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There are Black majority cities in America like Atlanta, Detroit, Baltimore, and even Jackson Mississippi. What if Black politicians at the municipal level began working with wealthy black entrepreneurs to develop and diversity local economies especially disadvantaged neighborhoods ? Think about it. What if we pooled public and private resources to replicate what Geoffrey Canada did with the Harlem Children's Zone in New York City ? After all a good start early in life in a livable environment comes before any kind of academic achievement or entrepreneurial success. Right? Secondly, what if black business people and politicians formed public/private partnerships to seek out new sources of investment like Chinese, Middle Eastern, and West African ? Third, maybe we need real democracy in black politics which means independent thought and action that challenges the Black Democratic Leadership Establishment. I'm not saying move to the Republican Right. But demand more from our so called leaders. If you can't provide viable solutions to problems like crime, violence, poverty, academic failure, and the racial wealth gap then you get voted out. So what's keeping us from doing these things ? 1. We don't live together and aren't forced to work and strive together inspite of our class, political, or status differences the way Jim Crow and DeFacto residential segregation forced us too. 2. Middle and upper income blacks have their own priorities even among individuals that differ from poor and workingclass blacks. Race, blackness, and struggling against racism don't matter as much anymore or in the same way to all black people. 3. Black business and professional people aren't necessarily always concerned with advancing black people collectively. Elected officials and political insiders often benefit themselves and their cronies. And the Black Capitalist is no different from the white one if he's a major player. The Black Capitalist is about maximizing profit. They only help other blacks if there's money to be made. So this is my non expert take on things.

It's not like all white people have their thing together. It's no secret that millions of them are in the same category as black folk, struggling to get ahead. And a whole lot of them are worse off that Blacks who have reached some degree of success. It's really about elitism and oligarphy. About wealth being concentrated in the hands of a few who exploit the masses. Yes, white skin is a pass port to opportunity, but it can only take you so far. In reality, true equality has never existed in the world, and traits like honesty and integrity don't necessarily reward you with success. The law of the jungle still pervades human civilization. And rugged individualism has to be fortified with ruthlessness and driven by greed. Luck also plays a role. Life is a bitch. Black folks lost Africa to foreign invaders and they've been struggling ever since. Unity is a pipe dream when skin color is too often the only thing groups have in common. It's a cruel world

Thanks so much for your response. There's so much to unpack from many sides. But I'm going to make an effort. 1. We have to approach this from enlightened self interest. A lot of wealthy blacks in business still depend on black customers and government contracts. Advancing human and community development among other blacks translates into more employees and customers which is capital and market share. This is business not altruism. None of this is strictly governmental or philanthropic. It's market based. Changing how we think about business and growth is essential because most black businesses are very small. But it's necessary to think and do things on a bigger scale for your own sake. And it makes sense to partner with other blacks where possible. Think about a black barber and hairdresser coming together to build a distribution company with perhaps a black rental property owner. Groups like the National Black Chamber of Commerce can and should be forums to facilitate this kind of action. Despite all the persistent problems and challenges blacks continue to face as entrepreneurs success is possible. The opportunities to grow a company are real both at home and abroad. Think David Steward of World Wide Technologies and Robert Smith of Vista Equity Partners who are bllionaires. 2. Local government and Civil Society play unique and vital roles in business and community development. Think about taxes, zoning, incentives, funding, and contracting decisions by City Officials matter. If and when blacks in these positions make decisions to help black businesses and communities grow that's progress. And white politicians do it every day. We as black people wrongly say among ourselves - Niggas don't help each other. That's not completely true. Think about United Negro College Fund. Black Greek organizations and even black churches with scholarship funds. Name a major black non-profit or group that has went out of business because blacks don't give? We have to scale up and raise awareness among our own about what's available. The same thing is true about all kinds of black individuals and groups working in our communities all the time making a difference. Black people today despite our difficulties have more money, education, expertise, political power, and opportunities than ever. We need a mindset and initiative to leverage the resources we have to benefit ourselves individually and collectively. Sometimes we are too focused on racism and economic injustice worrying about what's lacking or denied us. I'm firmly committed to fighting for our rights. But there are things we can do beyond advocacy and action at the Federal government level to help ourselves immediately on the ground. Black people in the Jim Crow Era did this very thing with far less than we have today. 3. We have to put people, places, and things in perspective to see how progress is possible. Cities where blacks are a majority and dominate local politics like Atlanta, Detroit, or even Jackson Mississippi are centers of opportunity to experiment with all kinds of ideas. Places like Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago are different. But even in the latter possibilities exist. Geoffrey Canada built the Harlem Children's Zone in New York City with mainly private money from wealthy whites like Bill Gates and corporations. That's an important factor. Black thinkers, activists, politicians, and business people need to study his successes and failures and the possibilities and limits of what Geoffrey Canada did. Think about what happens when black voters want change. It's possible to kick out leaders who are too focused on themselves rather than the people. Two examples come to mind. Charles Rangel defeated Adam Clayton Powell in New York in the 1970 Democratic Party primary for Congress. Corey Booker lost the Newark New Jersey Mayoral race to Sharpe James the sixteen year incumbent in 2002. But Booker returned in 2006 to beat the candidate backed by the retiring James- Deputy Mayor Ronald Rice. Ultimately there are no guarantees or easy answers. But blacks must be persistent and think differently about the challenges we face. We might try and fail doing different things. However failure is guaranteed if we do nothing at all. Now is the time a kind of black pragmatism that includes advocacy, protest, national, state, local government, entrepreneurial, human, and community development.

