Is Buying from Black Owned Businesses an inconvenience for you?

Darlene

The problem started after our release from slavery...

There were no banks giving us loans

The majority of us were released with nothing and we had no where to go

This caused many of us to stay or go back to the life we knew on the plantation

We were conditioned to not "gather together" unless it was for a church service

We DIDN'T and in most cases COULDN'T open a strip mall

Why would we?

The "white man" already had a strip mall and we falsely "believed" that it was the best strip mall in the world

That's why we fought so hard to drink out of "his" fountain!

We must have "believed" that his water tasted better

Why did we care so much about having separate fountains?

We should have been satisfied with our own fountain!

We should have polished our fountain to the point where the "white man" was begging to drink from it!

We don't buy from our own because somewhere deep inside, we still believe the "white man" has something "better" when in fact they and other races are selling the same products specifically designed for OUR people

We use the excuse of: "it costs too much" when in fact it just "feels" like we are getting top of the line when we buy it from anyone other than ourselves

It's sad but true

We will do better when we begin to love ourselves

The scars run deep....

Pray for Your People

I'm for supporting Black businessess, and as much as possible. But I always hear people complain about how they feel as though they are being cheated when it comes to supporting their own kind. Another complaint I hear about with Blacks doing business with each other is that the term "Black" is often a turn off to many consumers including other Black people. It's almost as bad as saying you're gonna support White and Chinese businesses. To them it sounds corny and and bit racist.

I agree with Jecoliah, we will do better when we begin to love ourselves.

Hello Siebra and Judah,

Both of you said that things will be better when we began to love ourselves. Okay, we have been saying that for the past hundred years and we still cannot find the capacity to love ourselves. So, if we cannot love ourselves then obviously our situation will never get any better. Am I right since that is what you all are saying?

So, my question to both of you is this. Which must come first, when things get better? On the other hand, must we love ourselves first? Or, are my two questions not applicable because there is another answer?

Tell me what you think.

I like you Harry because I like controversy....

Controversy brings change

To answer your question:

We must love ourselves FIRST....then and only then will things get better

You say we have been saying this for over a hundred years....

Remember, we are fighting to erase over 400 years of mental, physical and emotional abuse

Many of us continue to suffer from self-hatred

Self-hatred that goes undetected or denied

We are fighting a two-edged sword here in America

Self-hatred and Racism

We hate ourselves because we are not blond-haired/blue-eyed

They hate us because we are not blond-haired/blue-eyed

This "ideal image" that we struggle to live up to is a Mythical Creature created in the mind of "white men"

(They hate themselves when they are not blond-haired/blue eyed!)

We will win the battle within when we learn our True History

Our True History will reveal our True Identity

Once we identify Ourselves, we can be proud to be Who We Are

Our History was lost and hidden while crossing the Atlantic

We are not home

Our History is before slavery and before crossing the Atlantic

Some of us are Jews from the Tribe of Judah (True Jews are Black)

Some of us are Moors (Black Muslims)

I am a Jew...

Jesus said, "My sheep know my voice"

I know who I am and I love myself

My People Will Rise....

I am happy that so many people have commented and started some type of dialogue about this issue. My husband and I make sure we have exhausted all of our Black resources (locally and online) for items before we have to go buy from another place. We found a local Black McDonald's franchise here in Orlando, a Black hair care store, buy our computers and office equipment from a Black company, our accountant is Black, etc. I would like to hear more abut what other types of Black owned biz each of you have found.

Hello Ms. Judah,

You make some very good and rational points, which began your post. But, at the ending of your post, you said some very irrational things. Then you tied what is rational to what is irrational and concluded that our people will rise.

Okay, let me point out the good and the rational points first. Your analogy that we are fighting a two-edge sword, self-hatred & racism, in White America is excellent thinking and well said. CNN Anderson Cooper 360 recently pointed out by the tests given to Black and White children supports your analogy of our self-hatred & racism. Hopefully you saw the documentary. Another good and rational point you made is that what we try to live up to across-the-board is a Mythical Creature. Those who believe that they have made it through education as well as those that did not made it and ended up in jail exemplify this mythical creature since it is all based on White America’s way. In other words, making it in White America is mythical. In other words, no matter how much White America gives us or allows us to have will never suffice our need to brave the natural obstacles that nature hurdles at every people continuously struggling to be successful.

