Now a Brother Can't Even Go To Church...

By Heru Ammen

Barack Obama's association with Trinity United Church of Christ is an asset. Although a few white neo-conservatives are trying to make something out of nothing regarding this, most Americans "overstand" that Black love and unity does not equate to white hate. Nor is it the proverbial slippery slope to that end.

It's interesting to note that other cultures that exist in this country (Asians, Latinos, Jews...etc.) teach and preach the same type of cultural unity and love message in their communities, churches, temples and synagogues and their isn't any negative connotation associated with their message and that is as it should be. To this reader, its more of the same "fear of a black planet" syndrome that some whites have when it comes to anything positive coming out of our communities that seeks to empower the people that exist them.

Their has always been and probably will always be whites and like minded Afro-Saxons who will complain about the problems in African American communities (as they continue to place the blame upon African Americans for the conditions that currently exist in urban communities). What's ironic is they also complain when organizations or individuals actually stand in the gap for and create empowerment opportunities within our communities.

A Solution For Socio-Economic Impotence

By H. Jerome Williams, II

Urban communities in American are being destroyed. Poverty, ignorance induced-mental atrophy, crime and violence has penetrated, permeated, and obliterated what were once culturally enriching and economically viable areas. The reasons for this deterioration are many-fold. Economically, urban areas lack the commercial infrastructure to support economic growth and vitality. In nearly all urban communities, commerce beyond food, guns, alcoholic beverages, illicit drugs, hair care, and entertainment is virtually non-existent. Financial institutions in most urban areas are limited to check cashing facilities, tax return storefronts, and high interest charging pay-day lending "institutions."

Educational opportunities are limited at best. In most urban areas, less than fifty-percent of the majority population of African Americans and Hispanics are homeowners. Additionally property tax values in urban areas are ten to thirty percent less than property tax values in the suburbs for comparable housing. This disparity contributes to the lack of adequate funding (tax dollars) for schools in urban areas, which directly affects the quality of education in urban areas. Employment opportunities in urban areas are scarce as businesses have left/are leaving and relocating to the suburbs only to return when urban areas go through the process of gentrification.

Many African Americans from academia, religion, and politics have discussed and continue the discussion ad infinitum, of "what to do" about urban America. As they talk (and posture I might add), the problems in urban areas get worse. A few organizations and individuals have actually developed successful programs to combat the lack of education and economic opportunities in urban areas. Unfortunately funding issues hamper many of these programs and severely limits their scope of operation and outreach.

As our educators, clergy, and politicians continue to discuss, preach, have meetings, and attend seminars pontificating about the problems that exist within our communities, African Americans continue to die, continue to be incarcerated, continue to be abused, continue to be under-educated, and continue to live in poverty stricken and systemically violently communities. If hot air was a commodity, our so called black leaders would be some of the wealthiest individuals in the world. Unfortunately for our communities, hot air is less effective and worth less than cheap air freshener in a greyhound bus station bathroom.

What we need is less talking and more action focused upon eliminating the causes and effects of poverty. This can be accomplished through cooperation and collaboration among groups and individuals from academia and business at the community level. One needn't look no further than the web to see the effectiveness of a group engaging in actions that are focused in solving issues to reach a common goal. The world wide web is an excellent example and a direct result of (mostly) voluntary based cooperation amongst large groups of people. Common Based Peer Production is a term used to define this type of cooperation. In the PDF formatted book "Common Based Peer Production and Virtue" written by Yochai Benkler and Helen Nessenbaum, "the hallmark of this socio-technical system is the collaboration among large groups of individuals...who cooperate effectively to provide information, knowledge or cultural goods without relying on either market pricing or managerial hierarchies to coordinate their common enterprise."

Paraphrasing Mr. Benkler and Ms. Nessenbaum, the hallmark of addressing the socio-economic and socio-technical disparities (if you will) found within our urban communities will be the collaboration among groups of African American educators, technophiles, entrepreneurs, and clergy, and motivating them to cooperate effectively to provide information, knowledge, funding, and goods and services to our communities without relying upon traditionally ineffective black leadership and group think hierarchies to coordinate their common enterprise.In other words, we must disengage ourselves from that which has proven to be ineffective and embrace a system of cooperation and collaboration that relies upon the unfettered dissemination of knowledge, goods and services.

We cannot continue to support the so called black leaders and organizations that are ineffective in addressing and fomenting solutions to eliminate poverty within our urban communities. They've had forty years to "talk" about solutions. African Americans communities need tangible solutions now! Quite frankly, I'm tired of watching the impotence exhibited of our so called black leadership. We have the resources, financial and otherwise to bring change to our communities and it is time we put those resources to work for the betterment of our communities.

