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Black American Millionaires


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@Delano black people with money have existed in the usa when it was colonies of the british empire. Black people with money are not more profitable than white people with money but have slowly grown , without enslaving or murdering other peoples for their land. 

The question is, is the goal of the black community ins the usa to have communal strength or to be a collection of individuals? 

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2 hours ago, ProfD said:

No amount of money, privilege or access truly liberates black folks. 😎


Why? 

Because if every black person in America were a multimillionaire that would absolutely liberate us here in the U.S. -   

Or
do you believe the white nationalist power structure coded in U.S. laws prevents it? 

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14 minutes ago, Mel Hopkins said:

Why? 

Because if every black person in America were a multimillionaire that would absolutely liberate us here in the U.S. -   

Or
do you believe the white nationalist power structure coded in U.S. laws prevents it? 

Correct. 

 

The current system definitely wouldn't allow every black person to be a multimillionaire. 

 

H8ll, the system makes it harder for many black folks to  become a multi-thousandaire.😁

 

As black folks, we aren't doing enough collectively to generate, pool and sustain our wealth. 

 

Gross consumerism is the opiate that anesthetizes folks into maintaining the status quo. 😎

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1 minute ago, ProfD said:

The current system definitely wouldn't allow every black person to be a multimillionaire.

Sadly this true.  But only because of perspective.  In fact, there was something you wrote in the abortion anti-abortion thread that help me have a paradigm shift. Once we start looking at things differently- things change! 

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I have been thinking that the US is like a sports farm. There are lots of people in the middle, a little bit less at the bottom and a few at the top. Some at the top trade places others arrive and depart. Historically you needed people at the bottom for labor, entertainment and sex work. I wonder how many people will be made redundant by technology. I think the sports person is fairly safe, but labor and sex workers may not fare so well.

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16 hours ago, richardmurray said:

@Delano for the record, I am not opposing the Black community in the USA , not the world or another country but the USA , being a set of individuals. But the only problem is, a community of individuals can't then ask/demand for collective or communal strength. 

If you have to ask then you are in a position of weakness. However even slaves have power, even if that is only death.

 

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18 minutes ago, Delano said:

 

I have been thinking that the US is like a sports farm

 

I thought about “salary cap,” when I heard - high labor cost were the root of inflation.  I never looked at it like that before. It makes sense though because the higher the wages the more we can pay for goods.  If I charge a 1.00 for an apple - and someone wants it for a 1.25 - I’m selling at that rate.

 

So, the feds  attempt to slow down the economy and  make some work for “slave wages” to keep prices low. But can work today? Especially with digital technology and cloud computing?  Both allowed for sex work to go virtual during lockdown.  Sex and Tech became bedfellows no pun intended.  

 

And the same for labor and digital technology too.   Remember the call centers in India? Well thanks to AWS and “Intel inside” laptops - There’s a business called live ops where anyone with a laptop,  internet and two weeks to train can handle customer service calls for as many fortune 100 clients they can handle.  And they can make their own hours and a decent salary working from home.   Because of semiconductor chips, the same is happening with repetitive labor inside factories.  These are just some examples that come to mind.   
 

I like your analogy but don’t forget about all the information workers in this society now.  

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@Delano well, I said ask/demand. The point is not about weakness or strength but strategy. 

I think history shows from frederick Douglass to today, the Black community in the usa is led by leaders who want to be nonviolent or positively integrate to nonblacks. They guided the black community in the usa to be a community of individuals. the problem is, most black people in the usa did and do not want that and moreover, have not handled what that means. 

 

@ProfD one question, can you describe what a liberated black people in the usa look like? I am not refuting your statement, about what will not influence liberation for black people in the usa, but how do you define said liberation? Note I am not asking about the process or the path, I am asking about how you define the end.

 

 

 

 

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4 hours ago, Mel Hopkins said:

I like your analogy but don’t forget about all the information workers in this society now.  

I wouldn't consider information workers as labourers

Richard perhaps the reverse is true. If people learn to be independent the movement doesn't stop when the leader no longer leads.