Now, I will comment on the points that are neither good nor bad. Instead, there are rationally ugly. When you said that we are fighting to erase over 400 years of mental, physical and emotional abuse seems rational on the surface. You are implying that 100 years is less than 400 years, so we need more time fighting the monster of emotional abuse. However, it is irrational underneath. In other words, we could never overcome 400 years of abuse by ourselves as a people to affect love for ourselves.

But, I tell you that we need divine help in order to love ourselves. We cannot save ourselves from our dilemma in White America. We need divine help. The moral of the story of Moses is that the children of Israel could not help themselves either and needed divine help and they got divine help when it was their time. Our time has come as well.

Consequentially, it does not matter, which comes first, whether we love ourselves first, or whether things has to get better first. We are without the mental and physical resources to help ourselves. Our help must come from a source greater than White America, our adversary and ourselves. Am I making any sense with you? I am Black America’s first genuine prophet that will lead us into sovereignty on a portion of this continent that we could call our very own country with borders. We are going to inherit a portion of this continent. Our only permanent solution is that we desire to become a sovereign people or have complete independence from White America.

Now, I will comment on the bad and irrational points, okay. You said that our history was lost while crossing the Atlantic Ocean and that we are not home on this continent of North America.
Okay, let us examine what you are saying. I know that we are a new breed or race of people that has emerged out of the ashes of slavery on this continent and nowhere else. I know this because the many different kinds of Africans slave people that White people mostly of English descent purchased from the slave traders, the White English people bred themselves with these Africans and produced Black Americans. You should know that throughout the period of slavery this breeding process was a high priority for pleasure and increasing the slave population. For instance, President Thomas Jefferson fathered many children with his slaves. We witnessed the same in the documentary, “ROOTS” by the late Alex Haley. Consequentially, our history and our beginning began on this continent. However, if you are persistent to believe that our history is in Africa it is also in England as well. But, I tell you that we are neither Africans nor Caucasians. We are a new breed or race of people that has emerged out of the ashes of slavery just by our sheer numbers. We number 41 million and this size population would categorize us as a new breed or race of people. We are not a result of interracial mixing since we number 41 million people and not a few. Am I making any sense with you? Therefore, a portion of this continent is our homeland. Our immediate ancestors were born, slaved and are buried on this continent and no other continent, am I right.

Tell me what you think.

I live in New Orleans, and in my neighborhood there are more Black owned beauty salons and child care businesses than anything. Also there is Dooky Chase restaurant which is black owned, a black owned pizza parlor ran by two Black brothers, a Black bookstore, and two Black owned pharmacies.

And also just like Darlene, I make sure I have exhausted all of our Black resources (locally and online) for items before we have to go buy from another place.

Hello Darlene,

While what you are saying is good, it is not the solution to our problems. The permanent solution to our problems is that we must desire to become a sovereign people or have complete independence from White America on a portion of this continent that we could call our very own country with borders to pursue life, liberty, happiness and prosperity in our own way.

Many Black leaders have perhaps said or implied the same as I am saying. However, it should cross your mind it will come a time that only one of us is able to do it.

I am sure that many Hebrews may have said the same thing that Moses said. However, only Moses was able to carry out the Exodus, am I right. Am I making any sense with you?

Tell me what you think.

Harry, I truly believe that getting more Black people to buy from more Black businesses is a STARTING point to our road to economic recovery within our own communities. Brother Malcolm X said that we "run down our own communities when we take our money out of our community and spend it with the white man's businesses." I truly believe that desegregation was the beginning of the end of the majority of our Black owned businesses. Just because we could spend outside our race, our dollars flew out of our neighborhoods. I personally do not believe that this is the solution to ALL of our problems, but as a people having control over our own resources and deciding what to do with over $900 billion is really powerful. How many major white owned corporations would suffer financially with out a huge portion of our dollars in their coffers? This in turn could open the doors for more Black owned businesses to fill that gap and move to the top of mind awareness with more and more of our people supporting them. Creating more jobs, pride in our businesses and our community.

