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Community: The Real Hook Up
Time to Raise the Bar on Social Justice
by Earnest Edward Hite
2004-03-01

This article shared 3470 times since Mon Mar 1, 2004
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The plight of black men who love men is in the hands of black men. We have yet to dig out from under the vestiges of slavery, government sanction laws (segregation) that reduced our involvement in the salvation of our lives. As a people our communities reflect our ghetto fabulous culture without a sense of the future. I believe that a simple focus on the bling bling, of where I live ; what I drive; what I've purchased; and what I adorn my self with is not sufficient in today's economy and culture. Our steps to not look beyond the momente is a major missed opportunity to build our individual wealth and dreams.

We must envision the concept of social justice a space were we might live, work, and play unhindered by political drama and economic selfish interest. The truth of racism and the issues of class have always challenged us. Today our lives and the future of our communities very depending on our ability to look beyond the immediate gratification of our fleshly desires and foresee our future full of joy and justice..

Every year provides each of us days of opportunity to exercise our rights as human beings. It was during the last century that we gained the inalienable right to vote. Yes people less than 50 years ago Black people struggled to exercise voting rights as citizens of America. In one small way we began to fulfill our dreams and aspirations as citizens. We must begin to explore means of exploiting our disposable income and maximizing our financial resources.

Our focus has been on entertainment. As a people we spend tens of millions of dollars in the industry of entertainment. We have no shortage of talented individuals from the creative minds in Hip Hop to traditional media personalities. However we should also engaged in other activities that will provide infrastructure for our communities. I am suggesting by infrastructure our intimate involvement in politics. Yes, politics. In case you didn't know everything is political. There is not one aspect of our lives untouched by the political animal. Participation in our nations electoral process gives us an opportunity to be heard and to change the face of our communities.

Now to address the real reason I am writing. We have entered a period in our country's history that allows us to exercise our rights. A huge number of young men and women in the latter part of the 20th century offered their lives as a means for a different kind of America. Many of us will sadly choose not to educate and actively involve ourselves understand the issues that effect our lives. Our communities consist of more than just our views and desires. W must engage in more than consumerism and elevate our journeys to address who are friends and enemy's might be in political office.

Look nothing gets done in this world without some kind of economic capital. I can here an old song from my youth about giving more power to the people but if we get the power what will we do. So I am encouraging every reader but especially Black men who have the option to participate in the political process to stop look and listen because your voice counts. If you believe like I do in the power of Black men then it is time to raise the bar for freedom and social justice.


This article shared 3470 times since Mon Mar 1, 2004
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