ProfD

Gotcha. Non-violence may not work but I'm still advocating an attack on their economic system.

Yeah mayne, as I've mentioned several times already, a violent revolution won't benefit Black folks. Black folks are too religious and not bloodthirsty enough to organize that level of effort. However, if Black folks were to pull their collective wealth out of supporting white folks and others i.e. gross consumerism, it would cripple the economy in a major way without firing a single shot.

Well, as some of us already suspected, the young woman made up the whole story. No white baby. No abduction. Ms. Russell wants thoughts and prayers. Alabama is looking into criminal charges. I'd imagine it's for tax dollars wasted.

We may never know because Black folks en mass won't leave white platforms in order to create and patronize their own. The white ice is colder. True. Many Black folks use religion (stories) as a guiding force in their lives. There's nothing that prevents Black folks from using myths (stories) and methods as motivation to create their own companies and wealth. The bottom line is that Black folks won't have anything of our own if we continue to patronize and consume everything created by everybody else. AALBC is an example that there's plenty room for specialized spaces as well. Otherwise, it is my belief that for as many Black folks as there are patronizing the biggest social media platforms, they should be able to create their own. Admittedly, I don't patronize any of those social media platforms. But, if Black folks owned one, I'd support it.

Nope. It's time for Black folks collectively to pool their resources and invest in things that make money. Funny thing is, the poorest Black folks will drop every piece of spare change they have in a offering basket at church. Zero return on investment (ROI). Talk about starting a business and the same Black folks' eyes will gloss over as if they've been asked to take a differential equations exam.

@richardmurray, every social media platform started somewhere. Faceb88k was started by a college dropout. Am8zon was started in a garage. Those cats are billionaires. Black folks cannot relying on white folks and orhers to provide for us. We have to become self-sufficient. When white folks and others decide to pull the rug and/or turn off the lights, we shouldn't be lost in the wilderness. As I mentioned in another thread, Black folks can consume al types of sh8t that others produce. But, as soon as we talk about pooling resources and investing...it's too hard or there are too many excuses. Pardon my position in discussions involving fiscal responsibility and economic empowerment. Personally, I know becoming successful takes a whole lot of action, grit, determination, networking and some luck. Whether legal or illegal, making money takes effort i.e. work. It has to start somewhere. Pooling resources and investments. Black folks need to get on it.

That's right. The final say belongs to whoever holds the purse strings. I don't have a problem with producers making films for their audience. I'm not a fan of Tyler Perry's work. But, I respect the fact that he's built his own stiudio and production company. If Black folks want to control how they see themselves in art and entertainment and more importantly how they are portrayed, it's time to put up (money) or shut up i.e. complain about how white folks represent us. Black folks aren't exempt from consumerism. Pool our resources and invest in entertainmemt companies or buy sports teams. Last week, a white man and a few investors including Magic Johnson bought my home football team for $6.05 billion dollars.

Reads like Zuck's Meta Threads has Musk trying to do some kind of Tw8tter remix/rebrand. Billionaires playing games while the masses line their pockets with more money. it's a d8mn shame that tech savvy AfroAmericans won't put their heads together and come up with our own social media platform to rival the white ones.

Well, it should not cost too much of your energy to check in on the peanut gallery here when taking a break from psychedelic trips in the magic garden.

The story was compelling especially since it started with a white baby supposedly wandering around on the roadside. I never believed it from day 1. Then again, I subscribe to believing half of what I can see and none of what I hear. There are many missing and exploited folks who we'll never hear about unless there's a story to sensationalize. Case in point is the white girls whose stories take up bandwidth from news to TV specials, movies and books. I doubt Carlee Russell will get that much attention. If anything, her story could have a net negative effect on missing and exploited Black folks.

Between 50-100 years ago, Democrats did something to supposedly benefit Black folks. Civil Rights has to be reviewed/ratified every so many years. Affirmative Action has been overturned. History has proven that anything purportedly done to benefit Black folks has instead been co-opted to benefit other groups of people. FDR's New Deal pulled America out of the Great Depression. Any beneifit to Black folks was collateral. When jobs were privatized, moved overseas and automated; guess who was most adversely affected by it. Whatever is left of blue collar jobs. Immigrants are doing that work for less than unionized American workers. Democrats did nothing to preserve the labor markets that once benefitted Black folks. Yet, they're taking campaign contributions from the same companies that no longer employ our people. IMO, benign neglect is no different and just as bad as outright not giving a sh8t about a group of people.

By age 55, if a person has received over $1 million dollars and housing is guaranteed, they should be set for life. If they live foolishly...keep reading. Remember, healthcare should be a non-issue (expense) if it's factored into the reparations package. Especially for young peoplen and senior citizens. IMO, young people (0-18 years old) and senior senior citizens (55 years old & up) should not have to work in order to survive. Those two groups should be a protected class. Housing, food and healthcare should never be an issue for them. Folks between 18-55 years old should be able to do the heavy lifting when it comes to working. That's why there's a minimum employment age and labor laws and a mandatory retirement age in certain jobs. This isn't a completely novel idea. Some countries are already set up in some semblance of it.

