Greetings:
With all due respect, I hope that this letter finds you in the best of spirit and health. I write to you, in the same form that Paul wrote to the Ephesians when he wanted to express his advice and counsel to the followers of Jesus, the Christ. First of all, and foremost of all, I want to thank you for your intervention in my affairs in life. If I had 1,000 tongues, I could not thank God enough for your role in making me strive to be a baptized Christian. I thank God for allowing you to give me an example of the Divine plan of Jesus, the Christ. Through you, God showed me Jesus in person. He allowed you to take me into a deeper understanding of what it means to be a servant. The seeds that you planted in my teenage life have been allowed to take root and grow. Your spiritual guidance and leadership in my youth, has allowed me to develop a deeper understanding of that man Jesus. Through you, God allowed me to confirm what Jesus said in the scriptures: “When you see me, you see the Father. Jesus also said: “You will do even greater works than I do”. Suffice it to say, thank you for being a “perfect” example of what it means to be a Christian.
You see, Mr. Brown (Minister), I grew up a Jehovah’s Witness. We were not allowed to even walk in the doors of a church. We were told that, we would not find a true disciple of Jesus, the Christ in “those” places. We were told that “church-goers” only had some of The Divine truth and revelation of God. We were told that church was not a positive place to worship. But, God is the best knower. Fortunately, he put me in your Christian classroom. You see, growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness, I started ministering as early as age 6. Going door to door, preaching the wonderful news of the Kingdom of God. My biological father taught me how to “read” the bible from cover to cover as soon as I developed the ability to read and write. He would help me prepare sermons for the congregation. Being that I loved to speak in front of audiences at that age, I was glad to tell people about Jesus. Unfortunately, I had no understanding of what I was telling the people, but God was merciful enough to pierce his word in my heart, mind, body, soul. The scripture says: "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, and the word was made flesh." So, my biological father planted the seed of submission to God and his establishment, or bringing in of the Kingdom of Righteousness. But no seed can take root, grow, multiply, and replenish the Earth, except for the awesome nurture and protection of God Himself.
Then I met you Mr. Brown. God put you in my life to develop a deeper understanding of Christianity outside of what I thought I knew. God allowed you to further confirm Truth in my life. I have always known to pray, but I did not know how to pray, and what to pray for. Then, you came along and taught me the way and format of prayer, which I use to this very day. You taught me to honor and glorify God in the first phase of prayer. Then you taught me to thank him for his mercy and forgiveness. Then you taught me to ask forgiveness for our sins that we knowingly and unknowingly committed against Him, our fellow brothers and Sisters, and ultimately, our very own self. You then taught me to ask God for an extension of his mercy, so he would allow me to actually “atone” for my transgression of the law(s). Then you taught me how to accept that God would answer the first question of the prayer. You then taught me to start praying for the Children of God. In the same phase, you taught me to pray for my or our immediate families. You then taught me how to pray and ask God for “eternal” life and all of the treasures that come with it. You then taught me to ask for anything, but most important, you taught me prior to the close of my “sincere” prayer; how to ask it for it all in the name of Jesus, the Christ and the Son of the living God. So I thank God for giving me the gift of prayer that I learned through you, my second spiritual, leader, teacher, and guide.
Not only did God allow you to show me the magnificent power of prayer, and an appropriate way to pray, you pointed me in the direction to end all prayer with the only prayer that Jesus, the Christ left us. “Our father, which art in heaven, wholly is Thy name, Thy Kingdom come, on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. Lead us not, into temptation, but deliver us from all evil. For Thine is The Kingdom, for ever and ever…Amen! So, if I missed anything in the previous format, Jesus’ Our Father prayer, covered it all in a nutshell. Then you taught me another version of the life and teaching of Jesus, the Christ. I say another version, because your sunnai or example was so in line with the teachings of Jesus, I begin to admire and dedicate my existence to fulfilling my “Ordained” duty in being a part or portion in the establishment of God’s Kingdom on Earth. You went into the prisons and spread the Gospel of Jesus, the Christ. You traveled long distances many times late at night at the call and instruction of God Himself, to deliver the teachings of Jesus, the Christ. You woke me up on many mornings and asked me to help you put up a revival tent. You refused to acknowledge the honor and praise that the people were giving you as this man of God. You always put honor and praise right back where it rightfully belonged. You delayed taking complete leadership of First Baptist Church of College Hill, because you only wanted to be a servant and not a pastor. You told me one day, that God started your mission in the streets, the highways and byways, and basically outside the church. So you never wanted to go outside of those guidelines that God set up for you. It “appeared” to me, that you felt you would be more effective “saving” souls outside of the church. You showed me the true meaning of the words that Jesus echoed, “Inasmuch, as you have done to the least of these, so have you done it unto me.” So you went out and searched for the lost sheep and I bear witness that you were transforming the lives of men and women in the prison system and out. You cleaned up the drug addict, adulterer, murderer, liar, fornicator, prostitute, and non-believer. You opened the eyes of the blind, which could not see the light of God and His Christ. You made the deaf hear by always teaching an uplifting version of the Gospel. Very rarely, if not at all, you scolded the transgressors of the law. You showed me the awesome characteristics that a “servant” of God must uphold at all times. I could go on and on, in regards of how valuable you were and still continue to be in my spiritual journey.
Suffice all that to say, thank you Mr. Brown (Minister). Even in my darkest hours, when most congregations would not let me in their presence, and my friends and even family though I was a man of abnormality, you visited me and anointed my crown with oil. You prayed for me, and welcomed me in your home when I was hungry and thirsty. You put clothes on my back, you healed my wounded heart. You helped me see the true light of Jesus, the Christ. You opened my ears to a new reality of God and His Christ, and you help me to walk in the light of faith. You loaded my luggage in your car and made sure I continued my education beyond high school. You are the first black head coach to lead a local team to the state playoffs in football and win. Even if it was a segregated school, your men upheld the highest of standards, morals, and dedication to the overall cause of student-athletes. You taught me so many aspects of the game. I experimented on the football field with some of the things you would advise to the teams that we watched play football after church on Sunday. You taught me how to excel in my endeavors and avoid the pitfalls of shortcuts. If I needed a financial boost, you would not hesitate to lend your helping hand to the situation; free of charge. There is so much more, that my cup runneth over with how much I thank The Creator for your intervention in my affairs as a teenager.
I just wanted you to know, that you did create a disciple. In my humble opinion, you continue to be a direct reflection of Jesus and his ministry. You are a perfect usher, for the bringing in of God’s Kingdom on Earth. It is with this letter, that I want to officially thank you for being my God-Dad. I could never repay God or you for all that you have enabled me to see in the spiritual world of righteousness. That is why; I am trying to be a reflection of your mission. You told me how God came into your life of transgression and gave you specific instructions on your Divine mission in turning the hearts of the men back to their Creator. So thanks again for giving me a blueprint to the path of servitude for the people of God. Most of all, thank you for the “water baptism” that you gave me when God called you into the confines of a building to teach his word. God is not a mystery or a spook; you have given me a perfect example of God and His Christ in “person”. Thank you for keeping me, even when the other churches and spiritual organizations through me out to the wolves, by God’s permission. Thanks “Coach”! I have begun my lecture series that I started a long time ago in the church, before God sent me into the world on a wider mission. I have volumes of lectures that God has inspired me to share with the “unwise and imprudent”. In fact, because the piercing words of Jesus when he said: “Suffer the little children unto me, and you must become a child again to enter into the Kingdom of God”, I have dedicated my mission to help in the resurrection of our youth (children) and anyone else who will believe in the power of God in man, and the establishment and rule of His Righteous Kingdom on earth. So, if this can be of any comfort to you and my family at First Baptist Church of College Hill, your efforts in helping me be a servant to the God’s “lost and found sheep”, has not been in vain. God is the best knower, they plan a plan, and He plans a plan, but God is The Best of Planners. I am almost back home in my search of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, and you Mr. Brown (Minister/Coach/God-Dad) have faithfully aided in my stages of continual development. Thank God for you and all of His servants that have had the same or similar effect on the flock. There is a garden that encompasses the true meaning of a “Good Shepard”. We know him as "Good Abe". (Reverend Abraham Brown, Minister/CEO of the Prison Crusade Ministry Inc.)
Selah……..
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
"The Value of Woman in furthering God's Kingdom"
With all due respect to the men of God, but can I speak to the women of God’s wonderful and magnificent creation? I have been in constant thought on how things can be turned around from this horrible demise of our children. I have wondered why we, as so-called men of God, can not rise to the occasion and take back our youth. What is causing the youth to sway so far from the path of righteousness? I have been taught if you can not get the answer from a witness of the source, then maybe we should seek the direct source for answers to these questions? So, in my humble opinion, we need you now more than ever. You are our mothers, you are our fathers, and you are our reason for existing.
I have decided to dedicate this blog on understanding the role of women in God’s Divine Plan. Since history serves as one of, if not, the best teacher, then it is wise to start outlining some interesting historical facts for the women. First of all, I will deal with your days of greater power and significance. You are the primary entity for bringing God’s Kingdom into existence. You were from the beginning, and fortunately, you are now. You are responsible for the evolution of generations. Without you, there would be no me or them. I say them, because it is a historical fact, that you (black woman) are the mother of all civilization. From your womb, came the black, brown, red, and yellow people of the Earth. God ordained you to further His civilization and His Divine plan. You are responsible for key spiritual figures such as: Moses (the savior for the children of Israel), Abraham (God’s friend), Solomon (Wise Man), Noah (The “crazy and drunk” prophet), Job (The man of infinite faith), David (The Masterful Psalmist), Jesse (The root), Elijah (The “prophet”), Mary (The mother of Jesus), John (The Baptist), and Jesus (The Greatest Man to ever live). You are responsible for bringing into existence all of these Divine leader, teacher, and guides. You are responsible for Marcus Garvey, Bob Marley, W.E.B. Dubois, Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglas, Malcolm X, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and President Barak Obama.