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15 hours ago, richardmurray said:

@ProfD one question, can you describe what a liberated black people in the usa look like? I am not refuting your statement, about what will not influence liberation for black people in the usa, but how do you define said liberation? Note I am not asking about the process or the path, I am asking about how you define the end.

Independently capable of generating  and sustaining wealth in all realms (mental, physical and spiritual). 

 

Complete autonomy and self-sufficiency in all areas of human activity. 😎

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15 hours ago, Delano said:

I wouldn't consider information workers as labourers

 

Please share your perspective. Are you referring to day workers - who harvest produce?  When I think of laborers, I think of blue collar, plumbers, lineperson home builders, road construction. etc. 

 

 

15 hours ago, Delano said:

If people learn to be independent the movement doesn't stop when the leader no longer leads.

This is exactly the age we’re living in - the two generations after the boomers are making their own rules … and building communities around their similarities. 

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1 hour ago, Mel Hopkins said:

 

Please share your perspective. Are you referring to day workers - who harvest produce?  When I think of laborers, I think of blue collar, plumbers, lineperson home builders, road construction. etc. 

Yes those are labourers to me as well. Although blue collar workers and managers are so being replaced by technology. The next round may be drivers, waiters, barisatas and burger flippers.

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@Delano yes, the old saying, strong people lead themselves... history proves that isn't a lie but isn't the truth either. 

A person can lead themselves and be strong and not help their own community, especially in the usa. I think many black people have been strong in the usa post war between the states, they have led themselves to individual profit. Now does that mean the black community has improved since the war between the states, well...

 

@ProfD I quote you

Quote

Independently capable of generating  and sustaining wealth in all realms (mental, physical and spiritual). 

 

Complete autonomy and self-sufficiency in all areas of human activity. 😎

 

If that is the destination, I will firmly say that can't happen in the usa for the black community, can it? complete autonomy or self sufficiency, in the usa for the black community demands black people control natural resources and have the militaristic means to defend said resources. Can that actually happen in the usa ? In another country, especially a black one, meaning has mostly black people in it, possibilities exist. but in the usa, this can't happen right? 

I may comprehend you wrong, but I don't see that level of autonomy of self sufficiency for the black community in the usa. where am I miscomprehending you?

 

@Mel Hopkins the black community in the usa has changed right? it has gone through multiple phases since the end of the war between the states right? the modern black community has more members with a multiphenotypical background, has more members from a recent immigration standpoint, these factors are huge. the black community in the usa in the 1960s didn't have so many recent immigrants from the islands/africa/asia/south america/europe as today. and the black community circa 1865 was the most monolithic culturally/financially/heritagewise than ever after. I think the demography of the black community has changed alot in a relative short time. And I want to add having friends who came as children to the usa from places in africa, clan members who saw how black people immigrating from the caribbean were treated in the black community in the early 1900s , that the black community in the usa was forced to accept alot of new members without its want, to be blunt. Look at the white community in the usa. Even though white jews or catholics have been in the usa from the 13 colonies era, it took a very long time for the white protestants to truly embrace white jews or white catholics. Whereas in the black community, the impotency of the black community meant new black folk from latin america, from africa, from asia, had no communal restriction from Black DOSers anywhere near what white protestants gave white jews or catholics. So I concur about new ways but the black community in the usa hasn't had time to settle as a community since the war between the states and that can be problematic when you are trying to organize. 

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11 minutes ago, richardmurray said:

@ProfD I quote you

 

If that is the destination, I will firmly say that can't happen in the usa for the black community, can it?

 

I may comprehend you wrong, but I don't see that level of autonomy of self sufficiency for the black community in the usa. where am I miscomprehending you?

Man, you asked a question with instructions "not the process or path...define the end". 

 

I answered your question succinctly. Then, you proceed to dissect *my* definition of liberated black folks (AfroAmericans).

 

There's really no point in asking questions if you've already got the answers. 😎

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7 hours ago, richardmurray said:

So I concur about new ways but the black community in the usa hasn't had time to settle as a community since the war between the states and that can be problematic when you are trying to organize. 

From this reasoning, It appears you agree with @Delano assessment.

 

 “If people learn to be independent the movement doesn't stop when the leader no longer leads.”