I believe if the majority of us knew more about our beautiful history/culture/heritage/ancestry before slavery we would be more likely to have more love for each other as a people right now. So part of what I am talking about is also re-educating our people of their past. Marcus Garvey said " a people without knowledge of their past, is like a tree without roots." My interpretation of this is how can we grow positively as a people if we don't really know who we are?

That's all for now!

FYI: I do not wish to get pulled into becoming a sovereign people element of this conversation at this time.

Thanks for your comments Irma! Greatly appreciated as always!

Hello Ms. Darlene,

The starting point that would permanently resolve our problems is precisely what you do not want to be dragged into and that is becoming a sovereign people.

Your rationale is the same as if a Hebrew person would have told Moses that they do not want to be dragged into the element of the Exodus. However, since we have hindsight to see that the Exodus was the Hebrew people’s permanent solution to their bondage and slavery in Egypt why it is that you do not understand what I am saying?

Should not you be wise enough to utilize your common sense that I am right? Am I making any sense with you?

Black Americans need and should be looking for a permanent solution to our specific problem and not something just for today. Do you get my drift?

Again, I do understand in the interim that buying Black is good; nevertheless, I want you to understand that it is not our permanent solution. Therefore, put 90% of the effort into our permanent solution and 10% into buying Black. Does that make sense to you?

Tell me what you think.

Harry, I understand what you are saying completely and respect you for sharing your opinion. You have the right to your opinion on this matter and as I have the right to my own opinion. I am exercising my rights to my own opinion that I personally do not agree that your solution is the only answer to a permanent solution for our people. Enough said on that issue from me!

Sister, I don't blame you one bit! Harry is all talk and no ACTION.

Hello Ms. Darlene,

Ms. Darlene I beg to differ when you said that each of us is entitled to our own opinion. What I have said is not an opinion. What I have said is clothed in facts. Each of us may be in title to our own opinions but we are not entitled to our own facts. Therefore, since what I am saying our facts then you are also bound by these facts as well. Does that make any sense with you?

Now, the point that I am making is that you could correct and revamp the chamber of commerce issue if you like and I would say go for it. However, what I am telling you is that the bigger issue still hangs over our head as a people.

We must desire to become a sovereign people. You cannot beat me on what I am saying. What I am saying comes directly from God. It is a hell of an experience to have God constantly talking to you and the bad part about it is that I have no way to show or prove to you that I am experiencing divinity as Moses and Jesus did.

I know because I can see and feel from how you say what you say that you understand me. However, soon all later you must come full circle to help me or else another hundred years would pass us, Black Americans by without making any true progress.

Am I saying anything that is stupid or even rational to you?

Tell me what you think.

Hello Siebra,

On the contrary, I am not all talk and no action. My action via my talking is to convert you all to accept our divine offer from God to be a sovereign people or finally have complete independence from White America on a portion of this continent that we could call our very own country with borders to pursue life, liberty, happiness and prosperity in our own way.

Mr. Farrakhan neither promotes nor advocates our sovereignty. Mr. Farrakhan once said that after Elijah passes then him, Farrakhan could become father of the NOI and that is exactly what has happened.

Let me explain, when Elijah established the NOI Elijah inadvertently was stumbling onto wealth and fortune off the poor so-called Negroes. Subliminally speaking the so-called Negro became followers of Elijah and gave him everything he asked for because they believed that in return we would be a nation on a portion of this continent. We have always wanted badly to be a nation unto ourselves in our own country or land. However, Mr. Elijah Muhammad could not deliver since he was not God prophet as Moses and I am too Black Americans.