You are responsible for Mars, Venus, Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, and many more planets. In other words, you beautiful woman, are responsible for giving birth to the Universe and all that is in it. God made you the most vital and precious of all of his creation. You are the main intermediary between God and His children. You have served, nurtured, and cared for all “mankind”. If you have been given the authority to fulfill the vision of God and his perfect plan, what is your role in saving our youth from their destructive and eminent demise? Women are the second God that we know and love when we come into existence. We depend on her to console, feed, and protect us. She listens to and responds to our needy cries. She punishes us according to our decision-making errors as children and beyond. You represent the precious diamonds of the earth. For every diamond comes into its natural beauty, value, and existence with extreme struggle, pressure, and opposition. But at the end of the process of evolving into what God intended for that stone to be, it is the most admired “thing” in the world. So it is with the female. You all are diamonds in the ruff. You have been hidden beneath rubbish. Rubbish that this world has offered and forced on you. You have been made into something less than a Queen of the Universe. I was taught that, “Every no good woman, was made no good, by a no good man”. So we must lift you up higher than any other entity in God’s creation. For you are our means for survival, today, yesterday, and tomorrow.
God has always given women the spiritual power to endure beyond measure. It has been your prayers on our behalf that has saved us from our very own demise. When we did not protect you during the darkest days of slavery, you still loved us and were faithful in your role of being our help meet. You would lay your hands on our foreheads when we were sick and anoint our heads with oil. You would order protection, with God’s permission, against the wiles of Satan. You fed and still continue to feed us meals that nurtured and sustained our life. You are a Divine gift from God and we need you more than ever to put us all back on the right path of Jesus, the Christ. You know him better than all of us so-called men. In fact, you gave birth to Jesus and his mother. I know we have not given you certain positions in the advancement of God’s Kingdom, but change is mandatory. You are by no means exempt from Divinity. We need you to reclaim your throne as the ultimate ministers of our children. We need you to petition God on our behalf, so that we can turn from our wicked ways against each other, and most important, against you. God has always given you the 1-800 number to the prayer line. You have always been given a free pass to talk to God on behalf of our transgressions from the law. God has used you as his mercy to all of creation.
Suffice it all to say, it is time to submit to the cry of the women. She is dissatisfied with what she has created. She is our mercy before God allows us to be captured and put back in a spiritual, mental, and physical bondage. The churches are full of women, the schools and colleges are full of women, the libraries are full of women, the hospitals are full of women, the educators are mostly women, pharmacists are mostly women, and the backbone of families are women. So, I think it would be appropriate for us to yield to the woman and seek guidance from her in this matter. She has always been a direct link to usher in God’s will and way. In the women lies truth. Since the earth and the Universe was created and established on truth, the woman holds the key to the dynamic ills that we are facing and will continue to face. You are mother and we need you to welcome us back into your spiritual world, so that we can move on from our shame of failing you and falling short of fulfilling our purpose in God’s Divine Plan. In fact, it is imperative that we change the way we see and treat you. Show us how to serve God and you in a manner that will be pleasing in the sight of God and the eyes of the children. Show us how to capture our young men who have gone astray. Once, you pray for our success, we know God will forgive our sins and heal us from our current state of disobedience. So women of God, will you please pray for us and welcome us back home to the construction of God’s Kingdom on earth. In the next blog, if it is the will of God, I will try and outline in the scriptures what happened when we failed to submit to your position in the Kingdom. “No civilization can rise higher than its woman.” Thank you in advance for your forgiveness, mercy, and prayers.
Peace…..
I have decided to dedicate this blog on understanding the role of women in God’s Divine Plan. Since history serves as one of, if not, the best teacher, then it is wise to start outlining some interesting historical facts for the women. First of all, I will deal with your days of greater power and significance. You are the primary entity for bringing God’s Kingdom into existence. You were from the beginning, and fortunately, you are now. You are responsible for the evolution of generations. Without you, there would be no me or them. I say them, because it is a historical fact, that you (black woman) are the mother of all civilization. From your womb, came the black, brown, red, and yellow people of the Earth. God ordained you to further His civilization and His Divine plan. You are responsible for key spiritual figures such as: Moses (the savior for the children of Israel), Abraham (God’s friend), Solomon (Wise Man), Noah (The “crazy and drunk” prophet), Job (The man of infinite faith), David (The Masterful Psalmist), Jesse (The root), Elijah (The “prophet”), Mary (The mother of Jesus), John (The Baptist), and Jesus (The Greatest Man to ever live). You are responsible for bringing into existence all of these Divine leader, teacher, and guides. You are responsible for Marcus Garvey, Bob Marley, W.E.B. Dubois, Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglas, Malcolm X, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and President Barak Obama.
You are responsible for Mars, Venus, Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, and many more planets. In other words, you beautiful woman, are responsible for giving birth to the Universe and all that is in it. God made you the most vital and precious of all of his creation. You are the main intermediary between God and His children. You have served, nurtured, and cared for all “mankind”. If you have been given the authority to fulfill the vision of God and his perfect plan, what is your role in saving our youth from their destructive and eminent demise? Women are the second God that we know and love when we come into existence. We depend on her to console, feed, and protect us. She listens to and responds to our needy cries. She punishes us according to our decision-making errors as children and beyond. You represent the precious diamonds of the earth. For every diamond comes into its natural beauty, value, and existence with extreme struggle, pressure, and opposition. But at the end of the process of evolving into what God intended for that stone to be, it is the most admired “thing” in the world. So it is with the female. You all are diamonds in the ruff. You have been hidden beneath rubbish. Rubbish that this world has offered and forced on you. You have been made into something less than a Queen of the Universe. I was taught that, “Every no good woman, was made no good, by a no good man”. So we must lift you up higher than any other entity in God’s creation. For you are our means for survival, today, yesterday, and tomorrow.
God has always given women the spiritual power to endure beyond measure. It has been your prayers on our behalf that has saved us from our very own demise. When we did not protect you during the darkest days of slavery, you still loved us and were faithful in your role of being our help meet. You would lay your hands on our foreheads when we were sick and anoint our heads with oil. You would order protection, with God’s permission, against the wiles of Satan. You fed and still continue to feed us meals that nurtured and sustained our life. You are a Divine gift from God and we need you more than ever to put us all back on the right path of Jesus, the Christ. You know him better than all of us so-called men. In fact, you gave birth to Jesus and his mother. I know we have not given you certain positions in the advancement of God’s Kingdom, but change is mandatory. You are by no means exempt from Divinity. We need you to reclaim your throne as the ultimate ministers of our children. We need you to petition God on our behalf, so that we can turn from our wicked ways against each other, and most important, against you. God has always given you the 1-800 number to the prayer line. You have always been given a free pass to talk to God on behalf of our transgressions from the law. God has used you as his mercy to all of creation.
Suffice it all to say, it is time to submit to the cry of the women. She is dissatisfied with what she has created. She is our mercy before God allows us to be captured and put back in a spiritual, mental, and physical bondage. The churches are full of women, the schools and colleges are full of women, the libraries are full of women, the hospitals are full of women, the educators are mostly women, pharmacists are mostly women, and the backbone of families are women. So, I think it would be appropriate for us to yield to the woman and seek guidance from her in this matter. She has always been a direct link to usher in God’s will and way. In the women lies truth. Since the earth and the Universe was created and established on truth, the woman holds the key to the dynamic ills that we are facing and will continue to face. You are mother and we need you to welcome us back into your spiritual world, so that we can move on from our shame of failing you and falling short of fulfilling our purpose in God’s Divine Plan. In fact, it is imperative that we change the way we see and treat you. Show us how to serve God and you in a manner that will be pleasing in the sight of God and the eyes of the children. Show us how to capture our young men who have gone astray. Once, you pray for our success, we know God will forgive our sins and heal us from our current state of disobedience. So women of God, will you please pray for us and welcome us back home to the construction of God’s Kingdom on earth. In the next blog, if it is the will of God, I will try and outline in the scriptures what happened when we failed to submit to your position in the Kingdom. “No civilization can rise higher than its woman.” Thank you in advance for your forgiveness, mercy, and prayers.
Peace…..
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
"The Whole Armour, is required in these trying times."
With all due respect, is anyone other than me curious about what God has to say about all of this enormous stress and hardship? I know we have spiritual leaders, teachers, and guides that have always told us of days like this. They have preached to us a wonderful Gospel of Jesus, the Christ. They have given us instruction on how to better our relationship with the Creator of all things. They use to be a rest haven for all of the ills that affected the citizens in the community and beyond. The church has always been a hospital that we went to for solace, comfort, fellowship, and worship. We have had wonderful things happen in the church to men, women, children, and families from generation to generation. All of this is good and grand. But, the time has come for us to start asking our spiritual leaders, teachers, and guides questions. Since they are representatives for Jesus and our Father, that means that they should be equipped with Divine answers to what is going on and where do we stand in our duty to bring in the Kingdom of God on earth.
“Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD : 8 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock, 9 therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD : 10 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.” (Ezekiel 35:7-10) This scripture reminds me of how important our pastors, reverends, bishops, and ministers counsel is at a crucial and critical hour that we now live in. It appears to me that God is demanding more than what we are receiving. It is evident that something unusual is going on in our (the sheep) spiritual lives. The wiles of Satan have reached an all time high. Everything is on the rise: violence, homelessness, disease, racism, floods, earthquakes in diverse places, wars, deceit, lies, divorce, under teen-age pregnancy, unemployment, suicide, mental illness, drug addiction, same gender lust, pollution, and death. Suffice it to say, we need a Gospel that would deal with all of these critical issues that are significant evidence that we have reached a different season in the bible. So if this is the point where we are, then we need a more current, clear, and precise Gospel of Jesus, the Christ.
Peace….
Many of our spiritual leaders and advisors may need to help us understand what is at hand. We need answers. We don’t need them from the top socialist, economists, political policies, laws, sports, and learned ones. We need you to make it plain for us. Unfortunately, we are not in the churches. So what can we do to get you to bring the Gospel back to the streets where the Sender intended for it to be? I remember reading that Jesus’ ministry began and evolved from generation to generation in the streets. His work could not be confounded to a building. We must ask why? Because Jesus did not come to minister unto the wise and prudent, he came to minister unto the babes, the oppressed, the confused, the sick, the lost. Well, it seems that we have reached that plateau. But, no one wants to minister in the streets anymore. So the light of truth and salvation remains dormant behind the confinements of concrete and steal. Because of this deviation from the path of Jesus, we are losing countless members of our families. The sad part about the precious lost of life that we are experiencing is, most of culprits do not believe in the Creator of all things. Therefore, worship is not a necessary tool for everyday life. I remember the song: “Onward Christian soldiers.” During the darkest days of oppression, we marched for justice, peace, and equality in the name of God and His Christ. We kept God the head of all of our endeavors.