 

And from your reasoning, it appears  even after we lost the use of our language - we retained our cultural heritage, oral tradition and cipher that maintains our community without a so-called “leader.” 

 

 

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@ProfD yes, and you answered perfectly, My reply is not a condemnation of your answer, which you seem to suggest. TO a country like Nigeria or Jamaica I have nothing to say about your definition of the goal. BUT, the USA is not Nigeria or Jamaica. 

I am not dissecting your definition. I am not debating if it can be applied. I am debating one thing, if it can be applied in the usa. . I think it is fair to ask can that destination be achieved in a country like the usa that is not only black people. What about the native american? based on how you define the goal for black people in the usa, if the native american wants the same freedom and whites want the same freedom <which of course they do > then all of these peoples can't have the same goal in one space. I am not talking about process but the ability of the usa as a multiracial society to provide freedoms for all its races. 

I argue, the usa can't allow all races to have freedom as you define freedom for the black community. That isn't an insult to your point merely a continuation of discussion

I apologize, if I poorly move on to my centerpoint of discussion

 

@Mel Hopkins I again, communicate poorly, my point isn't that strong people lead themselves. I agree partially to @Delano because, one can thrive and their community not thrive. I think the black community in the usa is exhibit A of a community where individuals thrive but the community rottens. from the end of the war between the states to today, it can be argued, black individuals have thrived as presidents/supreme court jusitces, billionaires, millionaires, but the black communities black churches/historical black colleges, negro leagues, institutions are clearly less than in the past, the nation of islam as well..., every single black organization gets weaker over time in the usa not stronger. so... the strong individuals, if you judge strength by financial success or position in government,  are leading themselves, but that is not making a great black community in the usa. 

I communicated very poorly again, I have learned through personal experience , that no heritage ever dies, it becomes small somestimes, sometimes it becomes really large, but it never dies completely. My point is that the black community in the usa since the war between the states has never been able to settle itself and thus through white negative influence <reconstruction/kkk/jim crow/big city governments during white flight> or constant new groups of black people coming in everywhere <from jamaica/haiti/trinidad/nigeria/ghana/south africa/various places in europe/various places in south america/ various places in asia> the black community in the past or now doesn't have enough time to find a center, cause new black groups or new white negative influences are always coming. The DOSers dislike of so many Black modern immigrant groups, or vice versa,  is my proof. 

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23 minutes ago, richardmurray said:

but the black communities black churches/historical black colleges, negro leagues, institutions are clearly less than in the past, the nation of islam as well..., every single black organization gets weaker over time in the usa not stronger.

 

@richardmurray


Those are institutions/organizations, NOT a community. 

Using the definition of 
community from both Merriam Webster  (definition 1 ) and also using the description of Umoja  

on page 158 refers to "Oneness." See Linguistic Dilemmas of Afrocentricity The Diaspora Experience Ali A. Mazrui | State University of New York, Binghamton, New York Alamin M. Mazrui | The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.  A community is a group of people with shared interests and likeness. 

 

The Black community continues its growth stage. It quickly becomes a large, diverse, decentralized, peer-to-peer networking community. 

 

The Black population in the USA is 46.8 million strong  (second only to German-Americans at 49 million people here in the U.S.)

 

Further, these individuals, many whom are immigrants, have chosen to identify as Black/African American. These individuals self-identify as Black, which is what makes us a community.   Presently the black community mirrors Del's assessment. Definitely, not the community of enslaved Africans you continue to refer to when you mention war between the states. But it is understandable why newly unshackled Africans needed a central meeting place the laws codified Africans as less than. Still, Institutions and organizations that outlive their usefulness tend to die.  And self-directed individuals take their place.  

 

If you're interested in reading about the trajectory of the black community, PEW Research already did the heavy lifting. All that is left to do is independent research to fact-check. 

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@Mel Hopkinsisntitutions are the symbols of a communities strength. 

 

As a computer engineer I have experience with peer to peer networks, peer to peer networks by default are individual collections. They are very loose and while they can create in a quick amount of time utility their great weakness is the lack of a center. Which is the symbol of community. 

 

Black is a phenotypical race, not an ancestry race, like german american, but you are correct in population numbers. it is racially fair to compare to black americans to white americans but ok. 

