Part II

No two ways about it, this nation is evil.

It was built on oppression and genocide that it now tries to “whitewash.” It worships Mam­mon. “In Greed we trust.” Persons at the helm of every level of this system will cause or allow masses of people to suffer or die so that a few can increase their already burgeoning wealth. Truth is their enemy.

Overcoming evil is possible. We have every resource we need to win. We have over $1 trillion per year in our pockets, a genius and creativity that the entire world tries to copy and a spiritual force that has baffled our oppressors. Our mere physical abilities inspire awe. If history records that we had all of this and still let ourselves get wiped out, then it’s our own fault.

I propose that we simply choose to overcome. Now.

The first step to moving forward is knowing where “forward” is. This is where I repeat my mantra. We must know and agree upon what we want and where we want to go. We must unite around a common definition, vision and plan for Liberation. Survival is never enough. Then we have to push and promote our idea of what it means to be a better people and have a better world. From here we consider obstacles/barriers to our progress. These are called problems or challenges, which are always looked at in the context of the vision.

We need to pray, meditate and then work individually and collectively for the kind of nation and world we want. Continuing to focus our mental, physical and spiritual energy on fulfilling our vision acts as a compass, a motivator and an energizer to help us keep moving forward, even where there is tremendous opposition.

The racism that has been cosmetically covered up with conservative code-words has been gnawing at the insides of a growing portion of the citizenry. You can’t keep holding something like that in forever, so now there is a full-out frontal assault on civil rights, civil liberties, human rights, education and health. It also involves horrible mental programming and distraction via entertainment.

We have to help our people see that a great deal of what passes for public policy today is merely hatred and evil packaged as legislation. The best way to beat evil is by promoting what is good and right. This means we have to organize at the micro level and hit the streets and homes. We have to use all forms of media available to us to educate, enlighten, encourage and warn our people.

We’re going to have to fight a propaganda war to reverse the trend of demonization of our people. We must use every effort to recognize, observe and celebrate the good that is in us and around us. We have to push positive images of ourselves to our young and old alike, while teaching our young to reject the emulation and glorification of negative stereotypes.

Get outraged enough to fight with what we have, our money, our votes, our brains. Hold elected officials and so-called leaders accountable. Don’t give your enemy your money. I cannot believe that a Black person would still purchase a Snapple. These folks have been supporting Rush Limbaugh and his ilk for years. I would not drink one for free. The Koch Brothers back the tea party along with other anti-Black efforts. Let us, en masse, withdraw our money from everything they produce permanently. Become responsible for knowing which stores or corporations are trying to make things better and which are not. Then support only those who are trying to help.

Better yet, work every day to help Black people become producers of everything that we need. This will be very important for us to master in the coming years. The time when we can rely on other groups for jobs, income etc is about to end…that’s going to be a harsh thing but a good thing, believe it or not.

One thing we can’t do is stoop to the spiritual level of our enemies. The day our motivation becomes hatred and malice is the day we become what we are fighting. Advocating self-defense is different from desiring to oppress another people.

I hope we can see the handwriting on the wall before it is too late and take the appropriate action to help our people rise to the occasion.

My concern for our future is great… Whatchagonna DO?

This article originally published in the July 9, 2012 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.