Suffice all that to say, the children in the streets are not being ministered to. The homeless man and woman are not being ministered to, the mentally ill person is not being ministered to, the drug dealer, the prostitute, the fornicator, the adulterer, the killer, the atheist, or the lost sheep are not being ministered to. Is it because they can not afford to compete weekly with their contribution of tithes? Is it because, they don’t wear the right clothes, is it because they don’t believe, is it because they are sinners? Matthew 25:44-45 states: “44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee a hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
So maybe we really need, “that ole time religion”, when everybody mattered. We should go back to the days when we went into the world and searched for the lost sheep. We did not leave the Gospel at the alter. We built outdoor alters and revivals. As kids, would be playing on a weekday night, and we could hear the echoes of God coming from only a megaphone inside a tent. So God’s name was always in our sublime. We knew that if we act up, God, mom, auntie, uncle, grandma, neighbor, teacher, older guys in the neighborhood, were going to punish us accordingly. It even seems like yesterday when before we ate school lunch; we took time out to thank God for the meal. In other words, we used a form of prayer more times than not. The bible says, how can they know except they are taught, and how could they be taught, except one be sent.” Maybe we need to send ourselves to the streets, highways and byways. We need to be partakers in turning the hearts of the children back to the father’s. We can not continue to think that we are safe or saved because we attend service every week. God is demanding more from us now. The separation process is at hand, and he is in desperate need of laborers now, more than ever. Many are called, but few are chosen to be true Christian soldiers on the actual battlefield for the spread of the Great news of the true Gospel of Jesus, the Christ. We all can make it through these trying times, if we go back to the golden rule of Jesus, the Christ. “Do unto others as you would have them (others) do unto you.” So we should “want for our brother or sister, what we want for ourselves.”
If we want God to spare us, then let’s spare the nonsense of this younger generation and go back fishing. There are good fish, big fish, little fish, old fish, young fish, and stubborn fish in the sea. They all are hungry for truth and not deceit and lies. They want us to make God real and bring him in front of them. So let’s rededicate this precious life that God has given us to all be ministers of the Kingdom. We have to be a baby Jesus. We have his spirit within us to do even greater works than he did. We must start this process of saving our youth. If not we will be responsible for their ultimate slaughter. Pharaoh and Herod wanted to destroy the boy babies. Our boys are being destroyed for the lack of knowledge of God, self, and the actual enemy. If it is God’s will, I will explain the indirect effect of their slaughter in the next blog series. Suffice it to say, Jesus did say to the people, “suffer the little children unto me, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs” for the sake of it. So if it is theirs, we need to start qualifying them for it. Not only do we need to qualify them for it, we need to qualify ourselves.
We can not depend on the powers of this world to rescue us or them from the wrath that has come upon our communities. Revelation is here and we need to stop watering down the Gospel and let the people in the streets know that our Father, is calling us all to come out of her. The “her” represents the evil world of the opponent of God and his Kingdom of: justice, peace, and equality. Forget your errors, confess your faults, and let’s move in the direction of teaching more than preaching. We all have a matter in this, not just the spiritual leaders and advisors. It starts with that man or women in the mirror. Because if we continue to ignore that we are living in the most perilous times of this present world, than we will not be properly equipped to bring in the Kingdom of God and he will definitely find that one or ones who are worthy. It does not take a degree, it does not take a well-learned student of theocracy, and it does not take a politician. It takes submission to God and his cause. He will then direct you to the position he wants you to uphold in the hereafter. God is no respector of persons, he gives the Kingdom to whom he pleases and he takes the Kingdom from whom he has loaned it to. We are the heirs of his Kingdom, so let’s behave accordingly. Drop the divisions of brotherhood and sisterhood because of this thing called religion. Jesus said, no Greek no Jew, no male no female, no bond, no free; all are One with him and his or our Father. It takes one to make many. .“You think your hope is in this, your hope is in God.” The greatest deception that the enemy is practicing is to deceive you away from the promise of God for your great future. So let's make the change. Let's study and qualify ourselves for positions in his kingdom that await us.” (MLF, 2009).
Peace….
“Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD : 8 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock, 9 therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD : 10 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.” (Ezekiel 35:7-10) This scripture reminds me of how important our pastors, reverends, bishops, and ministers counsel is at a crucial and critical hour that we now live in. It appears to me that God is demanding more than what we are receiving. It is evident that something unusual is going on in our (the sheep) spiritual lives. The wiles of Satan have reached an all time high. Everything is on the rise: violence, homelessness, disease, racism, floods, earthquakes in diverse places, wars, deceit, lies, divorce, under teen-age pregnancy, unemployment, suicide, mental illness, drug addiction, same gender lust, pollution, and death. Suffice it to say, we need a Gospel that would deal with all of these critical issues that are significant evidence that we have reached a different season in the bible. So if this is the point where we are, then we need a more current, clear, and precise Gospel of Jesus, the Christ.
Peace….
Many of our spiritual leaders and advisors may need to help us understand what is at hand. We need answers. We don’t need them from the top socialist, economists, political policies, laws, sports, and learned ones. We need you to make it plain for us. Unfortunately, we are not in the churches. So what can we do to get you to bring the Gospel back to the streets where the Sender intended for it to be? I remember reading that Jesus’ ministry began and evolved from generation to generation in the streets. His work could not be confounded to a building. We must ask why? Because Jesus did not come to minister unto the wise and prudent, he came to minister unto the babes, the oppressed, the confused, the sick, the lost. Well, it seems that we have reached that plateau. But, no one wants to minister in the streets anymore. So the light of truth and salvation remains dormant behind the confinements of concrete and steal. Because of this deviation from the path of Jesus, we are losing countless members of our families. The sad part about the precious lost of life that we are experiencing is, most of culprits do not believe in the Creator of all things. Therefore, worship is not a necessary tool for everyday life. I remember the song: “Onward Christian soldiers.” During the darkest days of oppression, we marched for justice, peace, and equality in the name of God and His Christ. We kept God the head of all of our endeavors.
Suffice all that to say, the children in the streets are not being ministered to. The homeless man and woman are not being ministered to, the mentally ill person is not being ministered to, the drug dealer, the prostitute, the fornicator, the adulterer, the killer, the atheist, or the lost sheep are not being ministered to. Is it because they can not afford to compete weekly with their contribution of tithes? Is it because, they don’t wear the right clothes, is it because they don’t believe, is it because they are sinners? Matthew 25:44-45 states: “44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee a hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
So maybe we really need, “that ole time religion”, when everybody mattered. We should go back to the days when we went into the world and searched for the lost sheep. We did not leave the Gospel at the alter. We built outdoor alters and revivals. As kids, would be playing on a weekday night, and we could hear the echoes of God coming from only a megaphone inside a tent. So God’s name was always in our sublime. We knew that if we act up, God, mom, auntie, uncle, grandma, neighbor, teacher, older guys in the neighborhood, were going to punish us accordingly. It even seems like yesterday when before we ate school lunch; we took time out to thank God for the meal. In other words, we used a form of prayer more times than not. The bible says, how can they know except they are taught, and how could they be taught, except one be sent.” Maybe we need to send ourselves to the streets, highways and byways. We need to be partakers in turning the hearts of the children back to the father’s. We can not continue to think that we are safe or saved because we attend service every week. God is demanding more from us now. The separation process is at hand, and he is in desperate need of laborers now, more than ever. Many are called, but few are chosen to be true Christian soldiers on the actual battlefield for the spread of the Great news of the true Gospel of Jesus, the Christ. We all can make it through these trying times, if we go back to the golden rule of Jesus, the Christ. “Do unto others as you would have them (others) do unto you.” So we should “want for our brother or sister, what we want for ourselves.”
If we want God to spare us, then let’s spare the nonsense of this younger generation and go back fishing. There are good fish, big fish, little fish, old fish, young fish, and stubborn fish in the sea. They all are hungry for truth and not deceit and lies. They want us to make God real and bring him in front of them. So let’s rededicate this precious life that God has given us to all be ministers of the Kingdom. We have to be a baby Jesus. We have his spirit within us to do even greater works than he did. We must start this process of saving our youth. If not we will be responsible for their ultimate slaughter. Pharaoh and Herod wanted to destroy the boy babies. Our boys are being destroyed for the lack of knowledge of God, self, and the actual enemy. If it is God’s will, I will explain the indirect effect of their slaughter in the next blog series. Suffice it to say, Jesus did say to the people, “suffer the little children unto me, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs” for the sake of it. So if it is theirs, we need to start qualifying them for it. Not only do we need to qualify them for it, we need to qualify ourselves.
We can not depend on the powers of this world to rescue us or them from the wrath that has come upon our communities. Revelation is here and we need to stop watering down the Gospel and let the people in the streets know that our Father, is calling us all to come out of her. The “her” represents the evil world of the opponent of God and his Kingdom of: justice, peace, and equality. Forget your errors, confess your faults, and let’s move in the direction of teaching more than preaching. We all have a matter in this, not just the spiritual leaders and advisors. It starts with that man or women in the mirror. Because if we continue to ignore that we are living in the most perilous times of this present world, than we will not be properly equipped to bring in the Kingdom of God and he will definitely find that one or ones who are worthy. It does not take a degree, it does not take a well-learned student of theocracy, and it does not take a politician. It takes submission to God and his cause. He will then direct you to the position he wants you to uphold in the hereafter. God is no respector of persons, he gives the Kingdom to whom he pleases and he takes the Kingdom from whom he has loaned it to. We are the heirs of his Kingdom, so let’s behave accordingly. Drop the divisions of brotherhood and sisterhood because of this thing called religion. Jesus said, no Greek no Jew, no male no female, no bond, no free; all are One with him and his or our Father. It takes one to make many. .“You think your hope is in this, your hope is in God.” The greatest deception that the enemy is practicing is to deceive you away from the promise of God for your great future. So let's make the change. Let's study and qualify ourselves for positions in his kingdom that await us.” (MLF, 2009).
