Pioneer1

ProfD What percentage of Black folks living under the system of racism white supremacy would you consider of low intelligence? I'm not sure. But it's not so much a matter of LOW intelligence, so much as it's a matter of not being intelligent ENOUGH to get out from under the Oppressor. If we...collectively....were in the past smart enough to do it, we would have done it already. It's not complicated....if you accept it. What causes problems and confusion is lack of acceptance of the fact. Instead of saying that you simply aren't smart enough to get from under the whip of your oppressor, you start making excuses: -It's the curse of Ham -It's lack of unity, Black folks need to "get together"...lol (R.I.P. Neely Fuller Jr.) -It's eating too much pork. If Black folkes just stopped eating pork we'd rule the world overnight. -It's our NAME. That's what it is! If we stopped calling ourselves Black or Negro but instead identify as Freedm NIGGA SHUT UP ...talking a bunch of bullshit. No need for some of our people to sit up and lie and make up a bunch of excuses and shit to explain why they keep getting faded and punked out. You can SEE what the problem is. White folks are SMART. They're smart enough to rule the world and they know the people they're ruling over generally aren't smart enough to stop them. Again, are you insinuating that Black folks collectively are of lower intelligence than their oppressors? See my above statement and draw your own conclusion, lol. The easiest thing to do is ask for whatever is wanted or desired. No exploitation required. Babies know it instinctively. It's also easy for a person to say NO and don't give it to you, lol. If you don't believe me, next time ask somebody on the street...especially somebody you don't know...for money. Then (Neely Fuller Jr...) don't interrupt them, just wait for their response...lol. That's why people have learned the art of manipulation.

frankster No....... Racism is a by product of Greed Bigotry and Xenophobia Maybe SYSTEMIC Racism, but not individualized and cultural racism. First black people were kept seperate before by the system of slavery Then after emancipation blacks were now able to maintain a family structure.. The destruction of black families never stop...it only slowed until a new more effective means was found Then Racism resume the destruction of the black family structure. Yes...RACISM...but not necessarily SLAVERY. Talk about moving the goal posts. You're attempting to change the entire GAME...lol Yes...that was xenophobia or religious intolerance Those that accepted Christianity were allowed to stay and become a member of society. What about the Moors who were almost completely driven out? You don't think that was racially based? Also, what about the massacre of the Native American in the Americas; you don't think that was racially based? I am basing it on the fact that the mother of all Arabs was an Egyptian....which to means she was African and black You aren't basing that out of "fact". You are basing that out of a STORY you read in the Bible. I personally don't believe that's where Arabs come from. I believe they came from the various Caucasian tribes who came down from the Caucasus Mountains and mixed in with the original peoples of Arabia. Yes I do.... Do you know that every black person who is a descendant of a enslaved person was robbed of hundreds of thousands of dollars of generational wealth. Ok... And what does that have to do with a mother who CHOOSES to smoke rocks while pregnant bring into the world a crack addicted baby who will be taken away by the state? That wasn't Slavery. That was her loving her Crack head boyfriend (who introduced her to crack in the first place) more than she loved her own health and her own children. Everything can't be blamed on Slavery.

....just incase, huh???

ProfD Iran hates the U.S. but there isn't a d8mn thing they can do about it...yet. Iran hates Israel. I'm not sure if they hate the United States or just dislikes and distrusts the United States because of her close relationship with Israel. Imagine a war between the US and China considering the number of Chinese people here already. There wouldn't be one. Plus, many Chinese love White people too much to go to war with them. What does that say about people living under a system of racism white supremacy? Well my brutha.... What's already UNDERSTOOD doesn't really need to be said. A woman doesn't see the janitor in the same light as the suit and tie guy or uniformed (military or law enforcement). It depends on the woman. A school teacher or lawyer walking past that janitor sipping on her $10 Starbucks coffee may not see much in him, but a FELLOW janitor who is a single mom with 4 kids and loves some good "D" and don't care how educated the man is who gives it too her may CHERISH him...lol. And you know what? In terms of looks and just making a man feel good by how she talks to him....that hood rat may actually be more valuable than that well educated school teacher or lawyer! Oppressors are willing to use violence in order to maintain power and control. It doesn't take much intelligence to hurt, harm, maim or kill people. Well, then the question is are YOU smart/intelligent enough to COUNTER that violence with a smart defense strategy or more technologically advanced weapons of your own to not only repel them but prevent them from attempting to attack you again? If you are constantly being attacked year after year and century after century by the same people but haven't mounted an effective defense to stop them....well...???? C'mon bro....using a person with Down's Syndrome as a sign of low intelligence is a false equivalence. There's never been a situation in modern history of mentally disabled folks to that degree (Down's Syndrome) exploiting anyone. 1. That's because they almost CAN'T exploit someone of normal/high intelligence. I'm sure some of them may have wanted to, especially to someone they didn't like or had something they really wanted badly...like trying to get some dessert or candy they wanted but were being deprived of....but simply weren't smart enough to do it. 2. In some cases, they most certainly exploit other people. They exploit other's who are just as more or mentally deficient than them. They may do it by taking their candy, cheating while playing a game, lying on them to get them in trouble. They take advantage of eachother in a small time way but just like a genius who does so- the intention is the same.......taking advantage of those of lesser intelligence for personal gain.

