Check out Mike Ramey’s piece for Black History Month 2013 …
“Black Leaders: Regular Standard” by Mike Ramey
Time was being Black AND a recognized leader in your field meant something. It meant that you were a success. You had ‘arrived’ by the sweat of your brow, and spending more than a few ‘sleepless nights’ in mastering your profession. After all, the old school rule was that ‘we’ had to be ‘twice as good’ to get ‘half as far’.
Sadly, the ‘nu school’ belief that ‘we’ don’t have to ‘strive’ for excellence at all, and our people will ‘blindly’ support the efforts of Blacks who are either ‘in charge’ by election, have the ability to sing a song (or, undress on command), run a school district, or merely ‘show up and clock in’ behind a desk which has a nameplate that reads “THE BOSS” (a.k.a. ‘THE H.N.I.C.’) is crazy!
Oh, I know the emails being warmed up in the bullpen, but I digress.
Never mind ‘Honey Boo-Boo’, ‘Jersey Shore’, or the ‘Amish Mafia’. We’ve got more than enough darker-hued hands involved in the self-poisoning of the national landscape. Some of it is coming from the classroom and reaching ‘up’ into other venues which used to have standards–regular standards–of watching out for the next generation and encouraging those of us in the present.WE WON THAT: THE CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLE!
In case you tuned in late, let me give you a Ramey Black History Minute.
The sixties are over. No matter how much some would wish, they won’t be coming back. The revolution didn’t have to be televised–it happened because we ALL pushed in the same direction–for US. WE did that! After the confetti was swept up, the banners were put away, and the photo ops were completed, what happened? Why haven’t we acted like victors, expanded our internal and external economic infrastructure (like other people of color), and learned how to work together for the good of all of our race?
The ‘whine’ of victim hood; because victims ‘get paid’ in the good ol’ U.S.A.
Some among us are still content to play ‘the victim’ because America–when it comes to Black people–still rewards ‘perceived’ victims…and those who ‘love’ them. Check it…Hispanics are regarded as ‘up and comers’. Asians are regarded as ‘overachievers’. What about US? Well, Blacks are now the THIRD minority group in America. How did we drop from the number one color group to the number three color group in a generation? We’ve shucked success and accepted failure. In short, in ONE generation, failure has gone from NOT being an option, to being acceptable and palatable. BLACK FACES, STRANGE EXCUSES AND BIG MONEY:
Here in my neck of the woods, the head of what used to be our largest school district is set to retire after seven years of ‘service’. He is going to be getting a booming retirement package, BUT the graduation rates, test scores, and achievement standards of this urban school district have gotten WORSE. Nationally, he’s not alone. To compound the fracture, a variety of Black school administrators in various parts of the nation are–or have been–getting FAT checks for FAILING schools and school districts…yet the Black community have been ‘less’ than public in criticizing the mess we find our urban–and now suburban–schools wallowing in. In ONE generation.
Crazy checks, UP…in ONE generation. Black school dropouts, UP…in ONE generation. Young Black Male gang participation, UP…in ONE generation. Young Black women doing stupid stuff on video, UP…in ONE generation. Black on Black crime, UP…in ONE generation.
Now, we ‘do’ have ‘some’ successes to point at…but the REAL successes seem to escape our radar and our view. As a matter of fact, successful Black men and women are often ridiculed because they have succeeded in spite of the roadblocks piled against them by their own people! To those successful brothers and sisters, a tip of the hat from me. Keep on keeping on and showing us the right way…to get the job done.
However, the same symptoms; the same problems orchestrated and spotlighted by the ‘victim hood’, government-fueled, grant-driven gravy train still dog our steps as a people, giving us the illusion that we are incapable of success.
Balderdash!
The true solutions still exist within ourselves–IF we have the courage to admit that the problems which can be solved ARE solvable. The ‘regular standards’ that got us through the Civil Rights struggle CAN ‘get us past’ this bump in our history.THE ACTION PLAN: REGULAR STANDARDS MAKING A COMEBACK
I find it amazing that there is a severe lack of sober thinking in our race. We have achieved; we’ve been in leadership positions from your house, to the church house, to the White House for a generation and are doing WORSE? This simply means that we have to get back to basics; back to sober thinking. It’s not just about being ‘Black and proud’; it’s about being ‘Black and SMART’!
From a biblical point of view, this means clear, concise, serious thought about actions and consequences. Thinking and applying rewards to those who are friendly to our advancement, and ‘cutting off’ those who are dangers to our cause, our families, and ourselves. From a business point of view, it means giving our best to those who want the best for us…and not just for themselves.
Here’s an example: The last election cycle. President Obama and many of the Black Hollywood elite, Black Press, Black union members and Black RINO Republicans went for a pro-choice, pro-homosexual, anti-small business and anti-family agenda, all for the sake of ‘keeping a Black in the drivers seat.’ We’ve been down this path before…at the municipal level. Detroit, Gary, Washington DC, Atlanta, Cleveland, and now New Orleans. Still we’ve not learned the lessons of history.
Sure, President Obama got re-elected. Who were ‘cheesing’ on camera (or, nearby) at the inauguration? Colin Powell, Beyonce, Oprah Winfrey, Jay-Z, Tyler Perry, Condi Rice and Rihanna and other ‘major’ Black power players who went clearly against the history of our people (which, for the short-sighted, is the following: anti-abortion, pro-traditional marriage, pro-church, anti-homosexual and pro-self-sufficiency) for the ‘sake’ of keeping a Black face in place. They knew better. They were raised better. But, they made their choice and expect us to ‘accept’ double-digit unemployment and less-than-minimal economic growth in our neighborhoods.
As our elders have said: “God don’t like ugly, and ain’t too thrilled with pretty.”
Regular standards simply mean holding folk accountable for their actions, and not being fearful of letting people know that ‘we object’ to negative, wrong, and nasty actions taken ‘for the sake of one’s personal agenda’. Don’t merely ‘wring your hands’ about the wayward actions of our own who are in charge. When one of ‘us’ in a position of leadership goes astray, hold them accountable! Have the guts to write letters; stop spending your money with them (economic sanctions), use emails, and public withdrawal of our support! It works wonders for putting ‘out’ the harmful fires of image and race-intent destruction. Remember “All My Babies Mamas?”
We need to let our own leaders know that they ‘need’ to remember what color they are, and whom they represent. Leadership MEANS acceptance of responsibility! When they approve of a fire being started down the block–in order to promote those things which are harmful to us for their profit–it doesn’t take that long for that fire to burn towards their house. Let’s get back to being consistent about policing ourselves.
THAT doesn’t take a government grant, talk show, book tour nor forum.
It takes an individualized effort of upright living aimed at the good of our race to make–and keep–us successful, viable and upwardly mobile. This is also being done by other races–which is quite interesting…since the original concepts began in US!
When righteousness makes a return through sobriety and putting regular standards back into place, the ‘victim hood mentality’–the last enemy of our people will be retired.
Then, what a day…THAT will be!
Mike Ramey is a syndicated columnist and book reviewer, lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. THE RAMEY COMMENTARIES appears on fine websites/blogs around the world. Email manhoodline@yahoo.com. © 2013 Mike Ramey/Barnstorm Communications.
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