THE NEW CIVIL RICHTS MOVEMENT
On November 7, 2006 Blacks in Michigan experienced the death of the old civil rights movement. “Affirmative action failed”
Black activist, talk show host, minority organizations, civic leaders, you and I worked tirelessly to get the message out to the masses that affirmation action must not fail. I’ve mentioned to many people that this fight was more important then the race for governor. But…. Yes, I said But. I did not think we were going to succeed because, the message went out to the people who already new the importance. Oh! How Prop #2 needed clarification, because the whole thing was a con job out the gate. The people who already new the importance made sure with all their might that we worked and went to the polls to make sure we’d win. But… Yes, I said But. We were only preaching to the choir, still we won. We did not have enough white people on our side, Demarcate or Republican. We got caught in a numbers game, and that’s what made this vote tainted, and wrong in the first place.
I felt the pain of a loss like this about two years ago and saw how this current loss was simmering, just waiting to boil over then burn.
Our local union has what we call a hiring hall. It works like this. When a plumber is laid off from a contractor, the plumber puts his or her name on the out of work list. As a contractor needs man- power, they call the local and take as many plumbers they need from the top of the list. This worked fine for many, many years. But…. Yes, I said But. The economy went south. Work was hard to come by and many good plumbers were out of work. Many plumbers had Fathers, Brothers, Uncles, Cousins, golfing buddies, drinking buddies, and friends who owned plumbing businesses, and a number of plumbers wanted to go to work for those connections, But…. Yes I said But. The hiring hall didn’t let them do it. Well, the issue came to the floor at a union meeting to install solicitation as a means of getting work. Arguments against this were ramped. THIS WILL ONLY BREED AND OPEN THE UGLY DOORS Of DISCRIMATION AGAINST THE OLDER PLUMBER, THE HEAVIER PLUMBER AND THE MINORITY PLUMBER, INCLUDING, WOMEN, BLACKS AND OTHERS. Speech after speech talked about the horror this would bring. The messages were so strong that the plumbers who felt the opposite did not take the floor. Next, it went to a vote by secrete ballot. It was a landslide victory for solicitation. This let me know that there were a lot of forked tongues out there. This also let me know that after 40 years of me being affiliated with the local, nothing has changed. I could tell you more, but this letter is not about me.
When affirmative action was to go before a vote by the people I shivered. I said this was wrong. It did not come in with a vote, and it should not have a chance to go out with a vote. THE SAME REASON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION CAME INTO BEING, IS THE EXACT SAME REASON IT SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE TO A VOTE.
White folks for years have blamed black folks for stepping in front of the line sense the affirmative actions enactment As far as white women is concern, they’re white, so, they’re in.
Affirmative action was domed from the start when it went to a vote. No matter how important this vote was, it was domed. Read the above.
Black people MUST STOP begging white people too accept us as equals. IT AIN’T HAPPENING. HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU HAVE TO HIT YOURSELF IN THE HEAD WITH A HAMMER BEFORE YOU REALIZE IT HURTS. Also, the hell with party affiliation, they’re the same. Our civic leaders, activist, talk show host whoever stands out and up front for black people must attack US. It’s an Us thang. We kill each other, we rob each other, we cheat each other, we are jealous of each other, and on and on. Call it like it is, and, it is our fault we are this way. We can be poor and civil, loving and educated, clean and respectful to one other. Then we can take care of business. It’s US. (Man made problems have man made solutions if man wants to solve it or not.)