frankster Miseducation gives you information you do not have the skill or know how to use or apply....in other words irrelevant info. It also gives you the WRONG information. Which is dumbing down....or back in the day we would say an Educated fool . You're mixing too many concepts up here, lol. dumbing down: dumb = stupid = low intellect Educated = having enough knowledge to qualify for or complete a task fool = one who lacks proper judgement All three often overlap but shouldn't be confused with eachother. Maybe in the ghetto you know...not in the ones i know. To me access to a car means I can go get in it at a moments notice on a regular... if I have to wait more than a day - then it is not accessible. Your adding "conditions" to an already established definition. Accessible means you can access (get to and use) it. When??? It varies from situation to situation. Those foreigners know the power of marketing and the addiction of humans to bright colors and sweets. True. People from other countries are often more educated than Americans in many regards.

Troy That is an oversimplification, implying that there is a genetic test for race. There is not one. I’m sure there are so-called white people who have more in common with you genetically than I do. The genetic tests for race aren't labeled "Black" or "White" but test for skin color, eye color, hair texture, and other racial features that are genetic traits. sure Laws as a man-made. Well if you agree that laws are "man made" then you should agree that laws are by definition ARTIFICIAL. so says you. Your opinion on the characteristics of racial designations are not universally accepted, as Richard described in his last response. The validity of truth isn't based on broad based "acceptance". what race do “mulattos” far under? Mulatto as used in the US census? They actually shouldn't fall under ANY race, as they are race unto themselves. A combination of 2 separate races. Just like Purple is a color unto itself, a combination of 2 separate colors. Here too you make my point about the absurdity of race. Looking at Hitler explain to me how he would judge any European Jew as less pure racially than he was? It doesn't matter how absurd it is...or atleast YOU BELIEVE it is, it was real to Hitler! He took it seriously and those who did the killing for him also took his beliefs seriously. The thing about race and racism is, it doesn't matter whether YOU believe it exists or not...most people do and build their world around it. Kenneth Maybe the best we can hope for is that black people just keep living and striving individually and collectively. Whether it's separation or integration may not matter. It's not the BEST thing we can hope for as a community, but certainly ONE OF THE BEST! I think this is very sound advice some of our people need to help get them through hard and confusing times.

Troy Honestly? I'm not sure. The most accurate answer is probably MIXED race. They are a healthy mix of Caucasian and African...with each individual Palestinian inclining towards one or the other to various degrees; all under the umbrella of the "Arab" ethnicity.

I agree. We should be holding ourselves to a higher standard as a community. We should have already had the banks and other financial institutions established so that we could actually RECEIVE the financial compensation when it comes and not have to rely on White financial establishments to hold our money. Wells Fargo, anybody????

frankster Bigotry prejudice and discrimination....not Racism All three are BYPRODUCTS of Racism. They can also be biproducts of OTHER things too like Sexism, but in this case....they are byproducts of Racism. Yes Between 1860 and 1960 blacks families were more together than before and after those years... Right. So that means that if Black families started separating AFTER this era...a NEW FACTOR/s must have been introduced. I disagree. There was no Racism in the West prior to the 1600 So the Inquisitions that happened around Europe that tried to force Jews and Muslims to become Christian, and the African Moors being driven out of Spain and other parts of Southern Europe in the late 1400s was a RELIGIOUS issue? You're saying race and racism had nothing to do with it? No...Most Arabs were black and African No. Most Arabs were either Caucasian/White or mixed. Some were Black, but the vast vast majority were not. Yes they do....but drug use plays an almost insignificant role. Man, do you know how many Black families have literally been broken up with the children being taken away by the state because the mother or the parents were using drugs??? I am not prepared or willing to call them silly.... That's Ok...I will.