However, it came a time that Elijah knew realize that he had stumbled upon wealth and power. But, by this time Elijah had became corrupt. Again, Elijah started out innocent mindedly. Anyway, the corruptness in Elijah rear its head up when he began to screw any number of young innocent Muslim women that he wanted to screw and impregnated them, which naturally have an impact on their future lives when they decided to marry. His aides were as corrupt as Elijah was. Malcolm was a threat to this lifestyle and Elijah had no choice but to get rid of Malcolm.

Now, when Elijah passed Wallace D. Muhammad being a person of high integrity as Malcolm was, was ridding the NOI of corruption as well as changing directions. Mr. Farrakhan was gripped by larceny and power that he decided to divide Elijah’s nation and become as wealthy and powerful as Elijah did off the poor so-called Negro. So, Farrakhan’s words that Elijah told him that he, Farrakhan could inherit the nation once he, Elijah passes came true. However, Mr. Farrakhan’s wife is all for the wealth and power but she was not having any screwing young Muslim girls by Farrakhan as Elijah did since Clara Muhammad had passed.

Consequentially, all that Farrakhan is doing is taking advantage of the ignorant Negroes by selling them rhetoric week after week for their monies. If you are giving Mr. Farrakhan your money, you are among the ignorant Negroes. Furthermore, you know that we have always been an ignorant people. But all that is going to stop since God hath anointed me to save us if you will.

I would question why you would give Farrakhan your money when it is plain that Farrakhan neither promotes nor advocates for our sovereignty, which you know is our only permanent solution even though he mentions it on the back of the Final Call newspaper.

Black Americans are some ignorant people whether they are Muslims or Christians. We need the help of God from our adversaries as well as protection from each other.

I am the way, and decide me; there is no other way that Black Americans could ever become a real people in this world.

Tell me what you think

Ok Harry, I did not mean for this to turn into a religious forum for you to preach to us about your beliefs. If you would like to take yourself out of this conversation or get back to the original subject at hand, because I believe you have made your point as to where you stand and what you believe. As I said before I thank you for that. Now it is time to give someone else a chance to answer the topic at hand.. which is....is it inconvenient to shop with Black business.

Hello Ms. Darlene,

Ms. Darlene, I said no, that it should not be an inconvenience to Blacks to patronize Black businesses. However, I said that patronizing Black businesses is not our permanent solution neither is it a high valued problem. I went on to say that, our paramount problem is that we should desire to become a sovereign people, which is the only solution to all of our problems in White America.

Do you agree or disagree with me?

Tell me what you think.

Thanks bro Mozell! I take that as a great compliment coming from you!

Hello to All,

With all due respect, compliments are not what Black America need if you will since we are talking about something as specific as a permanent solution to our problems. We need brains. We need to rationalize as intelligent people in these modern days. We must have the intelligence to discern which way is up if you will. In other words, if we do not have the sense to discern whether we should plug a square hole with a square peg we will remain ignorant people and the hole will continue to leak. Am I making myself clear?

For instance, patronizing Black businesses in the interim is good. However, it is not a permanent solution to our problem and that is what I mean when I say that we need to be able to discern whether a square peg or a round peg is the solution to plugging our leaking hole if you will.

Hopefully, you understand my metaphor or analogy.

Tell me what you think.

Darlene.... Excellent discussion... I personally like Black Hair Care Products... and I frequent my Barber who also sales his products. One of the things that he and I discussed is that Professtional Black Hair Products are so expensive but I can go to a Korean Beauty Supply Store and Purchase straight of the shelf professional products no license... no questions asked... So on occassions when I can't afford that bi-weekly hair maintenance ... I am not thinking business ... Im thinking affordability...

Thanks Cynthia for your comment. I know a lot of times it is more expensive to support the Black hair care industry. I believe that the reason that the Asian hair care is less expensive is because they have more outlets, more resources and of course millions of Black consumers buying their products. So maybe, just maybe we could reverse these buying habits, one Black person at a time, then the Black hair care professionals with products would be able to sell their products for less if they had thousands, then hundreds of thousands, then the millions of Black buying from them.