Our activist must actively go after black people who can make a difference. Not chasing Cris Rock’s mother who did not get served for 30 minutes in a restaurant, and that makes national news. There are many stories like that in the necked city, and that‘s just one of them, but those other people, they don’t have the right name. It’s US. Lets make national news when our people of fame and fortune turn their backs on their own kind or will not use their clout to help the movers and shakers get in the door or have an ear. Let that be national news. We’re told, BLACK PEOPLE’S MONEY PUT TOGETHER WOULD BE THE 5th, 6th, or 7th, GROSS NATIONAL PROUDUCT IN THE WORLD.WE READ AND HERE, THIS BLACK PERSON AND THAT BLACK PERSON OR GROUP GAVE MILLIONS TO THIS THAT AND THE OTHER THING. STOP!!!!!! Let’s get some priority. These things are needed. But…Yes, I said But. Let’s get real and use the time and money more effectively for the nose- bleed causes and generate more power.
If we want cheaper insurance, then form an insurance company black people. You black philanthropist, give some millions to that cause. Make the insurance national and deal in volume. Take the driving records for consideration to qualify in the early stages, and make incentive to drivers be a part of it. Make it a membership.
This can be done. What insurance company is losing money? This was done by the church many years ago. Want a mortgage, go to the church.
Did you know that Phoenix, Arizona is the number one car thief capitol in the nation and they pay $600. Per year for full coverage maybe, plus they don’t have no fault, so you can still sue for rear end collisions. This means Detroit pays the price for the losses in other cities.
Our activist must get into the Junior high schools and Senior high schools and use their gifts to stimulate our children who believe that there is no hope because they can’t put a finger on anyone close to them who benefited from a college education. The people they know are out of work or working in another filed and are smart as hell. Our children don’t want to work for 5, 6, or 7 dollars an hour only to be screamed at and be talked down too. They will sale dope. They don’t want to work for anyone for 30 years for a gold watch and still eat cat food. They need entrepreneur learning and exposure. They need to be taught to market themselves all over the world, not just get a good job, they’re too few. They need to be taught finance from day one as a mandatory subject. Real estate, sales and national market exposure, a foreign language mandatory from day one is just the beginning. Business leaders that look like them must be brought in the schools to touch them regularly. A network of black businesses is mandatory. Only then will we win.
White people will not finance or support their own demise. The minute white people let us move up, their power comes down. Yes, I said Let. Their history is one of might and superiority. Us being equal is nonsense too so many of them. Trying to be accepted is winless. Some of us must play politics with our livelihoods with them. But… Yes I said But. Most of us don’t. Integration does not work in reality. It’s a utopia. When we finality stand up, the political parties will come slamming on our door.
So far, we are only here to consume and be exploited so white people will have a market at home. We are the ones who buy all the junk they make. Lincoln trucks built on work truck frames but double the price. We buy Escalades priced out the building. White people don’t buy Escalades. WE also buy Lexus’s that are Toyotas, and Cadillac’s, Bucks and Chevy’s that are all the same car. White people are telling us what’s valuable and what’s not, also trying to have us desensitize the word niggah by not producing hip- hop that will not exploit the word or culture, and on and on. Plus, we blacks have personal messiahs. I can say the right thing and have the right program but if I’m not the right name, forget it. I’ve watched you part seas. Not because you are unique, but because you are a product of education and successful in your field of work. So, believe it our not, you have a following, a flock and you are to some folks their messiah, like it or not. Yet, you tell people all the time that you are just an ordinary Jane, wrong. Look at the people you know and who knows you by name. What they do and what they are about, that’s important. You can call them at will and get through. This is why people like you and people who do what you do, are invaluable. I know I’m stretching it a little, but I’m trying to make a point. You can take your flock this way or that if you wanted and you know it. You, Jesse, Sharpton, Dyson Magic, Bob Johnson, Cosby, Oprah, S. Lee, Tiger, C. Rangel, Michael, C. Hughes, Obama, Conyers, Graves, Smiley, Joyner, Simmons, Kobe, Basset, Fishbone, Perry and Barkley just to name a few can, get us to follow them off of a wall.
I’m sadden by our loss of affirmative action, but this might wake us up as a people, and be our first step for massive change, support, and solidarity as a people. “Welcome to new civil rights movement,”
I’m with you all the way,
Gaidi
gaidi@onlinebusinesssites.com
