My favorite newspaper columist is Jim Clingman. He regularly publishes in Black newspapers around the country. He wrote a column last year that I didn't share at the time. I want to share it with you today...
The Pew Research Center reported, "African Americans see a widening gulf between the values of middle class and poor Blacks, and nearly four-in-ten say that because of the diversity within their community, Blacks can no longer be thought of as a single race."
Black people can now play out this doomsday scenario with a clear conscience and without remorse for the dismal future we are creating for our children. Now that Pew has done its research and revealed that Black people are so fragmented by "class," is there any reason for us to continue to espouse collective and cooperative anything among our people?
You have heard the saying, "He who defines you controls you."
Well, Black folks have now been defined for what may well be the final time, because if we accept the "spinning" of the Pew report, it will be the death-knell that many have longed to hear since free Black labor went out of style.
The initial reporting of the information was centered on the contention that Black people could no longer be considered as "one race." Then I looked at the actual report and found that 37 percent of those polled believed that nonsense, but 53 percent
did not. Well, that’s funny, I thought. Why would the emphasis be placed on the 37 percent rather than the 53 percent? Then the age-old phrase came to mind, He who defines you…."
Black people can now play out this doomsday scenario with a clear conscience and without remorse for the dismal future we are creating for our children. Now that Pew has done its research and revealed that Black people are so fragmented by "class," is there any reason for us to continue to espouse collective and cooperative anything among our people?
You have heard the saying, "He who defines you controls you."
Well, Black folks have now been defined for what may well be the final time, because if we accept the "spinning" of the Pew report, it will be the death-knell that many have longed to hear since free Black labor went out of style.
The initial reporting of the information was centered on the contention that Black people could no longer be considered as "one race." Then I looked at the actual report and found that 37 percent of those polled believed that nonsense, but 53 percent
did not. Well, that’s funny, I thought. Why would the emphasis be placed on the 37 percent rather than the 53 percent? Then the age-old phrase came to mind, He who defines you…." I was also reminded of another conversation that went something like this: "What’s your name?" The young man replied, "Kunta Kinte!" After having the Black overseer apply another stinging lash to the young man’s back, and with the other enslaved Africans watching, the White man said, "No, your name is Toby, and it will be your name until the day you die."
Any thoughts on comments on what Jim shared with us?