The Constructs of Racism

Institutional racism in America is perpetuated through the constructs of religion, culture and communication. Institutionalized racism results primarily in a skewed perception of self by the victim. In America religion and culture have become symbols of the perceived superiority of the european mindset. Because of the effects of racism, people of color; especially a great number of African-Americans, identify themselves through a European mindset in terms of their religious beliefs, cultural edifices, and icons. Thus if anything or anyone challenges that mindset, the aforementioned African-Americans will react as negatively and vociferously to and against that challenge as would the white racist.

We see the aforementioned reaction anytime an African American stands up against the status quo. When Dr. Martin Luther King took up the banner of civil rights in the 1950's, there were only a handful of Black churches and organizations that stood with him. An example of that fact is that out of the hundreds of black churches that existed in Birmingham Alabama in the fifties and sixties, only 14 allowed Dr. King and all of the other civil rights leaders and organizations to meet in and use their facilities. This ratio was par for the course throughout the south.

When Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X began to teach and live the NOI's version of Islam, so-called black leaders joined white apologist in condemning both men as black racists and accused them in engaging in hate mongering. When Jim Brown, (who was arguably the greatest running back in NFL history) abruptly retired from the NFL at the peak of his physical ability, (due to his lack of freedom to pursue an acting career) he was roundly criticized by whites and blacks alike for his perceived arrogance. Other African-Americans from Marcus Garvey to Dr. Huey P. Newton to Minister Louis Farrakhan faced the same criticism and contempt by their own people for stepping outside of and/or challenging the status quo of institutionalized racism.

The constructs of skin color, class, racism, and religion is what defines modern white culture. These constructs were/are created to define who whites were in relation to who they "perceived" others to be. Color definitions as defined by and through a european/white mindset, and the resulting institutional racism borne from a sense of cultural and intellectual superiority established within that mindset has been used to marginalized people and cultures of color.

The fact that institutionalized racism still exists in America can no longer be used as an excuse to not move forward by those of us that know better. We cannot continue to sit upon the sidelines watching the socio-economic destruction and the spiritual debasement of our people. We who call ourselves enlightened must begin to engage and discuss; and then we must act.

We must engage, discuss, and act from an African-Centered Mindset. That means we must embrace those things we have have in common and stop bickering over the few things that keep us separated. We must also redeploy our assets and rebuild our communities through education, communication, and commerce. We must agree not to impede the progress of those that we may have philosophical or religious disagreements with as long as they bring assets we can all utilize and build upon. This is the African way. Live it, embrace it, and prosper from it!

Urban Victims, The New Crack Syndrome – Part I

Part I of a four-part series entitled “The African-Centered Family.”

By Heru Ammen

”As for the man without experience who listens not, he effects nothing whatsoever. He sees knowledge in ignorance, profit in loss; he commits all kinds of error, always accordingly choosing the contrary of what is praiseworthy. He lives on that which is mortal, in this fashion. His food is evil words, whereat he is filled with astonishment. That which the great know to be mortal he lives upon every day, flying from that which would be profitable to him, because of the multitude of errors which present themselves before him every day.”

Excerpted from “The Precepts of Ptah-Hotep”

The negative cultural dynamics that affect our urban communities are played out daily in the form of negative words, deeds, and actions. Violence and abuse (mental, physical, and especially sexual) which is primarily directed at women, children, and teens perpetuates a destructive template that desensitizes and dehumanizes its victims.

Those that survive the above madness often suffer from a post-traumatic syndrome induced malaise that numbs them to the effects of abuse and violence. The abuse and all that accompanies it has become the normal socio-psycho template for urban communities. Because the aforementioned abuse will likely occur over and over again, the resulting malaise is a survival and coping mechanism that insulates the victim from having to suffer through the natural emotional stages (i.e., hurt, anger, realization, healing) associated with being constantly abused.

Society cannot reasonably expect the majority of the individuals that exist within this type of urban environment to come out of it unscathed. This is especially true regarding children. Children are the most vulnerable and are the ones that are most likely to be abused. Young boys and girls are often the target of sexual predators. They are preyed upon by teens and adults; many of whom were once themselves victims of sexual and physical abuse. I believe that the rise in African Americans under the age of thirty-five identifying themselves, being labeled as or exhibiting the behavioral characteristics of a bisexual, gay, lesbian, pimp, ho, or player, is directly related to the sexual abuse that they endured as children and teens.

Before anyone goes on a tangent and accuse me of gay bashing, let me be clear regarding my position. Since the days of ancient Greece, there have always been and will always be a small percentage of individuals that identify themselves as gay or lesbian within what was once ancient African and is now the African American community. Whether one is born that way or makes a conscious choice to be gay or lesbian does not matter (to me). However there is a difference between being born and/or choosing to be gay and being sexually abused as a child and continuing that behavior as an adult. The former is a conscious decision based upon a genetic predisposition and/or a choice. The latter is a learned behavior based upon forced coercion and abuse.

