Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 7, 1994 TAG: 9411150048
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF ARTIS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Live our lives according to the standard practices and beliefs of an established religion while encouraging others to do the same. We must get our spiritual house in order.
Money, sex, crime, gangs, drugs, guns, cars and other material things are the gods of many people in the black community, especially with our young. We are paying the price for these people's beliefs in their false idols. Regardless of what religion we practice, any religion is better than none.
Renounce the practice of racism and/or discrimination by any people against the black community or of the black community against other people.
How can we scream about racism and discrimination while practicing and/or endorsing those doctrines ourselves? Yes, black racism is largely a reaction to white racism. That does not make it right.
Raise our children with the belief they are special. Because they are special.
They can accomplish anything they wish with hard work and determination in spite of the racism and discrimination they will encounter. We must teach our children how to overcome racism and discrimination instead of allowing them to be brainwashed into believing they always will be victims of it.
Support black capitalism and black economic development.
These efforts are the key in assuring the survival of the black community in the 21st century and beyond. Quite frankly, money talks. He who uses it wisely gains social, political and economic power. The black community has the money. We must now use it wisely, even if it means refusing to do business with those companies who make the products we think we can't do without.
Economic power is the key to political power. Economic power comes through ownership. The black community, by itself, represents a Top 10 consumer nation. The markets are in place. Do we develop our own markets, or do we allow others to, leading to the further colonization of the black community?
Support political candidates who will work in the best interest of the black community once elected, regardless of political party affiliation.
The fact that a political candidate is a Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative, man or woman, black or white, is irrelevant. Is the candidate going to work in the best interest of the black community? If the answer is yes, we should support him.
Support just punishment for both violent and nonviolent crime, while supporting prison rehabilitation that includes educational and job-training programs to be completed before the individual is released back into society.
The causes of criminal behavior have become justifications for criminal behavior. This is compounded when, upon release from jail or prison, the person has no job skills or education and the person is denied opportunities because of his criminal past. Then, we complain when the person becomes a criminal again. Lock up the criminals and rehabilitate them.
Teach our children both moralistic and realistic approaches in the area of interpersonal relationships, while condemning social practices detrimental to the black community.
There is nothing wrong with parents setting limits for their children. There is nothing wrong with parents telling boyfriends, "I will kick your behind if you get my daughter pregnant," and meaning it. There is nothing wrong with parents instilling the virtues of right and wrong in their children. There is nothing wrong with parents simply doing their job.
Work to bring an end to the assembly-line educational process in our public school systems.
Our public schools do the black community a disservice by passing our children through the system without educating them. The black community sells our children out by allowing this to happen. If a student does the work, he should pass. If he doesn't do the work, or can't do the work, he should fail. If he refuses to conform to the behavioral standards of the school, he should be put out.
Dedicate ourselves to being strong black men and strong black women who work to overcome racism and discrimination instead of being victims of it.
There are times when members of the black community become so preoccupied with racism and discrimination that we render ourselves impotent, telling ourselves, "I'm black. What's the use?" We should be telling ourselves, "If other generations succeeded under far worse conditions, so can I." Others will feed off of our success.
Listen to those who offer possible solutions to problems facing the black community regardless of religious, political or organizational affiliation.
There is a movement afoot demanding that members of the black community disassociate ourselves from individuals and/or organizations that are unpopular with groups outside of the black community because these individuals and/or groups are viewed as racist and anti-Semitic.
While this may be true, these groups constitute a large portion of the black community, while offering programs that, if adopted or modified, would help the black community overcome many of the problems facing us as we enter the next century. Those groups outside of the black community are offering nothing in the way of programs, particularly self-help programs that would help the black community become more self-sufficient.
If groups outside of the black community want us to disassociate ourselves from unpopular black groups who use unpopular rhetoric, they need to stop preaching and trying to dictate to the black community whom we can associate with, and offer their own programs that work. Those groups outside of the black community need to realize that just because we include someone in our discussions on how to improve our way of life does not mean we are going to adopt philosophies and rhetoric that are racist and/or anti-Semitic. This type of thinking by those outside of the black community is, in itself, racist.
The time has come for members of the black community to take control of our own destiny. We must do this ourselves. We cannot wait for government or the political good will of others to help us control what is ours. We can only do this by declaring war on those problems that ail us.
Jeff Artis of Roanoke is editor of The Black Conservative Newsletter.
by CNB