As you read that title please don't think for a moment that I am arrogant enough to believe that I know what all Black people should do now. Rather I just finished a book by the same name written by the late Ralph Wiley and this was my humble way to pay homage to him. Also given the topic at hand I figured the title would be more than appropriate. Generally I like to not only assert a point in my writing but also to inform. This time however, I see it fine time to seize this opportunity to address something of concern to many people. With Sen. Barack Obama's meteoric rise to the Democratic nomination for president of the United States, many young Blacks are interested in politics and social issues in ways not seen since the late 1960's. With this opening I urge all my friends to my political left to act now!
Recently I was listening to the new album by Young Jeezy called "The Recession." The album is littered with tracks discussing the need for fair drug sentencing laws, new economic agendas, and a more humble and diplomatic foreign policy. This may be regular material for rap artist to tackle but the artist in question is the least likeliest to touch on such topics. Although I am admittedly a fan of some of Jeezy's work, I recognize he is not now nor will he ever be an authority on social and political issues. But what his new found interest in more than "hood politics" tells us is that Sen. Obama has gotten his attention. On an appearance on Saturday Night Live Jeezy met Sen. McCain and reportedly asked him "what he was gonna do... people are dying out here?"
One may wonder why such keen attention is paid to an artist like Young Jeezy. Jeezy serves as a metaphor for the everyman of many young Black men in urban America. After talking with several young men from inner city Baltimore, and neighborhoods of Washington D.C. I have found that Jeezy is more than a rapper, he sincerely has his finger on the pulse of urban Black America (translation the hood). This being so we can see that Sen. Obama has engaged and awaken many previously disengaged Blacks to political issues. My friends to the left of me cite Sen. Obama's relatively centrist views and his willingness to conform to mainstream politics as evidence why he should not be considered a serious Black leader. To that point I agree, but what I urge is that my friends speak loud and clear to capture the attention of the previously apathetic public while they have it.
In my travels I came across a quotation from whom I don't remember. It simply said when you have the world's attention, what will you say? That is the question I ask those to the left. There is an opportunity now with the emergence of Sen. Obama to draw serious light to issues that have affected Black Americans that even fellow Blacks have ignored. Now is the time to really galvanize brothers and sisters to seriously involved themselves in meaningful community building efforts in New Orleans, now is the time to awaken an army of sleeping legal giants reminiscent of Charles Houston and Thurgood Marshall to ensure that Marcus Dixon and Genarlow Wilson never have to see someone relive their horrific fate, now is the time for business giants to revisit the idea of Tulsa's Black Wall Street, or Memphis' Peoples Grocery, now is the time to cultivate the Black journalist that will channel the spirit of T. Thomas Fortune and Robert Sengstacke Abbott to ensure that a Black perspective is always present to inform our people of what is going on.
I recognize all the things I call for are in motion. There people doing vital and important work in New Orleans, there are many fighting for Blacks in the courtrooms of the United States everyday, there are business leaders trying to bring quality respectable businesses back into the Black community and there are writers who relentlessly "tell it like it is" often to be ostracized by their own people. But what I would like to stress to my friends on the political left, is that now is the time. We can agree that Sen. Obama is not the answer but what must be acknowledged is that he can deliver an audience that desperately needs to hear your message. Some of the folks you try to address may be so engulfed by what has been termed "Obama-mania" that they may not be ready to grapple with the harsh realities social revolution demand, but there are an abundance of even tempered and well intentioned brothers and sisters that are ready for your message. The people are listening, WHAT WILL YOU SAY?
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2 comments:
first and foremost, before we say anything those who believe in what we believe (you termed it the political left) must come together. that is essential. that is the premise behind howard's pan-african youth summit. once we come together...we can have some sort of idea of what needs to be done outside of that space. that way what we say can be organized amongst a united front of Africans with true liberation on their agenda. thats the only alternative that I can think of at this moment.
I'm all Obama'd out right now. This election cycle has hijacked all the major news outlets and unduly diverted attention from the critical times we live in as a people. Not that they gave the critical issues in the first place. I want to see more people like Young Jeezy go beyond talking about the problems here and there and work to develop analytical skills to bring perspective, and meaning. Otherwise, there is no way to mobilize collective action. The individual achievements of Barack Obama is not a substitute for collective action. Therefore, what is the priority for the political left? I know you are familiar with W.E.B. Dubois. Def read the article "Why I Won't Vote". He opposed both political parties for reasons that have not evaporated simply because there is a new colored face running in the same old horse race. I want Obama to win. But I am realistic about how little that really means.
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