I USED to like the South, not anymore. Back in the 80s and 90s there used to be a "young spirit" in the South. 1. A lot of recently educated and upwardly mobile Black youth were moving back down South or "staying" down South establishing a very strong professional Black presence in places like Georgia, Mississippi, and the Carolinas. 2. White southerners became quite docile and the most racists ones almost all went into hiding. It was commonly understood by those who traveled the nation that back in the 80s and 90s....the most racist and hostile Whites were not in the South but in the Midwest and North! Whites were far more hostile places like Illinois and Pennsylvania than they were in Mississippi and Alabama. After the year 2000, things changed. A new generation of young Whites tapped into that legacy of racism again promoting Confederate flags and shit. And too many Black youth in the South...after listening to so much negative rap music from the East and West coasts....wanted to emulate those areas and began to make the South dirty and grimy.

frankster I think you mean it does not diminish your intellect. Miseducation makes you less intelligent.... I don't think so. It makes you less SMART, but it doesn't affect your actual intelligence. Miseducation does not affect your ability to think....intellect Correct. but it does affect your ability to learn....intelligence Hmmmm.... Interesting point. I'll "think" about that one...lol. The reason I find this statement so interesting is because I know a lot of people who said they weren't taught how to properly study and retain information in high school....so they had a very hard time in college. They were very intelligent people as adults, but they didn't get the best "training" on how to USE that natural intelligence. Exactly.....all she does is pretend to touch a screen and strut....That is her work. People on the system has to stay qualifiend and fill out forms...thats their work. I understand, but they aren't being paid TO do all of that paperwork. If someone else did it for them...they'd still receive their benefit. On the other hand in some cases they could do all of that paper work and end up getting DENIED benefits. It's not the same as working for a living. Most people in the ghetto or slums do not have access to a car ....and those who do - only have access to a car sometimes.. I contend that most ADULTS in the ghetto actually DO have ACCESS to a car. They may not OWN one, but they certainly have access to one, meaning: 1. They own one 2. Someone they know owns one and lets them drive it. 3. Someone they know owns one and take them where they want to go One or all of those 3 apply to over 75% of the adults in any ghetto in the United States. Billions of dollars and hours are spent by marketers to make your decisions for you....and it works. Did you know that many American foods cannot be sold in many other countries? And many in order to be sold in those countries have adjusted their recipe.. I absolutely DID know that. I used to go to Canada almost every weekend and they'd ask us were we bringing in FOOD from the United States. They didn't allow certain foods and chemicals in their country, like high fructose corn syrup. They knew it played a huge roll in making people fat and Diabetic. And since the government of Canada pays for the healthcare of it's citizens...they're going to make sure their health is up so that the bills and costs will stay down...lol.

ProfD Agreed. At least 2 of those states (Georgia and Mississippi) should be included in the reparations package too. I would not be opposed to throwing Alabama in the mix as well. They already know how we get down at the pier. Infact, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad for decades said that the U.S. government should actually give us several states (I forget whether he mentioned those 3 by name or not) to us as AfroAmericans for us to cultivate and develop and atleast 20 years to get us started towards our independence as a people. Land ownership is the BASIS for true independent living. The Black folks in Texas and Louisiana would be happy as h8ll if Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama were Black states. Why? Do you think they'd want to pack up and move there?