Peace….
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The Cause and Effect of Black Youth Violence
With all due respect, I think we owe you an apology. It is time now to take responsibility for our behavior. It is now time to atone for our failure and role in your unfortunate demise. We have failed you in a miserable and catastrophic way. We have not prepared or trained you in the way a generation should go. We have misled you in the music that permeates your ears. We have failed to carry the torch that our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents carried from generation to generation. We have not given you more doctors, lawyers, politicians, community leaders, and most of all spiritual leaders as role models. We have failed to fill the education system with our presence. We have deceived you with the way children, women, and parents should be treated. So let me say it first: I am sorry; we are sorry.
Yes, we all owe our youth an apology. “Who are our youth now? Who will they be tomorrow if we cultivate them properly? Young minds are impressionable; the transformation lies in the hands of those who shape and mold them properly. As adults, we shape and develop our homes, our churches, and our society. We become the shapers of these things. As such, we must shape up!”(The cause and effect of a violent society, MLF)
We have not provided you the same paths that our parents provided to us. Somewhere along the way, the ball has been dropped and the light has been put asunder. Proverbs 22: 6 states: “Train a child in the way that they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it.” The operative word is train; a transitive verb that means “to teach.” In order to teach effectively, one has to be equipped with the necessary tools that will help them perform their duty to the highest level. Train in the noun form is an extension of a unit pulling and carrying other units to reach a particular destination. Harriet Tubman was the greatest example of building a human train for the extension, freedom, and liberation of that generation and for generations to come. During the Civil Rights Movement, the train was tested and almost derailed. However, the strength of our ancestors would not let them stop training their children and grandchildren about our struggle and our plight to have successful relationships, children, and endeavors.
How and why did we drop the ball? Where did we go wrong? To begin, we must explain our warped mindset and the flawed decision-making process that lead us to fail so horribly. . You see, we thought it was cool to be materialistic. We thought that when crack cocaine entered our communities, we would benefit from it by any means necessary. We failed to recognize the cause and effect in our decision-making. While crack cocaine caused us to benefit materially, the effect would eventually destroy us like a terminal illness. We became illegitimate pharmaceutical sales reps. We then became investors. We invested in guns to help protect and evolve our illegal businesses. During that time, we created addicts; some of them were our very own parent(s). As a result of their addiction, we lost respect and stopped listening to the ones that came before us. We stopped listening to music that elevated our minds with wisdom, truth, and knowledge. We wanted to be thugs and hustlers. Unfortunately, Younger Generation, we are very much responsible for creating your Generation X.
So now you are lost and at war with yourselves. You have no love from or for your brother or sister whom you see everyday. The scripture tells us that in the last days children will rise up against their parents (Mark 13: 12). We are living proof of prophecy fulfilled because our children are doing just that. While I don’t condone it, my understanding of it is clear.
Our children were birthed into a cold world, but they have high expectations. They are dissatisfied with the lack of love and productivity that we have made as a people or society. Our children are smarter and more scientific than preceding generations. What we identify as the norm, is not the same norm for them. In fact, today’s generation of children is redefining the norm. They have entered into this world with a different type of destiny. The Bible speaks of a generation that would create war with one another. We are living in that generation and in those times. It is our responsibility to provide them with spiritual guidance and leadership, lest we fall prey to their lack of understanding of self and their futures. We all have a testimony that can be shared. We can use our past experiences to guide, warn, and prepare our youth so that they may learn from the mistakes of those that came before them. Only then can we begin to rebuild and recreate positive images of our children and generations of children to come.
We can win them back if we take responsibility for their demise and destruction. We have got to repair, polish, paint, and refuel the train. We have to close this generational gap of self-love and love for one another. This is why I am thankful for President Obama. He is the beginning of something new; an inspiration for the current and future generations. For our children, our president is representative of endless possibilities and dreams beyond measure.
Let us be signs for our children. A sign is something that is not the real thing but points to that which is real. You do not have to be the real thing, If you can not directly impact, influence, empower, work with, and/or mentor, point them in the right direction of someone who can. Help them find resources in our communities such as spiritual organizations, schools, sports and recreation facilities, community centers, businesses, commerce centers, etc. Help them identify the tools in which the can be productive contributors of society. We must be mindful that they will be the decision makers when we become old.
So, again, I say to our youth, we are sorry. We must do better on your behalf. The first step is admitting we have a problem. We must then take responsibility for our failures in this matter and make a pledge. We will pledge……. (More on the cause and effect of a violent society and the pledge we should make…to be continued….)
Peace…
Yes, we all owe our youth an apology. “Who are our youth now? Who will they be tomorrow if we cultivate them properly? Young minds are impressionable; the transformation lies in the hands of those who shape and mold them properly. As adults, we shape and develop our homes, our churches, and our society. We become the shapers of these things. As such, we must shape up!”(The cause and effect of a violent society, MLF)
We have not provided you the same paths that our parents provided to us. Somewhere along the way, the ball has been dropped and the light has been put asunder. Proverbs 22: 6 states: “Train a child in the way that they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it.” The operative word is train; a transitive verb that means “to teach.” In order to teach effectively, one has to be equipped with the necessary tools that will help them perform their duty to the highest level. Train in the noun form is an extension of a unit pulling and carrying other units to reach a particular destination. Harriet Tubman was the greatest example of building a human train for the extension, freedom, and liberation of that generation and for generations to come. During the Civil Rights Movement, the train was tested and almost derailed. However, the strength of our ancestors would not let them stop training their children and grandchildren about our struggle and our plight to have successful relationships, children, and endeavors.
How and why did we drop the ball? Where did we go wrong? To begin, we must explain our warped mindset and the flawed decision-making process that lead us to fail so horribly. . You see, we thought it was cool to be materialistic. We thought that when crack cocaine entered our communities, we would benefit from it by any means necessary. We failed to recognize the cause and effect in our decision-making. While crack cocaine caused us to benefit materially, the effect would eventually destroy us like a terminal illness. We became illegitimate pharmaceutical sales reps. We then became investors. We invested in guns to help protect and evolve our illegal businesses. During that time, we created addicts; some of them were our very own parent(s). As a result of their addiction, we lost respect and stopped listening to the ones that came before us. We stopped listening to music that elevated our minds with wisdom, truth, and knowledge. We wanted to be thugs and hustlers. Unfortunately, Younger Generation, we are very much responsible for creating your Generation X.
So now you are lost and at war with yourselves. You have no love from or for your brother or sister whom you see everyday. The scripture tells us that in the last days children will rise up against their parents (Mark 13: 12). We are living proof of prophecy fulfilled because our children are doing just that. While I don’t condone it, my understanding of it is clear.
Our children were birthed into a cold world, but they have high expectations. They are dissatisfied with the lack of love and productivity that we have made as a people or society. Our children are smarter and more scientific than preceding generations. What we identify as the norm, is not the same norm for them. In fact, today’s generation of children is redefining the norm. They have entered into this world with a different type of destiny. The Bible speaks of a generation that would create war with one another. We are living in that generation and in those times. It is our responsibility to provide them with spiritual guidance and leadership, lest we fall prey to their lack of understanding of self and their futures. We all have a testimony that can be shared. We can use our past experiences to guide, warn, and prepare our youth so that they may learn from the mistakes of those that came before them. Only then can we begin to rebuild and recreate positive images of our children and generations of children to come.
We can win them back if we take responsibility for their demise and destruction. We have got to repair, polish, paint, and refuel the train. We have to close this generational gap of self-love and love for one another. This is why I am thankful for President Obama. He is the beginning of something new; an inspiration for the current and future generations. For our children, our president is representative of endless possibilities and dreams beyond measure.
Let us be signs for our children. A sign is something that is not the real thing but points to that which is real. You do not have to be the real thing, If you can not directly impact, influence, empower, work with, and/or mentor, point them in the right direction of someone who can. Help them find resources in our communities such as spiritual organizations, schools, sports and recreation facilities, community centers, businesses, commerce centers, etc. Help them identify the tools in which the can be productive contributors of society. We must be mindful that they will be the decision makers when we become old.
So, again, I say to our youth, we are sorry. We must do better on your behalf. The first step is admitting we have a problem. We must then take responsibility for our failures in this matter and make a pledge. We will pledge……. (More on the cause and effect of a violent society and the pledge we should make…to be continued….)
Peace…
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Health Care Bill for Us..(Let's speak up and live!)
With all due respect, why have we been as silent as a people, concerning the health care issue? Considering we are the minority that lead the nation in terminal diseases. Should we not be more concerned? Suffice it to say, this is a topic on which we need to focus and discuss far more than we have in the past. Maybe these alarming statistics will help make us start thinking more deeply on this critical Health Care Reform Bill:
“Here are just a few examples of why African Holistic health or alternative healthcare reform and treatment are needed in the Black community:
• 63,500 African Americans will die from cancer next year.
• Approximately eleven percent of all African Americans have diabetes.
• Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among African American women, exceeded only by lung cancer.
• African-American men have far higher death rates from prostate cancer than any other racial or ethnic group.
• 130,800 new African American cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2009.
• African Americans with cancer have a shorter survival than whites in all stages of diagnoses.
• Black people with diabetes experience kidney failure about four times more than diabetic white Americans.
• The death rate for Black Americans with diabetes is 40% higher than other races and cultures.
• African-American clinics claim hypertension is a major killer of minorities.
• Stress, poor diet, alcoholism, and substance abuse; are some of the major causes.
• Compared with any other group, African-American women are more likely to get heart disease and die from complications.
• African- Americans have twice as many strokes as white Americans.
• Inner city alternative health practitioners and the CDC claim African Americans have three times as much hypertension), diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
• One in every 250 African-American women has Lupus.
• There are 80% of African American women over the age of 50 that are obese.
• African-Americans are leading in cases of mental illness and substance abuse.
• Many senior citizens are struggling with health costs or are without insurance.