Hello,

So, am I right that the desire for us to become a sovereign people on a portion of this continent is our only permanent solution?

Greetings Darlene,

Your topic is well appreciated.
We should make a difference to go out the way and support Black Owned Businesses a much as possible.When it is an inconvenience that only means that it is a worth to you and to the one that you are supporting.

I also agree to your point with desegregation for effect not only the businesses but our institutions at large. That has also been the downfall of our Ancestral Kingdoms.
Other cultures have seen the value within self determination. Unfortunately we either forgot about the possibilities or just don't care.
I also believe in the traditional principles and values of the Nguzo - Saba and Maat, and find that if we as a collective body of people adapted to the meaning and value of these principles we would not only support and respect each others businesses but would be able to reciprocate the resources and ability (power) to be the controllers of a 900 billion dollar industry as in the likes of beauty products.

But it still takes on step at a time.

The ruin of the Nation begins in the home.
Ahanti Proverb

...OUR CULTURE D-I-D-N-O=T BEGIN...

RIGHT BACK AT YA MY SISTA...ANY CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE, LEARN AND TEACH HOW WE TEND TO BE OUR OWN WORST ENEMY BY, REFUSING TO BELIEVE, ACCEPT TAHT OUR RACE OR OUR CULTURE BEGAN IN CHATTEL SLAVERY NOR WITH DR. KING...is my life's work, duty, purpose...it always renew ths energy of this almost 68 year old...makes me back in my teens in the 60s...

or as Clark puts is so well, "BACK TO THE FUTURE" lol...

(S-M-I-L-E)

Oh, and once a year there is a Black Pride fair in Oak Park just out side of Sacramento...there is music, plays, poems readings, ect. and this fair's main purpose is to have Black Business' show off and theri products and make the public aware that they exist...locally we have one Black beauty shop, but if you don't want chemicals in your hair you must go to Sacramento to the Black beauty shops...as a press and curl generation ..."I" go to Sac. lol...

We have make up consultants locally that are to die for, but they are only part time...but their products are worth the wait...(smile)

Because, we have many 4 year and 2 year colleges here in Northern Ca. that have many students from our of state...Oakland and the NOI Black business is the place to be...and,although little known...the tourist center in San Francisco has many historicl Black family owned business'...

(smile)

(smile)

Thanks also Darlene, for this teaching moment of why "I" look at CHATTEL SLAVERY (slavery for life as property) and how "BLACK BUSINESS' leaders " helped many of us to become free men, women, familys...

IN THE OFF SEASONS SOME SLAVES WERE FARMED OUT AS APPRENTICES TO SPECIALTY CRAFT'S PEOPLES AS APPRENTICES...SOME BACAME SUCH MASTER CRAFTSMEN UNTIL THEY WERE IN SUCH DEMAND THEIR MASTERS WOULD BE PAID ENOUGH FOR THEIR SERVICE THE MASTER WOULD SHARE SOME OF THE EARNINGS WITH THEIR SLAVES...

MANY SLAVES WEER ABLE TO BUY THEMSELVES OUT OF SLAVERY...YOU KNOW MONEY AND GREED TALKED JUST AS LOUD BACK THEN IN AMERICA AS IT DOES IN 2010 AND COUNTING...

"I" am so proud that CHATELL slavery is someting we survived with our pride, self- determinations, cultural values, and demands for respect as human beings, ect...INTACT...

(S-M-I-L-E)

SOME TIMES WE GO ALL THE WAY TO oAKLAND TO SHOP IN BLACK BUSINESS...ESPECIALLY FOR BOOKS. BUT IT IS WLWAYS A GOOD BECAUSE WE MAKE A WHOLE DAY OF IT...WE GO TO SACRAMENTO TO EAT IN THE BUSINESS' OF THE NOI. THOSE BEAN PIES, AND SUCH GREAT UNITY AND GOOD CONVERSATIONS.LIKE BEING BACK HOME IN THE SOUTH.WHERE CHILDREN CALL YOU MISS, MR. AND YES MAAM.YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS. (SMILE)