ProfD Scandinavian countries don't have enemies. It is a utopia for white folks. I really thought about this statement before responding to it. I honestly can't say that they do. Of all the nations, perhaps the biggest threats would come from Russia or a very religious/fundamentalist Middle Eastern nation for different reasons; but even then...none of them have actually declared a Scandinavian nation their enemy. Not that I know of, anyway. The US spends more than any other country. The real question is why does the US spend so much money and who are its real enemies. The U.S. doesn't have any enemy nations. Not anymore...lol. No nation is actually silly enough to openly be an enemy to the U.S. The U.S. is largely conflicted with little GROUPS be they religious or criminal, who aren't really connected to a particular country but tend to dwell in certain regions. Russia and China are considered threats. Yet, America does more business with China than several countries combined. China is the defacto US labor force. Doesn't seem like an enemy. I agree. Neither are actual enemies or even true adversaries to be honest. As it has been observed, the U.S. and her firms employ more Chinese than China herself. Not to mention all the money Chinese in America send back home to help boost the Chinese economy. Africans and Asians should not be pouring into Scandinavian countries. They should be building their own sh8t. They should be, but if the government won't do it...as individuals, you do what you gotta do. You FLEE. I can't get angry at a person who left their homeland in search of greener pastures. Especially if their home is in shambles and it doesn't look like it's going to get any better anytime soon. Human greed creates the conditions that make it harder to get up regardless of one's intelligence. A very intelligent person can OVERCOME any obstacle a greedy pig ties to put in their way. That's one of the BENEFITS of being intelligent...lol. It's harder for people to rip you off. You can see it coming a mile away and avoid it or if they do.....retaliate so hard they won't fuck with you again. I know highly intelligent people who are more broke than a bag of glass. Are you SURE they're highly intelligent? Or are they just articulate and can speak well; more maybe have a lot of academic education? OTOH, I also know folks with little or no education who are very well off. Ofcourse. Education doesn't equal intelligence. It's a SIGN of it....but intelligence is your ability to learn and retain knowledge. The US has a literacy rate that is above average. Low intelligence affects a relatively small number of people in the US population. 1. That's because the educational standard in the U.S. are BELOW AVERAGE....lol. Especially compared with other industrialized nations. 2. Don't confuse education/literacy with intelligence. i believe fear...being afraid to do whatever it takes to become rich or wealthy is the real reason people have problems and get exploited. That may be some of it. Afraid to take risks. Risk taking is usually necessary to build wealth from the ground up, especially when you're talking about stocks or going into business. Most people who work a job for an hourly wage will never be rich. Many of them will have just enough to survive and might struggle to make ends meet. While you're right, it's not necessarily a bad things because it's much better than nothing. Despite trading labor for low wages, I would not consider that a sign of low intelligence. Neither would I. I know a lot of very intelligent and highly degreed (again...they aren't the same) people who are doing the same job I'm doing for one reason or another. Some of them is because they've had problems in their lives and this is the only job they can find right now, others can't find a job in their career market so they end up working for an hourly wage to keep the bills paid. Countries are not poor due to low intelligence among its citizens. They are being exploited by the greed and corruption from their leaders. I don't think any nation has generally low intelligence people. In every nation...it varies. Some with very high intelligence...some with very low intelligence...and most people in the middle. However how they DISPLAY that intelligence also varies from nation to nation. An argument could be made that only people of low intelligence would be afraid to overthrow their oppressor. Then, that would indict the entire Black population on the planet. Low intelligence has nothing to do with oppression. In fact, the late NF Jr. always said the people who need the most help should get it. Lol... Well... Being oppressed isn't necessarily a sign of low intelligence. But it generally IS a sign that whoever is oppressing you is MORE intelligent than you are...regardless of how intelligent you are. If they weren't....you'd figure out a way to outsmart them and turn the tables; or atleast not be victimized anymore. I don't care how callous, cold blooded, and ruthless he is.... Can a 14 year old kid with Down Syndrome trick YOU and exploit YOU in any way, shape or form? I not...WHY not?

frankster My apologies for the delayed response.... Unacceptable. Professor Griff said: Go get a late pass I do not blame all....but I do blame most of it. Fair enough. The lost of over a trillion dollars of worth of income owed to the black community....over 200,000.00 $ taken from each and every black person. Uhhh...I'm not going to go there with you, lol. We'll both just agree that it's a LOT that we're owed. Racism the first born of Slavery....is the effect of slavery that is still with us How could racism come AFTER Slavery when those same Whites -BEFORE enslaving Africans- called the Indians "savages" and declared them sub-human to Whites and committed genocide against them? That was racially motivated and it was BEFORE Slavery. True... Racist social policies required that black men be absent from their family...if their family is to recieve government help. Which helped to break up the Black family. Which means...the Black family was pretty much TOGETHER before those policies of the 60s and 70s. I do not think i do....do not confuse bigotry and xenophobia with racism Bigotry is a PRODUCT of racism. Xenophobia is a PARTNER of racism. We had this conversation Already They did not see race the way we do today in West. It doesn't matter how they "saw" it, the point is they ACKNOWLEDGED it. No.... provide your evidence... Look how the Arabs who saw themselves superior to Black Africans...went down into Africa to enslave people and take them back to the Middle East. This had been going on for THOUSANDS of years before the TransAtlantic Slave trade. And it was racially based. Less than 10% owned.....the other 90% were share croppers I don't know about the percentage. Again, I know that a lot of our people had and worked THEIR OWN land. If some one is coerced to do anything..... legally and morally they are not guilty of that action. Who told you that? Yes I do....because they are not They are minor contributaries Well.... I see there's no use going back and forth with you on THIS particular point; but atleast you acknowledge that these factors CONTRIBUTE to modern Black poverty. Then we agree....white government agents bought & brought the drugs and made the prisons Ofcourse. It was all part of a conspiracy. -a conspiracy that a lot of silly ass niggaz CHOOSE to participate in not caring about the consequences. Back when I was younger....I would and did It was cool and I needed to fit in and be accepted....it made me feel good and adult It made me make money... These are all CHOICES and PERSONAL DECISIONS based on PERSONAL MOTIVES. So it seems that in many cases, the White racists are exploiting a negativity that already exists in the minds of some of our people. Most decisions that we make often depends on our knowledge understanding situation and especially Influences(parental and peer) I agree. So when you sell dope to your own people KNOWING it's poison- and in many cases...depending on what you've "cut" it with...it is LITERAL POISION -what does that say about you? If you know weapons were brought in and gangsta rap is promoted to encourage you to kill your own kind...and you participate in it anyway -what does that say about you? Again, perhaps White racists are exploiting a negativity that already exists in a lot of our people and using it to their advantage.

