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All or Nothing Mentality:
All or Nothing Mentality:
By Stephanie Mwandishi Gadlin (StephGadlin@yahoo.com)
original article-August 23, 2006 I want to ask you all a sincere and honest question that isn’t rhetorical or rigged with innuendo. And I’ll apologize for this energy.but, Here goes: Why (overall) are our people SO complacent, SO negative, SO non-energetic and ALWAYS willing to criticize, attack and challenge any effort to make positive social change in one’s community. Why can’t we collectively or block by block identify issues, work on solving them, implement programs, be creative in our approach, stay focused and dedicated to the tasks at hand.
I don’t believe this is a crab in the barrel syndrome it is something much deeper and much more calculated. But what is it? Help me put a finger on this.
I am convinced that many of our people would rather have ALL of nothing than be a part of a LITTLE of something. Some would rather have ALL of the pain and the problems rather than be involved in easing some of the pain; solving SOME of the problems, day by day, walk by walk. Its like the gang banger who is holding down a block that he does not even own. His power is a false but brutal power.
I have experienced incidents where a certain well known “leader” is criticized for not being in the `hood or not being accessible to the `grassroots.’ They said he was flying all over the globe and would never set foot in the `hood.’ Then when you say okay, how about I solve that problem and bring the leader to the hood, bring the leader with RESOURCES to the hood, the leader is attacked for doing what..COMING TO THE HOOD!??? “What the hell are you doing out here,” or “Go back to the so an so!” “You’re just running a bunch of B.S.” or “You’re trying to pimp the people.”
On the flip side here in Chicago many of the resources for our oppressed neighborhoods are restricted and held up by Negro “power blockers.” They play this class game and this popularity game where if an Upperclass Negro declares `you’re in” then you’re inbut if you don’t come the “right way” (That means kiss a whole lot of bougie Black behind) then you’re out and they will block everything you do. They elevate and celebrate and reward themselves at their benefits, luncheons and parties and talk about how they `overcame’ while in the meantime they do NOTHING, nadda, not-a-thing, to assist and aide in lifting the economic tensions and oppression of the majority of people in the communitywhom they claim to represent. This group likes to talk about how much consumer spending Black folk have; and then they build their businesses off the selling of this information.
So grassroots, everyday people have no access to their own media; their own (big) businesses; their own politicians; and the things they really sacrificed to obtain. Is this what Dr. King died for? What about El-Hajj Malik Shabazz (Malcolm X)? So when Marcus Garveywas talking “do for self” is this what he really meant?
The Upperlcass Negroes where I live said nothing as the people in the
projects were run out of their homes. In fact the encouraged the tearing down of these slums; yet, demanded not a plan for re-location for the people. Since their homes are paid for, they said nothing about gentrification of neighborhoods. They don’t care that the biggest Black paper in town is a racist rag called the Sun-Times. They are applauding the city’s only Black owned radio station cutting a suspect deal with Clear Channel. Because they eat everyday, they say nothing about the lack of grocery stores and clinics and health resources for the poor. Since they don’t eat gyros and polishes, they don’t care about closing their restaurants and allowing the Koreans and Arabs to feed our people.
Okay, I know some of us suffer from `mentacide,’ and I am fully aware that there are operatives, paid and rewarded, to keep confusion and inactivity brewing in many of our urban communities. I understand COINTELPRO, but why do we continue to fall victim to it. Poverty is good business for a whole lot of people, right?
So I vent out of frustration. I know the answer is to struggle forward. But I must pause and ask these questions. Is anyone feeling me out there? Are there any answers? Is there no fight left?
Stephanie
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