• According to the National Coalition on Health Care, there are over 46 million people in the United States without health insurance.” (African American Health Statistics, Dr. Llalia O. Africa, 2009)
Now, brothers and sisters, with the alarming statistics above, it seems that we should be a little more concerned with the government’s plan of action concerning this critical Healthcare Reform Bill. Perhaps, your current job offers you decent insurance so you do not think that this pertains to or for you. The harsh reality is that, not one of us is exempt from being inflicted with one or more of the above aforementioned health problem concerns and/or diseases, be it directly or indirectly. There are many homeless people with serious mental issues who need free healthcare and in desperate need of in-patient treatment and hospitalization. They are being turned away without medical attention, medical assistance, and medication. They ask us for money to eat, drink, or smoke; and we look down on them as if it could not happen to us. I bear witness that being in the homeless community is a lonely world. Unfortunately, a lot of us are all just one paycheck away from being evicted or going into foreclosure. We are still in a black economic critical crisis, which means more of us are without health insurance and missing out on basic health check-ups that could put a respite on our future life.
I mean, come on Black America! President Obama is literally putting his life on the line to help his brothers and sisters, while we let him go to war alone and wish him the best. This is unacceptable and we will all suffer for our lack of input in this situation. Let the physiologists tell it, Autism is increasing at alarming rates. Insurance carriers are denying prospective customers because they have pre-existing conditions such as something as simple as wearing glasses or having had stitches when they were 10 years old. They charge our ailing parents and grandparents outrageous prices for prescription coverage. Black elders are more likely to live in a degenerate nursing home than white elders. Their insurance limits them to the worst of facilities. They are now talking about investigating why doctors are opting out of procedures that would save our loved ones because insurance companies do not offer adequate coverage or because the premiums can not be paid.
Unfortunately, if you and I live long enough, we will fall victim to some form of illness. When that time comes for you or me, will there be affordable health insurance to cover us? It sometimes baffles me how we were so proud of electing President Obama, yet we sit in silence instead of speaking out about the healthcare issue(s). Remember, we could benefit the most from this bill. We need to be in opposition to the “haters” of President Obama and his policies, and match their negative opinions and schisms with positive support and bold voices as to why we need this bill to become law. It is our time to rise to the occasion and face these enemies and outright racists with our own posters and signs. In other words, when in the hell are we going to rise up and rebel? We have prayed for the Creator to send us a sign that he would help us, and now, we are failing to unify and help ourselves. I thought your vote was your voice. LET’S SPEAK UP AND LIVE!!!
“Here are just a few examples of why African Holistic health or alternative healthcare reform and treatment are needed in the Black community:
• 63,500 African Americans will die from cancer next year.
• Approximately eleven percent of all African Americans have diabetes.
• Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among African American women, exceeded only by lung cancer.
• African-American men have far higher death rates from prostate cancer than any other racial or ethnic group.
• 130,800 new African American cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2009.
• African Americans with cancer have a shorter survival than whites in all stages of diagnoses.
• Black people with diabetes experience kidney failure about four times more than diabetic white Americans.
• The death rate for Black Americans with diabetes is 40% higher than other races and cultures.
• African-American clinics claim hypertension is a major killer of minorities.
• Stress, poor diet, alcoholism, and substance abuse; are some of the major causes.
• Compared with any other group, African-American women are more likely to get heart disease and die from complications.
• African- Americans have twice as many strokes as white Americans.
• Inner city alternative health practitioners and the CDC claim African Americans have three times as much hypertension), diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
• One in every 250 African-American women has Lupus.
• There are 80% of African American women over the age of 50 that are obese.
• African-Americans are leading in cases of mental illness and substance abuse.
• Many senior citizens are struggling with health costs or are without insurance.
• According to the National Coalition on Health Care, there are over 46 million people in the United States without health insurance.” (African American Health Statistics, Dr. Llalia O. Africa, 2009)
Now, brothers and sisters, with the alarming statistics above, it seems that we should be a little more concerned with the government’s plan of action concerning this critical Healthcare Reform Bill. Perhaps, your current job offers you decent insurance so you do not think that this pertains to or for you. The harsh reality is that, not one of us is exempt from being inflicted with one or more of the above aforementioned health problem concerns and/or diseases, be it directly or indirectly. There are many homeless people with serious mental issues who need free healthcare and in desperate need of in-patient treatment and hospitalization. They are being turned away without medical attention, medical assistance, and medication. They ask us for money to eat, drink, or smoke; and we look down on them as if it could not happen to us. I bear witness that being in the homeless community is a lonely world. Unfortunately, a lot of us are all just one paycheck away from being evicted or going into foreclosure. We are still in a black economic critical crisis, which means more of us are without health insurance and missing out on basic health check-ups that could put a respite on our future life.
I mean, come on Black America! President Obama is literally putting his life on the line to help his brothers and sisters, while we let him go to war alone and wish him the best. This is unacceptable and we will all suffer for our lack of input in this situation. Let the physiologists tell it, Autism is increasing at alarming rates. Insurance carriers are denying prospective customers because they have pre-existing conditions such as something as simple as wearing glasses or having had stitches when they were 10 years old. They charge our ailing parents and grandparents outrageous prices for prescription coverage. Black elders are more likely to live in a degenerate nursing home than white elders. Their insurance limits them to the worst of facilities. They are now talking about investigating why doctors are opting out of procedures that would save our loved ones because insurance companies do not offer adequate coverage or because the premiums can not be paid.
Unfortunately, if you and I live long enough, we will fall victim to some form of illness. When that time comes for you or me, will there be affordable health insurance to cover us? It sometimes baffles me how we were so proud of electing President Obama, yet we sit in silence instead of speaking out about the healthcare issue(s). Remember, we could benefit the most from this bill. We need to be in opposition to the “haters” of President Obama and his policies, and match their negative opinions and schisms with positive support and bold voices as to why we need this bill to become law. It is our time to rise to the occasion and face these enemies and outright racists with our own posters and signs. In other words, when in the hell are we going to rise up and rebel? We have prayed for the Creator to send us a sign that he would help us, and now, we are failing to unify and help ourselves. I thought your vote was your voice. LET’S SPEAK UP AND LIVE!!!
Monday, October 26, 2009
The Great Black Depression: (“They don’t really care about us”(Black Men))
With all due respect to those who are maintaining through these perilous and turbulent times that we are facing, but has anyone really ever thought about what in the heck happened with this economy for real. I mean during the mid to late 90’s, the economy showed signs of being the most stable and lucrative entity in the U.S. It was being guided by “so-called” top economists, including the chief architect: Alan Greenspan. He could be considered a father of economic theory. We all learned throughout our “wonderful” years of training in the American education system, that as long as the theory of supply and demand was mastered, understanding would yield the absolute. Well, that theory was shattered in the turn of the century. That is when the negligent and unregulated derivative market was exposed. The derivative market is a market where there are all sorts of trading being done with no transparency. That means that there are no ways of keeping accurate records. In fact, some of the top firms in the market advised all shareholders in this market to put the concept of: pens, notepads, computers, and meetings to the side. Investors were essentially putting their money into a make believe world of financial gain. Many banks were the biggest investors into this market. They used their shareholder’s investments to invest into what they thought was a pot of gold. Suffice it to say, when it all came crashing down, we (blacks) have had to suffer the biggest consequences.
The consequences of greater poverty, violence, declining moral values, and community oneness were exposed during this great economic fall of America. I remember during the early years of this turn of the century, we (blacks) were thriving and excelling economically in many different arenas. We were opening up restaurants, clubs, companies, corporations, and even some enterprises. We were beginning to tap into the top of the pyramid and grab a piece of the American pie. At first, we started out with brilliant and noble ideas on how we could pool our resources together and make more American dollars. That was good at first, but of course, the seed of jealousy, envy, and hate crept into the minds and hearts of men and women. Instead of staying united and building an insurmountable economic front that could never fail, we all started separating into our own individual goals and aspirations. That spread our wealth and talent to exhaustion. Remember the saying, “united we stand, divided we fall.” So we all went for self gain and material riches. If we would have had better insight into the future of this error of separating our financial resources, the Great Black Depression could have been averted. In my humble opinion, blacks have really always been in a form of a recession even during these times of prosperity. Although we had more financial resources and assets, there were too many gaps between the ones who have and the ones who do not have. We have higher poverty, disease, crime, imprisonment, and lack of ownership than any other sector of nationalities. So, if white people are now feeling the full effects of their recession in just 18 months, what do you think that means for blacks, who have endured recession mixed with depression for over 400 straight years. We have entered into a Great Black Depression.
You see, a recession for us, is a normal way of life. There was always an opportunity during a recession for us, so we never had to panic. We just had to try harder than everyone else. Those days were easier to stomach and manage. Unfortunately, there is and was no manual on what to do if we went into this state of great depression. First take a look at some of the problems that we are being faced with, as a result of the downfall of the American economy. From the beginning of our journey in North America, the black man has been misunderstood. From the time when he was being defamed as a man, by allowing a foreign person or persons to divide, conquer, and enslave his family; to feeling less than a man for not being able to provide for his family that he was a direct channel for reproduction. Make no mistake, most black men want to be successful and be a productive part in the so-called “American dream”. We apologize for our failures to overcome life’s obstacles and be better fathers, husbands, brothers, role models, mentors, moral and spiritual leaders. We know that we have failed in our duty to protect our black sisters from being affected by our declining moral values towards them and our very own brothers. “How can you love God, whom you have never seen, but hate your brother, whom you see everyday.” So to sum it up, we confess our faults for not “manning up.” But, you must understand the obstacle(s) that keep us falling into this bottomless pit of disaster.
“Excuses are tools of the incompetent, and those who use them build monuments of nothing.” But, there are some very important reasons that have added to our self destruction that one should try and understand. This negative seed of hate that we have for each other was planted many years ago. It has evolved from generation to generation. Unfortunately, it has reached a plateau of dangerous and hazardous levels. We have become the first nationality that may need a terror alert mechanism. The only problem is that the alerts are going from yellow to red hourly. Try following the city’s breaking news and you will see that we are in a small war zone. An alert is something that warns, or brings attention to something that is to come or has already begun. We are at war with each other. In the Middle East, there are certain individuals who terrorize the community with martyr attacks. Violence is so brutal and bloody, that peace has lost its grips in the minds of the younger generation. So it is in our neighborhoods. We have become as terrorists of the community. We started out polluting our own people with drugs. From that social cancer, a domino effect has lead us to this current state. We are no longer soldiers in training, we are on the battlefield. Unfortunately, we are unpaid soldiers fighting for no cause at all. Middle East terrorist, terrorize for reasons, some valid and some not valid. We terrorize for nothing of validity or value.