This cycle of abuse and the resulting predatory behavior is so prevalent and entrenched within urban America that it has become a culture unto itself. Yet we find nary a public figure, minister, or so called Black Leader addressing this issue with the fervor and the sense of urgency that it deserves. Urban America has become an environement which perpetuates the generational condition which I term the New Crack Syndrome; where one is born as nothing more that a potential victim of physical and sexual abuse and grows up to emulate the behavior of their abuser.

The African-Centered Family - Introduction

“When a son receives the instruction of his father there is no error in all his plans. Train your son to be a teachable man whose wisdom is agreeable to the great. Let him direct his mouth according to that which has been said to him; in the docility of a son is discovered his wisdom. His conduct is perfect while error carries away the unteachable. Tomorrow knowledge will support him, while the ignorant will be destroyed.”

Excerpted From “The Precepts of Ptah-Hotep”

Introduction to a four-part series entitled “The African-Centered Family.”

By Heru Ammen

There are moments when a man’s spirit and soul are tested to the very core of his being. It is inevitable that if a man lives long enough he will come upon a moment when failing to answer the call of one of life’s many challenges is not an option. As such, there is no challenge greater or one that has more significance in a man’s life than accepting and embracing the responsibility to shape and mold his son into a man. In America, no job is harder or more demanding for an African American male than to traverse the system of blocks and obstacles placed within his path and maneuver his male progeny into a position to succeed in life.

An excellent example of the quintessential African-Centered father can be found in the person and progeny of the late Earl Woods. The world saw the culmination of his handiwork on display this summer at the British Open Golf Tournament in the person of Eldrick “Tiger” Woods and it was a masterpiece to behold. The greatness that is Tiger Woods is a direct reflection of and in direct proportion with the greatness that was Earl Woods.

For this writer greatness is not quantified by how many golf tournaments Tiger wins. The greatness that is Tiger Woods is quantified by his success at meeting the challenges that fame has brought upon him. There is no doubt whatsoever that his golf game is superior. However what impresses me is the humbleness and humility of his persona. It would be easy for Tiger to toot his own horn. But the fact that Tiger goes about his business with a quiet and Zen like discipline is a testament to the values that his father, the late Earl Woods instilled within him.

What a man teaches his son will affect the global family. When there is no man to teach the son the principles of how to order one’s conduct as a man should, the global family suffers. Our communities suffer because at this point in our history there are very few male-female familial infrastructures that exist within our communities. A women, even one who is spiritually strong and lives within and teaches right knowledge cannot offer her male child all that is required for him to become a man. Intuitively a male child will be drawn to the actions and mindset of the males that culturally predominate his community. As such, he becomes that which he sees and experiences and much of what is seen and experienced today is of a negative nature.

In the next the weeks to come the Urban Village Blog & Commentary will explore the issues that have hurt the traditional African American family and caused it to become almost non-existent within our communities. We will also explore the solutions that can be employed to reconstruct the African American family unit into the spiritual and economically viable entity that it once was, and how doing so will cause the reformation of a great African-Centered culture and society.

Another Example of The Afro-Saxon Mentality

Star Parker, the writer of the above linked article pontificates eloquently about her disdain for the Spike Lee documentary that clearly exposed the ineptitude of BushCo. Like most Afro-Saxons, she would rather wax nostagically about so-called traditional american values as opposed to seeing the facts as the vast majority of Americans clearly saw them.

The fact is that the Bush Administration sat on their rosy scented posteriors for five days and did nothing while Americans dehydrated, drowned, starved, died, and marinated into premium maggot feed in the hot Mississippi Delta sun. There is absolutely nothing one can say to dispute the above facts and no amount of obfuscation, victim blame game, or thinly veiled and/or glibly lame racist rhetoric will ever take away from those facts.

In her attempt to appease her neo-con base, Ms. Parker fails to recognize the harm done to the African Americans by a system that first enslaved us and then failed to deliver to us a modicum of the promise of freedom, liberty, and justice until just over 40 years ago.

Ms. Parker believes that somehow a people that have had their culture, familial rights, and human dignity systematically stripped from them for over 340 years is somehow prepared to totally extricate themselves from that condition after only 40 years of so called freedom.

As a comparison, it took europeans over 10,000 years after Africans had developed several noteworthy cultures and over 3,000 years after the African High Culture Civilizations were in existence to finally formulate a culture worthy of history's voice.

Just like the Europeans that engaged in the wholesale slaughter and enslavement of the African, the Afro-Saxon sees no harm in the destruction of the African American. This is why Ms. Parker can set at her keyboard and poo-poo a documentary that clearly went to great lengths to let those affected by Katrina tell their story.

It is Afro-Saxons like Ms. Parker that have true African-Centered Conservatives (like myself) constantly reaching for the maalox. It appears that she is neither a student of history, nor does she appear to have compassion for her fellow brothers and sisters. But then again, ignorance and indifference is another feature of the Afro-Saxon mindset.