In general, Black people in America suffer with a form of psychosis when dealing with financial concerns. All too often we exhibit a tendency to want to spend the money before we have established a dependable and substantial source of income.

We accumulate the trappings of success and acquire the veneer of prosperity, without securing the means or establishing the economic infrastructure to promote and sustain it.

During the days of chattel slavery, our ancestors were systematically locked out of the economic arena. They were not even allowed to purchase a patent on one of their inventions, much less to establish their own businesses and reap the benefits of their labor and skills. All of their resources, whether physical or mental, were exploited and utilized for the benefit and aggrandizement of Whites.

Sometimes to appease himself, when the so-called master was not around, the enslaved would slip into the oppressor's coopted house and don his clothes. He might touch the expensive jewelry and parade around in the enslaver's coat and top hat. He would sometimes sit in the enslaver's buggy and imagine that it was his.

I see similarities in our behavior in contemporary times. We are still infatuated by jewelry that he controls and manufactures. We still feel proud to wear clothes that are produced by him and even embellished with his name (i.e. Tommy Hilfinger, Calvin Klein, etc). We still rejoice at the thought of riding in modern day carriages (luxury automobiles). And although this charade may make us feel and appear prosperous for a while, we are essentially dependent and powerless.

There is a scriptural reference that (while warning us to be mindful of the Hereafter) admonishes us not to forget our share of this world. Our love of our religious or spiritual life should not make us so imbalanced that we neglect to establish an apparatus that will empower us to enjoy the material wealth of God's creation without being exploited or exploiting others in the process.

In fact, we should become better worshipers once we have established the economic structure to provide for ourselves, our families, our communities and ultimately for the world at large.

The prophet Muhammad is recorded to have said that a person with an empty stomach makes a distracted and an unreliable worshiper. And reportedly during another occasion, a man came to God's messenger to sing the praises of someone who was said to fast and pray almost constantly. Upon hearing this the prophet asked, "If this man is fasting and praying so much, then who is it that feeds him?" The man replied. "His brother feeds him." The prophet responded. "His brother is better than he is."

It could be complacency that plays the major part in our inactivity on the economic front. Perhaps the products that we habitually consume have for so long been cranked out by whites that too many of us have lost the initiative to produce anything for ourselves. This is a strange and dangerous mind set for us to adopt especially when we reflect upon the historical attitudes and behavior patterns of Whites toward Blacks, and we study how firmly these attitudes and behaviors are still prevalent in contemporary times.

It is not necessary to go into detail about the various acts of oppression, exploitation and cruelty that Whites have perpetuated on non-Whites for the last 400 years. We all have heard them (regardless of much some of us pretend they never happened); we are all quite familiar with them. But a more important question is why? If we shed some light on why Whites have acted with such wanton disregard for the lives and rights of non-Whites we could, perhaps, make an educated analysis of whether it is intelligent to depend on them and whether their 400 year old tradition of brutality toward us is likely to change.

One theory is that White people have a terrible, irrational phobia of being genetically extinguished and this fear is what lies coiled at the base of their psychic reality. Whites understand that they are a minority on the world stage and their greatest dread is to be overwhelmed by the genetic pool of dark hordes of humanity that surround them on every side.

Francis Cress Welshing, M.D. writes in her groundbreaking book, Color, Confrontation, and Racism: "The difficulty Whites have in according 'non-Whites' socio-political and economic equality within the White supremacy culture stems then not from a moral issue, nor from a political or economic imperative but instead from the fundamental sense of their own unique situation in regards to their own numerical inadequacy and color deficiency state. Their color inadequacy state of Whiteness not only demands but indeed, necessitates a White superiority social structure. Only tokenism can be tolerated by such a motivational psychological state wherein the defense mechanism of evolving the mythological of the exceptional Black or 'non-White' is utilized." [1]

With this in mind, Black people need to look at their lives in a historical, racial; political and economic context and then perform according to these realities. In short, they must see themselves as combatants in a war; a war in which the future of Black people is at stake.

The cultivation of our children should be one of our primary concerns. Children are like gardens and should be provided with the correct ingredients for constructive development. If we provide good examples, if we tell them to do as we do instead of merely lecturing them to do as we say, they will (God Willing) follow our footsteps into the bright horizon of a prosperous and beneficial tomorrow.

Too many children succumb to negative peer pressure, toxic urban influences and the destructive fantasyland of movies and television because of the lack of positive role models in the home. We should think of our homes as universities and we should conduct ourselves in ways that are conducive to providing them with the best examples of character and behavior.

Far too many Black men in America are trapped in a social and economic quagmire unable or unwilling to control or to produce the basic necessities of life and ensnared in the psychological traps and behavior patterns of White ethics and traditions, he has often found it difficult to sustain a meaningful and lasting relationship with Black women.

In many relationships, Black men and Black women have been at a loss to define themselves in relation to define themselves as creative and vibrant human beings with a unique purpose diametrically opposed to passively imitating the value systems and the characteristics of the oppressor. Black men must turn to Black women, not with anger, but with the tenderness and respect that she deserves. If this is done we will find that she responds in kind.

We must love and cherish our women and our children if we are to reach our goals and acquire our birthright. We must recognize (and act upon) the reality that the Black woman is our partner and soul mate and if we do not have her love, genius, powerful spirit and support, we will never break the shackles of slavery that still fetter us.

Note
[1] Francis Cress Welshing, M. D., "The Cress Theory of Color Confrontation and Racism." (1970) p. 10

Steven Malik Shelton is a journalist and a human rights advocate, He can be reached at smalikshelton@comcast.net

© January 2006 By Afromerica

Brother Steven Malik Shelton will be keeping the Black community updated on the most current Black experiences effecting our lives. Visit regularly for new information that could help you overcome and make the best of your everyday experiences.

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