For instance, there has been a war zone created in the inner-city streets of many cities, especially in Chicago. Derrion Albert was a young, brilliant, spiritual, future scholar that was killed, due to black on black terrorism. This event was so eye shocking, that it received International attention. The world is getting confirmation on why black males in America are always seen in such a negative light. It has confirmed what they were thinking of black males in America, for the longest. We are portraying ourselves to be good for nothing but self hatred and destruction. Thus, we are not deserving of any help from exterior forces to better our plight for success as a people. They look at us as animals. They actually have more respect for the Middle Eastern terrorists, because at least the have reasons for their bestiality. We are synonymous to the beast in the field. A few weeks ago, a young single educated mother sitting at the bus stop, was shot in the back by a stray bullet during a street gun me lee between opposition neighborhoods. The killers later apologized. Yeah right, no need to make apologies to us, your time should be spent 100% trying to atone with our Creator. I wish that we understood that most of the guns on the streets have engineering defects. In other words, the guns are rejects. That is why you can point the gun at your brother to end his life and end up killing an innocent bystander. That is why, when you go to do a drive by, your gun jams or you end up killing someone in your entourage with friendly fire. You are being set up and used for the continued annihilation of the black community, in particular the black men of the community.
The Great Black Depression has bought us to a gloomy period in our history. Why can’t we maintain or get better? Why can’t we learn from our errors and correct them? Why can’t we stand up and be the men that we are suppose to be? Why can’t love vibrate and roar through our hearts for each other? Why can’t we mobilize effectively, and end black on black terrorism? Why can’t we end the terror alert mechanism? The biggest question is, have we lost favor with the Creator for our critical errors? I can’t answer those questions in one subject for thought, but suffice it to say that I understand us. Know that it is not too late to avert this self destruction. We are not in the short-term plans of Congress to help in making this a better nation. Which means that although jobs are being created, we are the forgotten entity in that equation. When it comes to stimulus dollars, we are not even a part of that conversation. When it comes to health care reform, black women are considered, but black men are not of importance. When it comes to community grants and projects, you are not mentioned to head those programs. One thing I do know is that we have always been resilient. It is never too late to avert self destruction. But it can not start and will not start until we do three things: “Love god with all your heart, mind, body, and soul. Love your neighbor, brother, sister, parents, and elders, and finally; love one another just as the Greatest Man to ever live did.” We then can begin the process of putting our brilliant minds together, pooling our resources, and start rebuilding our future. If an NFL team can go from worst to first because of rebuilding, let that be a sign of what we can and will do if we operate as a unit or systems of intelligent beings. Before the Great Black Depression, we were on the right road. Our forefathers paved a powerful foundation that can not be destroyed on how we should evolve into prominent men.
So, although the walls and all the remnants within have been nearly destroyed, the foundation is still holding up strong. In order to build, you sometimes have to destroy it all. When one of us fails, we all fail indirectly. Let’s not wait until another sign like Katrina to come and take the much needed foundation, away from us. Then we will not be able to avert our complete doom. Let’s unite and change the way the world views us. Michael was right when he said: “they don’t really care about us”. But why should they, if we don’t care about each other. We all should ask the final question, what can I do to change this destructive machine from exploding without being a part of the problem and begin to ride with the brilliant wave of constructive solutions. I have some proposed solutions: They are…………………….
Peace.
The consequences of greater poverty, violence, declining moral values, and community oneness were exposed during this great economic fall of America. I remember during the early years of this turn of the century, we (blacks) were thriving and excelling economically in many different arenas. We were opening up restaurants, clubs, companies, corporations, and even some enterprises. We were beginning to tap into the top of the pyramid and grab a piece of the American pie. At first, we started out with brilliant and noble ideas on how we could pool our resources together and make more American dollars. That was good at first, but of course, the seed of jealousy, envy, and hate crept into the minds and hearts of men and women. Instead of staying united and building an insurmountable economic front that could never fail, we all started separating into our own individual goals and aspirations. That spread our wealth and talent to exhaustion. Remember the saying, “united we stand, divided we fall.” So we all went for self gain and material riches. If we would have had better insight into the future of this error of separating our financial resources, the Great Black Depression could have been averted. In my humble opinion, blacks have really always been in a form of a recession even during these times of prosperity. Although we had more financial resources and assets, there were too many gaps between the ones who have and the ones who do not have. We have higher poverty, disease, crime, imprisonment, and lack of ownership than any other sector of nationalities. So, if white people are now feeling the full effects of their recession in just 18 months, what do you think that means for blacks, who have endured recession mixed with depression for over 400 straight years. We have entered into a Great Black Depression.
You see, a recession for us, is a normal way of life. There was always an opportunity during a recession for us, so we never had to panic. We just had to try harder than everyone else. Those days were easier to stomach and manage. Unfortunately, there is and was no manual on what to do if we went into this state of great depression. First take a look at some of the problems that we are being faced with, as a result of the downfall of the American economy. From the beginning of our journey in North America, the black man has been misunderstood. From the time when he was being defamed as a man, by allowing a foreign person or persons to divide, conquer, and enslave his family; to feeling less than a man for not being able to provide for his family that he was a direct channel for reproduction. Make no mistake, most black men want to be successful and be a productive part in the so-called “American dream”. We apologize for our failures to overcome life’s obstacles and be better fathers, husbands, brothers, role models, mentors, moral and spiritual leaders. We know that we have failed in our duty to protect our black sisters from being affected by our declining moral values towards them and our very own brothers. “How can you love God, whom you have never seen, but hate your brother, whom you see everyday.” So to sum it up, we confess our faults for not “manning up.” But, you must understand the obstacle(s) that keep us falling into this bottomless pit of disaster.
“Excuses are tools of the incompetent, and those who use them build monuments of nothing.” But, there are some very important reasons that have added to our self destruction that one should try and understand. This negative seed of hate that we have for each other was planted many years ago. It has evolved from generation to generation. Unfortunately, it has reached a plateau of dangerous and hazardous levels. We have become the first nationality that may need a terror alert mechanism. The only problem is that the alerts are going from yellow to red hourly. Try following the city’s breaking news and you will see that we are in a small war zone. An alert is something that warns, or brings attention to something that is to come or has already begun. We are at war with each other. In the Middle East, there are certain individuals who terrorize the community with martyr attacks. Violence is so brutal and bloody, that peace has lost its grips in the minds of the younger generation. So it is in our neighborhoods. We have become as terrorists of the community. We started out polluting our own people with drugs. From that social cancer, a domino effect has lead us to this current state. We are no longer soldiers in training, we are on the battlefield. Unfortunately, we are unpaid soldiers fighting for no cause at all. Middle East terrorist, terrorize for reasons, some valid and some not valid. We terrorize for nothing of validity or value.
For instance, there has been a war zone created in the inner-city streets of many cities, especially in Chicago. Derrion Albert was a young, brilliant, spiritual, future scholar that was killed, due to black on black terrorism. This event was so eye shocking, that it received International attention. The world is getting confirmation on why black males in America are always seen in such a negative light. It has confirmed what they were thinking of black males in America, for the longest. We are portraying ourselves to be good for nothing but self hatred and destruction. Thus, we are not deserving of any help from exterior forces to better our plight for success as a people. They look at us as animals. They actually have more respect for the Middle Eastern terrorists, because at least the have reasons for their bestiality. We are synonymous to the beast in the field. A few weeks ago, a young single educated mother sitting at the bus stop, was shot in the back by a stray bullet during a street gun me lee between opposition neighborhoods. The killers later apologized. Yeah right, no need to make apologies to us, your time should be spent 100% trying to atone with our Creator. I wish that we understood that most of the guns on the streets have engineering defects. In other words, the guns are rejects. That is why you can point the gun at your brother to end his life and end up killing an innocent bystander. That is why, when you go to do a drive by, your gun jams or you end up killing someone in your entourage with friendly fire. You are being set up and used for the continued annihilation of the black community, in particular the black men of the community.
The Great Black Depression has bought us to a gloomy period in our history. Why can’t we maintain or get better? Why can’t we learn from our errors and correct them? Why can’t we stand up and be the men that we are suppose to be? Why can’t love vibrate and roar through our hearts for each other? Why can’t we mobilize effectively, and end black on black terrorism? Why can’t we end the terror alert mechanism? The biggest question is, have we lost favor with the Creator for our critical errors? I can’t answer those questions in one subject for thought, but suffice it to say that I understand us. Know that it is not too late to avert this self destruction. We are not in the short-term plans of Congress to help in making this a better nation. Which means that although jobs are being created, we are the forgotten entity in that equation. When it comes to stimulus dollars, we are not even a part of that conversation. When it comes to health care reform, black women are considered, but black men are not of importance. When it comes to community grants and projects, you are not mentioned to head those programs. One thing I do know is that we have always been resilient. It is never too late to avert self destruction. But it can not start and will not start until we do three things: “Love god with all your heart, mind, body, and soul. Love your neighbor, brother, sister, parents, and elders, and finally; love one another just as the Greatest Man to ever live did.” We then can begin the process of putting our brilliant minds together, pooling our resources, and start rebuilding our future. If an NFL team can go from worst to first because of rebuilding, let that be a sign of what we can and will do if we operate as a unit or systems of intelligent beings. Before the Great Black Depression, we were on the right road. Our forefathers paved a powerful foundation that can not be destroyed on how we should evolve into prominent men.
So, although the walls and all the remnants within have been nearly destroyed, the foundation is still holding up strong. In order to build, you sometimes have to destroy it all. When one of us fails, we all fail indirectly. Let’s not wait until another sign like Katrina to come and take the much needed foundation, away from us. Then we will not be able to avert our complete doom. Let’s unite and change the way the world views us. Michael was right when he said: “they don’t really care about us”. But why should they, if we don’t care about each other. We all should ask the final question, what can I do to change this destructive machine from exploding without being a part of the problem and begin to ride with the brilliant wave of constructive solutions. I have some proposed solutions: They are…………………….