Troy It’s not the same thing because crime is not an artificial construct. It’s an actual thing. So is crime! Crime is simply the breaking of a MAN MADE law. If there were no man-made laws...you wouldn't have actual crime. Both are artificially constructed concepts. Think carefully about that one...lol. I’m more concerned that someone is trying to mistreat me.. The motivation for doing so it’s a little consequence if I’ve done nothing wrong to . if someone is mistreating you does it matter if they are doing it because you are an American or you’re black or your Christian or your Muslim. It matters because: 1. You aren't being mistreated because of your actual behavior, but because of who you are; which you can't help. 2. You want to notice a pattern. If you are mistreated for having a particular trait then you want to warn all your loved ones and friends who may share that same trait...be it skin color, religion, or gender...so they won't fall victim to the same mistreatment or worse. I did not say ignore ethnicity. ethnicity is a real thing. Ethnic diversity should be celebrated. Race is actually more real than ethnicity. Race is based on biological differences. -skin color -facial features -hair structure Ethnicity is based on geographical and cultural similarities than be changed by the individual at will. Hitler wasn’t he the same dude that started out killing 6 million or so of the white people? The crazy part was.... Hitler was so racist that he didn't believe they were "White enough". He killed them because he didn't think they were White enough and thought they were "contaminating" the population of the "pure" Whites. richardmurray @richardmurray alvino or zambo based on the lineage. As an old Negro would say: Now....now...wait a minute now....now HOLD ON now...lol I believe I know what a "Zambo" is. Half African and half Native American. But what is an "Alvino"? Sounds too much like "Albino". Is Alvino some sort of out dated racial concoction?

As far as I'm concerned, it's a family affair. Whether it's Russia vs Ukraine Or Israel vs Palestine Or pro-MAGA White folks vs anti-MAGA White folks It's all in the family. Even cops are warned that the WORSE type of situations to be called to are DOMESTIC situations because no matter how much they fight....when people are related to eachother and love eachother and some "outsider" steps and mistreats one....the other will quickly get ON CODE. They'll stop fighting eachother and turn their attacks on YOU. It's best for us to just STAY (not for a little while like Jodeci...lol) but OUT. Stay OUT of their business.

I haven't spent too much time in either city but from the little time I've spent there so far.... It's funny how, although Baltimore is NORTH of D.C...I consider it more "southern" and "country" than D.C., lol. umbrarchist Would good accounting make sense for EveryBody before reparations? I'm sure you didn't mean "everybody" literally, but if you're asking could most of our people use some good lessons in accounting and financial education before they receive that check? Absolutely. However, that can't be a prerequisite. If they didn't make the Jews or Japanese or Native Americans take courses in accounting and finance before cutting them a check, then they shouldn't hold us to a higher standard to receive one. It should be up to the individual what they want to do with their own money.