I don't know if anyone asked those questions of Dr. Cress-Welsing. It's too late since her spirit has already flown many years ago. As I've mentioned already, build more Black financial institutions among other things.

I don't lnow whether or not PM Sanae Takaichi is a POTUS OJ figure-head of government. Considering the US/Japan relationship, I'd imagine PM Takaichi will work within joint interestsnof both countries. If POTUS OJ likes working with PM Takaichi, the US will help with Japanese economic issues too.

Wow!!!! Story corp..... one of Sandy's underlings reach out to me the other day. Happy belated birth day....you have out lived many and doing better than most.

I know it is a rhetorical question but for the sake of digital posterity, let's answer it. The Black people in those positions are not of low intelligence. Those Black officers, lawyers and judges do not have the power to change the laws created by white supremacists. Some of those Black people are like overseers on the slave plantation. They willingly prove to white folks that they can be more harsh towards their own people.

https://newrepublic.com/post/202059/maga-kash-patel-diwali-racism FBI Director Kash Patel was recently reminded that he is a person of color. He innocently acknowledged Diwali (Hindu festival of lights). In response, white racists recommended that Patel go back home. Fellow Brown man, Vivek Ramaswamy, who is either running for governor of Ohio or giving speeches at Turning Point USA rallies has also been reminded that he's non-white too. The most cruel joke white folks like to play on non-white people s leading them to believe they are accepted. White folks break their tools once finished with them. People of color are tolerated as long as they are serving the interests of white folks. Very similar to 15 minutes of fame. Of course, many people of color are comfortable with their place in the system of racism white supremacy.

MAN she can move that thang....lol. When she dances, it looks like she got two midgets fighting eachother up under there.

@richardmurray, I read your event response to my post above. If you feel that my perspective is a lie or wrong or misguided, you're entitled to feel that way. As I've mentioned before, I'm not here to debate or recruit anyone to my point of view. I type my 2 cents in a given topic and keep it moving.

There is always competition under a system of capitalism. It is hard to predict new and emerging technologies and how it affects the way we do things. The pony express was replaced by faster forms of transportation. Trains and other vehicles worked out great for the postal service. The postal service employed millions of people directly and indirectly too. As mentioned above, the United Parcel Service (UPS) was started over 100 years ago as a delivery service. That business took off especially as gross consumerism ramped up. While the postal service could handle billions of pieces of mail and parcels annually, larger packages and faster delivery times required something different. A demand and convenience private companies were more than wiling to fulfill under a system of capitalism. IMO, long before the internet and mail, personal computers should have been viewed as the technology that would drastically alter the way we collect and store information (data) but also how we communicate. Email was invented back in the mid-1980s. Same goes for desktop publishing and digital storage. The analog world i.e. everything that required pen and paper; envelopes, stamps and book-binding would be changed a few short years later. I believe postal services will always be around. Just like other jobs with AI impending, the demand will shrink. Therein lies the blessing and curse of technology especially under a system of capitalism.