Peace.
Monday, October 19, 2009
What's up promoters, stop acting like coons.
I write with all due respect, to all black males trying to climb the ladder of success. You deserve a shout out, because black males have been denied equal access to the “gold pot at the end of the rainbow.” We have had to work harder than any other ethnicity of people to ever step foot in North America. A lot of us have fallen victim to some of the racism that has surrendered your generation, my generation and future generations to a different path that is not necessarily positive for a healthy environment or community to be examples for the world to imitate or even admire. The horrible past times that we or our forefathers experienced should be reason enough for us to unify, pool our financial resources, knowledge, and expertise to go for self in the industry of promotions. Fortunately, I have had the opportunity to move from the South (Tampa) to Chicago. During my short time in this wonderful and magnificent city, I have been in promotional training. Fortunately for me, I am “interning” with one of the most powerful CEO’s to promote in the city of Chicago and beyond. I am blessed that the Creator would give me an opportunity to venture into another facet of entrepreneurship. Unfortunately, I have not been able to grasp the “coonish” mentality of some of the promoters in this industry, in particularly, the young brilliant promoters. So, I have decided to shed some light on some errors that I see being made in a multi-million dollar industry by the lack of unity, loyalty, humbleness, client-service, community service, and innovation.
I understood that the lack of unity in the south was due to ignorance and the inability to organize effectively to form an efficient marketing and economic plan to gain a portion of the many entertaining dollars that flow through the city or cities of the south. I understood that everyone was greedy and did not want to share and pool resources to put a dynamic dent in the industry. I understood that the level of black consciousness is not made to go to certain heights in the minds of young entrepreneurs, causing them to not understand the value of togetherness. So to see, the circulation of black people’s money being funneled to and through the hands of black business men and woman, and being recycled right back to the “other man”, has raised some questions and/or concerns. His fault or ours, is the question? Nonetheless, I arrived in Chicago with a pre-conceived notion that black businessmen did not have the same methodologies of doing business in the entertainment industry. Fortunately, I am learning from a CEO, who understands the concept(s) of thinking outside the box and the will to become international. The concepts learned, will allow me to take back to the south a measurement of how to promote more effective and efficient. I know white people were and are not the only ethnicity of people to make Chicago one of the hottest cities in the world. It is home to the first black president of the United States. It is the third largest city in the Nation, and it was made that way from the blood, sweat, and tears of blacks that came before this current generation. In other words, black males, in particularly paved roads in many different facets of business. May it be judged as legal or not legal? By the way, “judge not, unless you be judged” or “he who is free from sin, let him cast the first stone”. I do know that many people got in this industry to avoid being on the wrong side of the law. There is not one promoter who has a problem taking count at the end of the night with the funds spent in the venue(s) from not legal activity.
I must say that Chicago’s nightlife has really surprised me. Make no mistakes, no other city market venues and events like this city. The avenues are of sheer brilliance, from text messages to face book, and now twitter. Promoters are able to reach clients in ways like never before. Unfortunately, those avenues are now being used to continue the exploitation of our woman, children, and business partners. This has created a lack of unity in the industry. The black promoter has the sole responsibility of catering to the social needs of our people, in particular. With that responsibility, comes a level of dignity, loyalty, and productive economic/social advancement for us businessmen and black people. There is a minimum of $50,000 made on any given Friday or Saturday night by all black promoters alone. That is a minimum total of 2.6 million dollars generated per year by black promoters. Keep in mind, that is one night out of the weekend, leaving out weekends that fall on huge holidays. If you include three nights a week, promoters average about a quarter of a million dollars as a whole. That sums out to about a minimum of 5.4 million dollars generated per year. Those numbers are important, because unfortunately, promoters don’t own 2.5% of the venues that they promote. If promoters make that collectively, then the other than black club owners, are making 2 times as much or approximately 11 million plus dollars a year of profit. Promoters could form teams of 5 or 10, and put so much of the proceeds into the establishment of a future venue project(s). I know politics is one of the hurdles that we must overcome in a city that is know for many political scandals and corruption, but the lack of unity, loyalty, client-service, humbleness, community service, and innovation that we display among each other; make us a liability for anybody to take us as serious business men and women.
For example, we have decided to attack each other in ways never seen since the annals of history set us on this sojourn in this country. We are degenerating into the mindset of “coons” and savages. A savage is a human who has lost the knowledge of self and morality; and is living and acting like a beast in the field. I have been shocked at the level of disrespect that happens on twitter with some well-known promoters against each other. Instead of spreading a unified uplifting message that creates positive energy, there is backbiting, hating, and serious slander taking place in the name of being known or famous. Thus, creating the same type of environment that was created when Tupac and Biggie, two great young poets, were gunned dunned because of “beef”. It is also similar to the same type of environment that was created when our big brother Malcolm X was killed. Is envy and strife among brilliant minds the objective to attaining success. It is very similar to the environment that allowed the slaughter of our youth in and on the streets of Chicago. This environment that is being created is being watched by not just the followers that you know, but followers that you don’t know. This behavior is being viewed and frowned upon. One question, why would I patronize your event when at any given time, your so-called competitor in the industry, whom you have been trying to defame and slander on twitter, wants to seek a different type of revenge. Not based on cyberspace bold and bad talk, but with direct physical violence. Is that type of environment safe for our people who want to come out, have a good time, and forget about the stresses of life that the week or situations has put them under. Do you not realize that as a businessman, you have to be that 23 hours 57 minutes and 46 seconds a day? Which means, that you must represent your corporation at all times? You must be a direct reflection of what you want your company to portray.
Nothing is brilliant about defaming your past or current business partner in a world that finds that type of degenerative behavior as entertaining. It makes you and your corporation a magnet for a PR disaster. I have noticed a pattern in the industry with promoters showing hypocritical behavior. For instance, there are times when we have uplifting tweets that help with some of the actual problems in our communities nationally. That is a beautiful and noble way to exercise the gift of being able to attract people to you and your every other thought. That is praiseworthy. But, at eleven in the morning, promoter’s tweets are positive and then before the sun sets, tweets become destructive and outright foolish. I have seen promoters raise awareness for youth violence, raise money for the cause in the name of the youth, and have good intentions to help be a part of the solution. But, this type of behavior is part of our problem and not a solution to any of that which is claimed to have good intentions. Why would someone trust anyone that straddles the fence in such a public and self-destructive way? Derrion Albert’s death was a sign of what we as the older generation should do to help warn and teach them about the consequences of their errors of judgment. Instead, we are creating an environment that is a pipeline to the everlasting destruction of us as a people. The song with the words, “we are headed for a self-destruction” is so prevalent in this industry. What type of promoter will subject the entire world of twitter followers, to a past business and sometimes personal relationship of a fellow promoter.
This displays a lack of wisdom and understanding of what type of power you have. One must understand that having power is temporary. It could be a long lasting relationship of power, but at some point the baton is passed on to a successor. That is why I was raised not to “burn your bridges”. Some promoters have made a minimum of a quarter of a million dollars doing business together. Some seasoned promoters pulled younger promoters onboard and trained them in the way they should go. Unfortunately, the training did not come with a manual in what to do in case of a separation or depart of ways. A wise man seeks counsel from elders and understands that you can never separate the student from the teacher. You may do greater things at some point, but your loyalty should be to the one that took you to another level of understanding on what it takes to attain longevity in the business. It kind of reminds me of how Malcolm left his teacher, and in a matter of time, his disloyalty eventually bought down the angel of death to his front door. There is more wisdom in that event, but suffice it to say that certain promoters are dying an eminent promoter’s death. You are killing your respect with your current clients. If you are behaving as such, you have already killed your relationship with your past clients. You are killing the public relations of your company. You will continue to loose the support of your faithful patrons. You sometimes employ up to 30 people a night. Is that the way a CEO of a corporation is suppose to campaign their company? Is exploiting violence through youtube, really showing that you are sincere about stopping youth violence. In these turbulent times, verbal abuse is creating environments of hostile behavior that innocent and peaceful people have to be victims of. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Twitter is a median that allows you to express your “emotions” or thoughts digitally. You now have a certain responsibility to stay positive and uplifting when you share with the twitter world. People are watching and laughing at you and not with you. The sad thing about this all is that promoters are doing this to impress the ladies. You are just contributing to the current stigma, that we, men will do anything to impress a female. That is only because the lack of understanding of what it really takes to have an everlasting effect on a woman has not matured into your being at this time. At some point it will. With age and experience, comes wisdom.
For example, business and pleasure has always contradicted each other in some way. Promoters do have the awesome gift of attracting people together to have “fun”. You can not portray to be a player one day and a businessman the next. Jealous clients will stop supporting your establishment and fellowship socially, with someone else. They see how you walk in with different women week after week. This is not smart business sense. There is a recession for white people and a depression for black people. We should honor and respect all patrons for even sacrificing their diminishing finances for our events. It is time to get out of that oppressed way of thinking and go back to when respect for people who paved the way for you to be in such a lucrative industry. You are creating an environment that may have your bottom line decreasing and taking a chance on becoming infamous. People are watching, and frowning on this Chicago promoter’s “beef”. It is definitely a horrible reality show. Maybe you should start promoting movies, instead of venues. Half of the bold statements made, are made by people that think they are more than what they are and have no solid foundation. Those promoters who have built their corporations on solid foundations will prevail and the ones that were built on uneven pavement will either have to hit the reset button and regroup, go back to the wise counsel of those who did it before them, or watch their so-called “empire” crumble. You still have a chance, so “WAKE UP” and unify in the name of seeking black dominance in an industry that still has a window for economic power and financial strength and dominance. We must give back to the community, in particular the black youth of the community, and be an example and ray of hope for avoiding the other side of the law. Hell, we can not all go to school and get an education, but we all have gifts that tap into every facet of this industry of promoting. Get out the box and innovate others, so that we can together, establish our own bar prices and entrance fees based on fair dealing. Every other nationality can take that kind of gross revenue, pool resources and minds together, unify, and monopolize the objective. But guess what, it all starts with me, so when I speak out, I know that I am speaking to myself as well. That is why I sit back and learn from one of the best to ever do it. The on-the-job training has been priceless and as long as I accept humility and be humble, God can continue to allow my mind to be renewed with innovative concepts and methods to help make this industry a better experience for everyone involved. It has been said that “sometimes you must go to the tree to pick the fruit instead of the barrel that has picked fruit already. “So, with all due respect, unless you change your ways and attitude, your current visit with this type of life will be erased sooner than later.!!! So stop acting like COONS.
