rent to own, number and casinos that we don't own and get no return on your money..
If we would take a small portion and invest in stock, mutual funds, iras or other investments
Not only would we realize some control over our assets but we would be setting standards for our children to follow.
We don't have to be blown over by any wind that comes our way we can be the wind that blows...
Its up to us AND WE CAN CHANGE THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS....U WITH IT...I AM