 

Mel I comprehend the strategy you refer to. Maybe you think I don't. You or @Delano I don't think comprehend my point. I think the black community in the usa at the time of the war between the states was being led by black leaders to be what it is now. That was why Frederick Douglass pushed for black integration to whites. You speak of enslaved africans but frederick douglass despised the back to africa movement or even black people leaving the usa. His viewpoint is what you consider modern.  I think if you back track my comments in this group they will confirm I have said this many times. but the end result of that, can not deliver a collective freedom for a majority of black people in the usa. And I must add, black communities in different countries have different situations. the usa is not the place for the kind of communalism that many black people in the usa clearly want or need. I am not knocking your stated strategy but I am opposing the idea that said strategy is an improvement as much as an eventuality based on the history of the black community.

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@richardmurraydisagreement  does not equate to misunderstanding. The USA is set up to have various levels of failure.

Poor whites are having their own drug crisis. 

 

The real issue is always class, not race not sex. So divide and conquer is effective.

 

Not certain how a P2P group is not a community. 

 

Most disagreement are a result of differing definitions, beliefs or assumptions.

 

You believe Black people need leaders. I believe it's more effective to teach a person to fish. So they won't get hungry.

 

Every society has a stratus. And it is usually a pyramid.

 

You want to go back to a past model that has obvious flaws. I prefer the future.

 

You will be more successful since people don't like change. Well forward thinking people like it.

 

 

 

Based on the definition of community. The Black population is not a community. But they are treated or mistreated as a monolithic block. Unless they are a celebrity.

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22 minutes ago, richardmurray said:

isntitutions are the symbols of a communities strength. 

 

Is this your belief?  It’s not fact - but if this is your belief it does make your position clear to me.

 

I don’t debate “beliefs.”

 

I thought you were stating what you witnessed.  And I didn’t see any empirical evidence.   But now I understand the perspective  is more nostalgic “Make Black America Great Again.”  

 

Although I I have more in common with iconoclast. I don’t have a strategy. I observe what is and analyze migration and the structure of movement.

 

A movement doesn’t care about what you believe or how you feel about it - but it will run you over if you don’t adapt. 

 

 

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There are actually 15 Black billionaires, according to Forbes. Most gained their fortunes through their personal talent and their uncanny ability to leverage this in a White-dominated world. 

Each year, Forbes compiles a list of the world’s billionaires using a snapshot of financial information such as the latest stock prices, exchange rates, assets and other data. 

Nine of these Black billionaires are Africa-American, according to Forbes. This includes the newest Black billionaire, Rhianna.

I sincerely doubt you can connect each through commonality, such as savvy investments, ability to shop economically and the ubiquitous claim that the rich "know how to save money."

I also doubt many of them buy into or continually endorse such risky investments such as unregulated Cryptocurrency markets. Now, if they were offered money to lie to the public in a commercial or an ad, then that's something else. 

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3 hours ago, Stefan said:

There are actually 15 Black billionaires, according to Forbes. Most gained their fortunes through their personal talent and their uncanny ability to leverage this in a White-dominated world. 

Nine of these Black billionaires are Africa-American, according to Forbes.

Being highly paid entertainers, hopefully, they will figure out how to turn their riches into wealth like the folks at the top of the list.

 

Otherwise, white folks know it's good for business and perception to let a few non-whites have money without real wealth i.e. power. 😎

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4 hours ago, ProfD said:

Otherwise, white folks know it's good for business and perception to let a few non-whites have money without real wealth i.e. power.

A read an article that ranked the privileges that come with different levels of wealth. At the $100 million you can get on contact with anyone you want to reach.

 

At a certain level what you are striving for is contacts and influence. 

 

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Finance and Real Estate make billionaires. They also break them as well.

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@Delano

You need to cite the article. Because one cannot always get in touch with the people they want to no matter their income.

They may employ intermediaries, plant stories or try other measures.

In the U.S., to get in touch with lawmakers or to put pressure on them, one employs lobbyists. 

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@Delano true, disagreement does not equal miscomprehension but both can exist simultaneously.