Oh yeah, “if you throw a stone into a pack of dogs, the only one that screams, is the one that got hit!!!!”
Peace!!
I understood that the lack of unity in the south was due to ignorance and the inability to organize effectively to form an efficient marketing and economic plan to gain a portion of the many entertaining dollars that flow through the city or cities of the south. I understood that everyone was greedy and did not want to share and pool resources to put a dynamic dent in the industry. I understood that the level of black consciousness is not made to go to certain heights in the minds of young entrepreneurs, causing them to not understand the value of togetherness. So to see, the circulation of black people’s money being funneled to and through the hands of black business men and woman, and being recycled right back to the “other man”, has raised some questions and/or concerns. His fault or ours, is the question? Nonetheless, I arrived in Chicago with a pre-conceived notion that black businessmen did not have the same methodologies of doing business in the entertainment industry. Fortunately, I am learning from a CEO, who understands the concept(s) of thinking outside the box and the will to become international. The concepts learned, will allow me to take back to the south a measurement of how to promote more effective and efficient. I know white people were and are not the only ethnicity of people to make Chicago one of the hottest cities in the world. It is home to the first black president of the United States. It is the third largest city in the Nation, and it was made that way from the blood, sweat, and tears of blacks that came before this current generation. In other words, black males, in particularly paved roads in many different facets of business. May it be judged as legal or not legal? By the way, “judge not, unless you be judged” or “he who is free from sin, let him cast the first stone”. I do know that many people got in this industry to avoid being on the wrong side of the law. There is not one promoter who has a problem taking count at the end of the night with the funds spent in the venue(s) from not legal activity.
I must say that Chicago’s nightlife has really surprised me. Make no mistakes, no other city market venues and events like this city. The avenues are of sheer brilliance, from text messages to face book, and now twitter. Promoters are able to reach clients in ways like never before. Unfortunately, those avenues are now being used to continue the exploitation of our woman, children, and business partners. This has created a lack of unity in the industry. The black promoter has the sole responsibility of catering to the social needs of our people, in particular. With that responsibility, comes a level of dignity, loyalty, and productive economic/social advancement for us businessmen and black people. There is a minimum of $50,000 made on any given Friday or Saturday night by all black promoters alone. That is a minimum total of 2.6 million dollars generated per year by black promoters. Keep in mind, that is one night out of the weekend, leaving out weekends that fall on huge holidays. If you include three nights a week, promoters average about a quarter of a million dollars as a whole. That sums out to about a minimum of 5.4 million dollars generated per year. Those numbers are important, because unfortunately, promoters don’t own 2.5% of the venues that they promote. If promoters make that collectively, then the other than black club owners, are making 2 times as much or approximately 11 million plus dollars a year of profit. Promoters could form teams of 5 or 10, and put so much of the proceeds into the establishment of a future venue project(s). I know politics is one of the hurdles that we must overcome in a city that is know for many political scandals and corruption, but the lack of unity, loyalty, client-service, humbleness, community service, and innovation that we display among each other; make us a liability for anybody to take us as serious business men and women.
For example, we have decided to attack each other in ways never seen since the annals of history set us on this sojourn in this country. We are degenerating into the mindset of “coons” and savages. A savage is a human who has lost the knowledge of self and morality; and is living and acting like a beast in the field. I have been shocked at the level of disrespect that happens on twitter with some well-known promoters against each other. Instead of spreading a unified uplifting message that creates positive energy, there is backbiting, hating, and serious slander taking place in the name of being known or famous. Thus, creating the same type of environment that was created when Tupac and Biggie, two great young poets, were gunned dunned because of “beef”. It is also similar to the same type of environment that was created when our big brother Malcolm X was killed. Is envy and strife among brilliant minds the objective to attaining success. It is very similar to the environment that allowed the slaughter of our youth in and on the streets of Chicago. This environment that is being created is being watched by not just the followers that you know, but followers that you don’t know. This behavior is being viewed and frowned upon. One question, why would I patronize your event when at any given time, your so-called competitor in the industry, whom you have been trying to defame and slander on twitter, wants to seek a different type of revenge. Not based on cyberspace bold and bad talk, but with direct physical violence. Is that type of environment safe for our people who want to come out, have a good time, and forget about the stresses of life that the week or situations has put them under. Do you not realize that as a businessman, you have to be that 23 hours 57 minutes and 46 seconds a day? Which means, that you must represent your corporation at all times? You must be a direct reflection of what you want your company to portray.
Nothing is brilliant about defaming your past or current business partner in a world that finds that type of degenerative behavior as entertaining. It makes you and your corporation a magnet for a PR disaster. I have noticed a pattern in the industry with promoters showing hypocritical behavior. For instance, there are times when we have uplifting tweets that help with some of the actual problems in our communities nationally. That is a beautiful and noble way to exercise the gift of being able to attract people to you and your every other thought. That is praiseworthy. But, at eleven in the morning, promoter’s tweets are positive and then before the sun sets, tweets become destructive and outright foolish. I have seen promoters raise awareness for youth violence, raise money for the cause in the name of the youth, and have good intentions to help be a part of the solution. But, this type of behavior is part of our problem and not a solution to any of that which is claimed to have good intentions. Why would someone trust anyone that straddles the fence in such a public and self-destructive way? Derrion Albert’s death was a sign of what we as the older generation should do to help warn and teach them about the consequences of their errors of judgment. Instead, we are creating an environment that is a pipeline to the everlasting destruction of us as a people. The song with the words, “we are headed for a self-destruction” is so prevalent in this industry. What type of promoter will subject the entire world of twitter followers, to a past business and sometimes personal relationship of a fellow promoter.
This displays a lack of wisdom and understanding of what type of power you have. One must understand that having power is temporary. It could be a long lasting relationship of power, but at some point the baton is passed on to a successor. That is why I was raised not to “burn your bridges”. Some promoters have made a minimum of a quarter of a million dollars doing business together. Some seasoned promoters pulled younger promoters onboard and trained them in the way they should go. Unfortunately, the training did not come with a manual in what to do in case of a separation or depart of ways. A wise man seeks counsel from elders and understands that you can never separate the student from the teacher. You may do greater things at some point, but your loyalty should be to the one that took you to another level of understanding on what it takes to attain longevity in the business. It kind of reminds me of how Malcolm left his teacher, and in a matter of time, his disloyalty eventually bought down the angel of death to his front door. There is more wisdom in that event, but suffice it to say that certain promoters are dying an eminent promoter’s death. You are killing your respect with your current clients. If you are behaving as such, you have already killed your relationship with your past clients. You are killing the public relations of your company. You will continue to loose the support of your faithful patrons. You sometimes employ up to 30 people a night. Is that the way a CEO of a corporation is suppose to campaign their company? Is exploiting violence through youtube, really showing that you are sincere about stopping youth violence. In these turbulent times, verbal abuse is creating environments of hostile behavior that innocent and peaceful people have to be victims of. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Twitter is a median that allows you to express your “emotions” or thoughts digitally. You now have a certain responsibility to stay positive and uplifting when you share with the twitter world. People are watching and laughing at you and not with you. The sad thing about this all is that promoters are doing this to impress the ladies. You are just contributing to the current stigma, that we, men will do anything to impress a female. That is only because the lack of understanding of what it really takes to have an everlasting effect on a woman has not matured into your being at this time. At some point it will. With age and experience, comes wisdom.
For example, business and pleasure has always contradicted each other in some way. Promoters do have the awesome gift of attracting people together to have “fun”. You can not portray to be a player one day and a businessman the next. Jealous clients will stop supporting your establishment and fellowship socially, with someone else. They see how you walk in with different women week after week. This is not smart business sense. There is a recession for white people and a depression for black people. We should honor and respect all patrons for even sacrificing their diminishing finances for our events. It is time to get out of that oppressed way of thinking and go back to when respect for people who paved the way for you to be in such a lucrative industry. You are creating an environment that may have your bottom line decreasing and taking a chance on becoming infamous. People are watching, and frowning on this Chicago promoter’s “beef”. It is definitely a horrible reality show. Maybe you should start promoting movies, instead of venues. Half of the bold statements made, are made by people that think they are more than what they are and have no solid foundation. Those promoters who have built their corporations on solid foundations will prevail and the ones that were built on uneven pavement will either have to hit the reset button and regroup, go back to the wise counsel of those who did it before them, or watch their so-called “empire” crumble. You still have a chance, so “WAKE UP” and unify in the name of seeking black dominance in an industry that still has a window for economic power and financial strength and dominance. We must give back to the community, in particular the black youth of the community, and be an example and ray of hope for avoiding the other side of the law. Hell, we can not all go to school and get an education, but we all have gifts that tap into every facet of this industry of promoting. Get out the box and innovate others, so that we can together, establish our own bar prices and entrance fees based on fair dealing. Every other nationality can take that kind of gross revenue, pool resources and minds together, unify, and monopolize the objective. But guess what, it all starts with me, so when I speak out, I know that I am speaking to myself as well. That is why I sit back and learn from one of the best to ever do it. The on-the-job training has been priceless and as long as I accept humility and be humble, God can continue to allow my mind to be renewed with innovative concepts and methods to help make this industry a better experience for everyone involved. It has been said that “sometimes you must go to the tree to pick the fruit instead of the barrel that has picked fruit already. “So, with all due respect, unless you change your ways and attitude, your current visit with this type of life will be erased sooner than later.!!! So stop acting like COONS.
Oh yeah, “if you throw a stone into a pack of dogs, the only one that screams, is the one that got hit!!!!”
Peace!!
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