The search engine tools are great for sharing knowledge and information. Technology makes those individuals who are so inclined to be more self-sufficient. Of course, the downside is that technology can also give folks the false sense of subject matter expert minus years of study and hands-on experience. I'm running across too many folks with these G88gle PhDs especially when it comes to medical sh8t. Take that goofy azz to a hospital when feeling sick and/or in pain. Let a real doctor check it out. I get calls from homeowners who've thought they could tackle home improvement projects after watching a few videos. When I show up with the *right* tools and expertise to either do the job or un-f8ck what they've done...the look of surprise is priceless. Otherwise, for most simple problems, the solutions are a available. Being equipped to solve the problem is required as well. @Pioneer1, thanks for sharing the word. Glad you've got your computer and TV hooked up too.

The ADOS/FBA movement is definitely a step in the right direction in terms of AfroAmerircan unity. Codification should come next. That provides a standard for how we move. We should be defining what reparations should include which I propose to be cash payments, healthcare and housing at a minimum. In terms of cash payments, I'm in agreement that $50k/annum base should be given to every ADOS/FBA once they turn 18 years old. Those annual payments should continue until an individual turns 55 years old. Over 37 years, that would $1.85 million in passive income. It doesn’t include money worked for and earned and investments. If a person cannot thrive and survive with at least $2 million over the course of lifetime...we'll question their intelligence.

@Troy, I vote for the lessor of two evils (Democrat) historically. However, I've always been fully aware that Democrats aren't going to do anything more for Black folks than another serving of benign neglect. Voting has nothing to do with overcoming the system of racism white supremacy. Neither political party is interested in dismantling it either. In fact, both parties are two sides of the same coin when it comes to maintaining the system of racism white supremacy.

She's an example of the insignificant number of folks pretending to be Black. I don't think she gained much. She could have been a good spy for white folks though. AfroAmericans have to be on code before we get reparations. At that point, standards will be set and have to be met in order to qualify. A white boy with dreadlocks won't pass muster.

1st, I asked for a list of tangible benefits Democrats have provided for Black folks. You offered a nothing burger. You're right...Republicans flooded Black communities with drugs. Followed up by Democrats who created mandatory-minimum prison sentencing primarily aimed at Black folks. 1, 2 punch. Two sides of the same coin. According to my research and the article you linked, Thomas Jefferson was really neither Democrat nor Republican so political scientists have coined him as a Democrat-Republican. @Stefan, your desire to defend your position to the point of trying to insult others is comedic. But, I thoroughly enjoy your contributions to the discussions. The "bullcrap" I bring to this discussion forum helps to keep it enlightening and entertaining especially when you disappear and wander off into the wilderness for days and weeks at a time. My easy chair is comfy. Rest assured that I'll still be here calling balls and strikes and giving my opinion on everything a regular basis or until @Troy turns off the lights. Otherwise, we can go round for round and pound for pound. I'm the undisputed king of insults if/when I choose to go that route. Stay up patna.

Colorism exists within phenotypical races and ethnic groups with folks throwing shade one way or another. Even greasy looking white folks get the side-eye treatment from the pale-skinned whites.

It's an open secret that Ron DeStupid is an idiot. Someone who once looked like he could be Orange Julius 2.0, the candidacy of DeStupid is on a crash and burn collision course. Everything DeStupid says and does as governor of Florida is a reminder to Americans that he's not POTUS material. He'll drop out of the race before the 3rd quarter of 2024. Yep. That's my belief. Two sides of the same coin. There's no difference between them in terms of what they have done for Black folks which as of today is....nothing. Feel free to list tangible benefits Black folks have received for their loyalty to Democrats. BTW, whatever happened to the Democratic-Republican Party founded by Thomas Jefferson who himself was slaveowner.

As I mentioned in the other thread, the number of people pretending or passing for another race is insignificant. White folks don't stand to gain anything from pretending/passing for Black. I guess they could take advantage of Affirmative Action. Pretending/passing could become an issue if/when reparations are on the table but we've got a long way to go in that regard.

@Pioneer1, considering that Black folks aren't always blessed and highly favored, white folks and no other race of people for that matter, stand to gain much pretending to be Black. In fact, if they run across the *wrong* white folks, they might get killed. OTOH, a Black person *passing* for white could possibly take advantage of their privileges. IMO, the number of people pretending and passing for a different race or gender is so small that coming up with a standard would be an exercise in futility especially for Black folks. We've got bigger issues to tackle.

@richardmurray, of course, it's a given that money is a major aspect of the US-Jew relationship. Since 1948, America has been committing billions of dollars to protect Israel and keep it as a military base, er, stabilizing force in the Middle East.

@Pioneer1, Arabs (Brown) and Asians (yellow) seem to do just fine controlling their own wealth despite the white man. China does a lot of business with America but Xi Jinping got the country on lock without any outsiders (white folks) controlling it.

@Pioneer1, I'll let you and @Chevdove get back to the biological/philosophical discussion but I must ask.... Black men have a whole continent that is Africa. They are running around knocking up women and having a bunch of kids too. Almost a billion people there. Let Africans tell it, every other dude is some kind of king or chief or educated or rich, etc. They are Uber drivers here. According to your logic, African men should be controlling the wealth of Africa from top to bottom. There should be no poverty or famine. Africa should be the land of paradise. Far from it. In fact, a bunch of Africans haul azz to predominantly white countries looking for greener pastures instead of building up their own continent. If virile Black men are only good for reproducing more weak, poor people...that doesn't seem like a lofty and/or productive goal.

White Christians clearly have a different interpretation of their religion especially as it relates to how they treat other folks. Interestingly, white Christians will sanction murder and be the 1st in line to kill other folks too. @Pioneer1, I believe this fella and Carlee Russell, the young lady who was supposedly missing for a few days are examples of the unintelligent Black folks we have to leave behind as dead weight.