 

I have learned that some people can't learn to fish, but they still don't want to starve. 

 

No I don't. I think the black village in the usa is continuing what its leaders started over 150 years ago. And it is ok. KArin JEan Pierre like Eric Adams is a modern Black leader. Are they the quality of Fannie Lou Hamer plus Malcolm? :)  no, but no village gets lucky enough to have legendary leadership all the time. The global Black village has many different strategies being exhibited as we debate. All have strengths, all have weaknesses. And the systems in the future , whether we know them now or we don't, will have strengths and weaknesses. The hope I have is Black people everywhere are able to find themselves where they are most comfortable. Considering Black people have not killed entire communities of other people and taken all their land or resources or used whole communities of other people for cruel unfair profit or cultural ego. I think all black people deserve to have access to a strategy that works for them. I end with positivity, I am glad you and Mel have your P2P group strategy. I hope it works well for you both and all those in it, aside you. 

 

@Mel Hopkins I have never said the black village in the usa or the thirteen colonies was great. I have never said that. Nor do I have any nostalgia for any moment of USA history or the 13 colonies period for that matter. You may be surprised but the one word is kind, not great. And the Black village in the usa is still kind. I think Black women in particular, outside the near magical native american village, have eaten more crow than anyone, in the usa at least. 

 

Movements run over those who exists in the space the movement wants to go who don't want the movement there. As I said to a Black militant once privately, who was angered at Obama. The Black village has many tribes, always has, always will. Don't be angry at another tribes success. Focus on what your tribe needs and give good blessings to the other tribes. 

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11 hours ago, richardmurray said:

The global Black village has many different strategies being exhibited as we debate. All have strengths, all have weaknesses. And the systems in the future , whether we know them now or we don't, will have strengths and weaknesses. The hope I have is Black people everywhere are able to find themselves where they are most comfortable.

 

The Black village has many tribes, always has, always will. Don't be angry at another tribes success. Focus on what your tribe needs and give good blessings to the other tribes. 

The one thing all back tribes have in common is the threat of being attacked by white supremacy.  The sooner black folks collectively decide how we are going to arms ourselves against racists who wish to do us harm in all levels (physical, mental, financial, etc.), my concern is that every black tribe is a sitting duck i.e. vulnerable. 😎

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On 5/14/2022 at 8:17 PM, Delano said:

What is the commonality for billionaires other than having money?

All billionaires supply the wants of those in need. (Or they inherited from someone who did.)

 

Supplying wants is how anyone earns money. Find a person's need to fulfill their desires. 

 

For example, your ability to read the stars is the answer for someone who wants to hedge the predictions for their future. They need to be self-sufficient.  

 

Some of us determine "wants" better than others. And those who do earn a lot of money.

 

I earn money from clients because I pay attention to what people want from me. People usually want me to prepare statements. It doesn't matter what type of statements - they all have one thing in common. Many people need to appear versed in their vocation, and they are, but they sometimes have difficulty expressing what they know. 

 

So I help them. I can't make millions from helping people - because I help one person at a time. 

I could scale my knowledge by writing a book. But I don't know how to address their want commercially. And I NEED to get it right. (lol)

 

BUT billionaires have figured out how to scale their product/service to sell to multi-millions.   And I think all billionaires have a need to create the future. 

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@ProfDnot just white supremacy, but whites in general. 

well, the black community in humanity is quite large and has way to  many variances internally to achieve a collective defense as you suggest. 

If history says anything, it displayed a haiti in the times of dessalines or an ethiopia in the times of menelik the 2nd mean tribes can achieve for a time security against aggression by whites, when all others have not. 

All will be well

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16 hours ago, nels said:

More like, the Black uppity class, arrogant and condescending to even themselves, and wholly irrelevant to the lives of the everyday hardworking Black American.

One believes they're free while the other dreams of and aspires to a better life.  The one thing they both have in common is being a prisoner. 😎

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 5/10/2022 at 11:48 AM, Mel Hopkins said:

Yep, black multimillionaires exist, and most of us probably have very close relationships with them. What always amazes me is the various ways mm achieve their wealth goals. 



Lol....and here I was thinking YOU were one of them!

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  • 2 weeks later...

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