Troy OK, please explain the scientific basis of race. I’ll wait…. I've done so already over a dozen times. And each time you either: 1. Find the article and point to some OTHER information in it that doesn't actually contradict the proof of race that I provided but will CLAIM that it does and try to focus our attention on THAT instead of the actual proof I provided. or 2. Simply just IGNORE the proof I provided for you and pretend that I didn't even post it, then proceed to singing some Michael Jackson "We Are The World" song about all humans being one, race doesn't exist, and should just get along with eachother....lol. I learn from my mistakes.....lol. No, that is the problem. The effort of tracking race is the very thing that perpetuates racism. That's like saying that keeping track of crime CAUSES crime. Just because you don't document it, doesn't mean it's not happening. I think understanding that we are all one race Might be a step in the right direction of having a more harmonious world See! Before I even read this part! See...look what you're doing! Man, I know you....lol. All this claiming "we're all in the same race" and this MC Hammer West Coast...."We're All In The Same Gang"....talk do is just going to lead to more CONFUSION. As I said earlier, White folks are going to know who THEY are and will know that YOU are different from them and will still try to dominate and in many cases mistreat you regardless as to what you want to tell or call yourself.

Troy I don't know if I'd use the term "firmly" in the South. It's certainly not as "southern" as Alabama....lol. But I won't argue it.

ProfD Another thing I have to give Trump credit for is not only OPENLY getting back at his "enemies" but punishing his "White enemies". We pretty much realize that it IS all (or mostly atleast White folks out here doing this shit. I haven't seen any Black or even Brown faces involved in the various Telsa burning incidents. I don't think Trump and MAGA will be too easy on them if they deem them as "Leftists" and political enemies. I can easily see Trump and his boys rounding up and locking up even WHITE folks if they rub him the wrong way or try to thwart his operation. The smartest move we as FBA can make is to...like the Gaza and Ukraine situation....stay the FUCK OUT of it. Look at it, and keep walking with a cup of coffee in your hand. At work, one of the White dudes (a fake liberal) who openly and proudly proclaims how loyal he is to the Democrat party and is always talking about how Trump is destroying democracy asked me Monday about those Telsas being burned. My response was, "Say what? Oh no....I hope nobody got hurt." And kept on walking to my truck HOPING he didn't ask me shit about it again because I wouldn't want to have to straight up ignore his ass....but I will, lol.

D.C. and Baltimore are strange cities in that.....they look Eastcoast (infact they are) but most of the people sound like they could be from the South. They call women over 30....especially White women..."Miss So-n-So" Entire blocks full of brownstones, rowhouses, and brick buildings. But the people come outside talking about some...... "How you doin' today Miss Janet?" "Hey bae.....Miss Kendra called and said she need her hair did up ASAP". Reminds me of St.Louis. It looks Eastcoast too but very country in talk and attitude. Despite it being on the Eastcoast I really do think the weather influences the demeanor and behavior of the population to a certain extent.

D.C. be getting hotter than a mug in May.....lol. They're gonna be out there SWEATING in them dreadlocks, Kente cloth outfits, beating on drums in the sun!

As soon as I saw that it was being held in D.C....I thought of our brother ProfD, lol. Tariq Nasheed's Rally For Reparations was also held in D.C. last year, I believe.

At this point, Black folks need to be running the ENTIRE STATE of Georgia. No more secluded areas and backwoods where Klansmen and rednecks congregate and map out shit. If any state in the Union should be totally dominated by Black folks...every square inch....it should be Georgia. With Mississippi and Alabama closely behind. No way those 3 states should have White Senators representing them and White governors with all the Black people....many of them college educated...living down there. Niggas are busy talking about making that move to Texas (where Mexicans have already laid claim to) when we have a whole WAKANDA sitting right there waiting for us to develop!

Troy Speaking of which..... Another tactic of "refined" Racists is infiltrating Black organizations....funding them...and using their positions to INFLUENCE the direction those organizations go and dictate what they will and will not speak out on. The one who pays the Piper calls the tune. ProfD There was a brief moment in time during the early 1970s where Black pride was a thing. At that time, I'm not sure if there was anywhere else on the planet where people were actually PROUD and LOVED to be Black besides in Black America. I'm sure Africans loved themselves based on their respective cultures and religions, but I don't believe most of them were necessarily proud of their Black skin in and of itself. People usually smile when I say it, however I'm extremely serious when I say if I had the opportunity to turn into or come back as any race on the planet....I'd choose to remain as or come back as BLACK. And more specifically a BLACK AMERICAN MAN. I'd choose it over and over and over and over and over again. I can explain some of them, but there are some reasons that I can't even explain as to why I love being a Black man and wouldn't want to be any other race/sex. Like Whitney Houston said in "So Emotional": I don't know why.....I JUST DO ....lol