@umbrarchistIn the context of what I'm claiming, "getting ahead" is about coming from behind your loser life. It's not about completing with others; it's about competing with poverty.

I think you make a good point. However Americans won't do anything about gross economic inequality and oligarchy unless they recognize these are systemic not individual problems. Moreover until they believe politics and government can advance the public good, it will be business as usual.

Hole up bro....most squirrels do gather their own acorns. They aren't sitting around waiting on humans to provide them with SNAP benefits.

Only my beloved people can look like chickens walking around the barnyard when they are dancing. 50 Cent had a banger with that song. Black folks 8 to over 80, blind, crippled and crazy jam when that song is played.

That rainbow hair-lined clown better leave my girl alone....lol. I like Rep. Crockett! Not only is she beautiful and very feminine, but she's VERY smart and articulate and knows how to get her point across. I don't agree with some of her political views. Especially with regard to immigration. But I agree with more of her views than less. They need to protect this beautiful sista.

I would love to see Black folks collectively do better in terms of nation and wealth building. Realistically, I know that Black folks are way too fragmented for that to happen. It would take like-minded Black folks to join forces and get it cracking. Otherwise, Black individuals and tribes will continue doing their own thing and whatever that means in terms of success.

Stephen A. Smith is that Black man who has unabashedly sold out. He's proudly admitted that his job is to make money for his white paymasters. I'd imagine that if he was back in slavery, this dude would have strived to be a Black overseer and snitch. If Black men were on code, a dude like Stephen A. Smith does not exist. As soon as he showed signs of being a sellout, a real-life version of a drop squad would have dealt with him accordingly. Unfortunately, Black men are not dealing with the sellouts among us nor are we punishing those who harm and murder our people.

hahaha:) well done

Stephen Smith is a typical "jive assed nigga talkin smack"! He doesnt stand a chance in hell of becoming POTUS. Just another wanna be, full of self importance. He's so ego centric and full of BS, however, he might make it as a politician conning his constituency.

https://www.npr.org/2025/10/18/nx-s1-5577941/adm-alvin-holsey-who-was-overseeing-the-venezuelan-boat-strikes-steps-down Admiral Alvin Holsey retired 2 years short of completing his tour. Adm Holsey was head of US Southern Command which is responsible for military operations in the Caribbean and Latin America. Lately, POTUS OJ has been ordering strikes on boats in international waters accusing them of transporting narcotics mainly fentanyl. Fentanyl is a huge concern to white folks as it has been killing them. Unlike cocaine and methamphetamines, it doesn't take much fentanyl to kill the user. Some folks also believe the US is trying to force regime change in Venezuela. President Nicholas Maduro has been running the country since 2013. According to the constitution, the US cannot declare war without Congressional approval. However, it's not uncommon for a POTUS to push the limits. POTUS Obama was responsible for toppling Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi back in 2011. Covert operations led to Gaddafi's assassination. Surely, POTUS OJ is carrying out an agenda in Venezuela. Narcotics is a smoke screen. Mexico is responsible for the fentanyl coming into the US. Admiral Holsey's moral compass wasn't feeling it. He did the admirable thing and bounced before he was asked to do something unethical and just plain wrong. Kudos to him.

@Troy thanks for allowing the tennis match between @aka Contrarian and @Pioneer1 to play out. They are hilarious. Makes the coffeeshop more lively.

I gu I Give. How many? All the ones who are proficient in accounting ?

richardmurray Lol...actually you did; because I DON'T view it as necessary for any job. I stand...next to YOU.

Interesting that it says nothing about needing a COLLEGE DEGREE...lol. Is it truly not necessary, or are they assuming you'd HAVE one if you met those other qualifications?

Lunatic. Trump. ICE. Street. Thugs. Will. Not. Not. ,, Attack. The. White. Terrorist. Neo. Nazi. KKK. ..Trump. And. His. Gestapo. Street. Thugs Have. Not. Gathered. Up. Black. Brown. Athletes. From. Other. Countries. ,Pro. Baseball. Has. Foreign. Players. ,NBA. Has. Foreign. Basketball. Players. College. Sports. Have. Athletes. From. Around. The. World. ...College. Sports. Take. In. Money. ...Pro. Sports. And. Owners. Make. Money. .....Waiting. To. See. Him. Go. After. Sports. ....