Information is Power
By Alton H. Maddox, Jr.
During slavery, the laws on the use of passes were employed to restrict the movement of enslaved Africans. This system required literacy among the slaveholders and illiteracy among enslaved Africans. This formula is still in effect today. It prompted Carter G. Woodson to pen "The Mis-education of the Negro." Europeans learned about the import of ignorance and intelligence before their enslavement of Africans. They once believed that the world was flat. Africans knew better. This false belief imprisoned their bodies. In the meantime, the environment was safe as well as the public health of strangers. All of this changed in 1492. Sen. Barack Obama is under attack for lacking experience. Welcome to the Black world. Obama's cure was to make one of his harshest critics his running mate. Sen. Hillary Clinton is incensed. From Obama's perspective, he apparently chose the lesser of two evils. Obama has a white man to vouch for him. This sounds like Jim Crow. This relationship simply reinforces the argument that a Black man is not ready for prime time. Obama was not helped by the Black intellegensia or Black talk radio because no one has done his or her homework. This absence of political research and political analysis is actually dumbing down all Blacks who can ill-afford widespread political ignorance. Blacks need think tanks. If you look at the platform for the Democratic Party, you will not find a Black plank. Civil rights has been reduced to gay rights. Affirmative action, in racial terms, is out of the question. It is now a class issue. Disadvantaged children today are defined as children from the Appalachia. My op-ed piece in the New York Amsterdam News is no substitute for writings from any true and well-financed, Black think tank. Nonetheless, it does seek to address some of the issues affecting Black people. This week's op-ed piece will seek to define presidential experience. Obama has chosen to sidestep the issue. Black talk radio elevates rhetoric over research. Week by week, Blacks are getting dumber. This absence of information and analysis is of great concern to me. In the absence of an organizational structure, Blacks must rely on good Samaritans who are in short supply especially since Blacks have been trained to go for self. Whites on the other hand, organize and finance terrorist organizations to maintain white supremacy. Like animals, most ethnic groups except Blacks believe in running in packs. Even a zebra knows better than to run solo. Otherwise, the zebra is automatic fresh meat for a lion. In a pack, the stripes on a zebra confuse a lion. Blacks form businesses without any concern for survival instincts. Through the socialization of the Negro, we have lost survival instincts. Getting back to the New York Amsterdam News and similar news organizations, I see no availability for regular, well-researched op-ed pieces. Because we fail to support Black papers, they are unable to gather and disseminate critical information in an analytical form. The cost of writing a well-researched column weekly costs several hundred dollars. It requires research, analysis, writing, typing, proofing and editing. This requires a staff. Since white corporations reach us through the white media, no incentive exists for putting white dollars in the Black media. Without information, Blacks are doomed. Obama is unable to defend himself. While Blacks would be much worse by supporting Sen. John McCain, Obama is not the solution. We are our own problem. He may get us to the White House but he will never get us to the "Promised Land."
By Alton H. Maddox, Jr.
During slavery, the laws on the use of passes were employed to restrict the movement of enslaved Africans. This system required literacy among the slaveholders and illiteracy among enslaved Africans. This formula is still in effect today. It prompted Carter G. Woodson to pen "The Mis-education of the Negro." Europeans learned about the import of ignorance and intelligence before their enslavement of Africans. They once believed that the world was flat. Africans knew better. This false belief imprisoned their bodies. In the meantime, the environment was safe as well as the public health of strangers. All of this changed in 1492. Sen. Barack Obama is under attack for lacking experience. Welcome to the Black world. Obama's cure was to make one of his harshest critics his running mate. Sen. Hillary Clinton is incensed. From Obama's perspective, he apparently chose the lesser of two evils. Obama has a white man to vouch for him. This sounds like Jim Crow. This relationship simply reinforces the argument that a Black man is not ready for prime time. Obama was not helped by the Black intellegensia or Black talk radio because no one has done his or her homework. This absence of political research and political analysis is actually dumbing down all Blacks who can ill-afford widespread political ignorance. Blacks need think tanks. If you look at the platform for the Democratic Party, you will not find a Black plank. Civil rights has been reduced to gay rights. Affirmative action, in racial terms, is out of the question. It is now a class issue. Disadvantaged children today are defined as children from the Appalachia. My op-ed piece in the New York Amsterdam News is no substitute for writings from any true and well-financed, Black think tank. Nonetheless, it does seek to address some of the issues affecting Black people. This week's op-ed piece will seek to define presidential experience. Obama has chosen to sidestep the issue. Black talk radio elevates rhetoric over research. Week by week, Blacks are getting dumber. This absence of information and analysis is of great concern to me. In the absence of an organizational structure, Blacks must rely on good Samaritans who are in short supply especially since Blacks have been trained to go for self. Whites on the other hand, organize and finance terrorist organizations to maintain white supremacy. Like animals, most ethnic groups except Blacks believe in running in packs. Even a zebra knows better than to run solo. Otherwise, the zebra is automatic fresh meat for a lion. In a pack, the stripes on a zebra confuse a lion. Blacks form businesses without any concern for survival instincts. Through the socialization of the Negro, we have lost survival instincts. Getting back to the New York Amsterdam News and similar news organizations, I see no availability for regular, well-researched op-ed pieces. Because we fail to support Black papers, they are unable to gather and disseminate critical information in an analytical form. The cost of writing a well-researched column weekly costs several hundred dollars. It requires research, analysis, writing, typing, proofing and editing. This requires a staff. Since white corporations reach us through the white media, no incentive exists for putting white dollars in the Black media. Without information, Blacks are doomed. Obama is unable to defend himself. While Blacks would be much worse by supporting Sen. John McCain, Obama is not the solution. We are our own problem. He may get us to the White House but he will never get us to the "Promised Land."
posted by Attorney Alton Maddox at 6:47 PM
1 Comments:
This is serious!!
Too often we underestimate the importance of forming a "Think Tank", more likely instead of coming together for solutions the "think tanks"/Discussion panels we often see are Black people going against each other and second guessing the other. Almost as if they believe they were brought together to disagree.
Many people have read this piece but as usual too many are afraid to be "associated" with such independent thinking.
Unfortunately educated Blacks feel they have nothing to discuss with Black who have "educated" themselves because College was not a reality for them. That doesn't mean they are not independent thinkers or even leaders of thought, and action.
I am interested in participating in any meetings held by Mr.Maddox and would like to know how I may come to do so. One on one or otherwise.
It seems he is a hard person to pen down from his Brooklyn office, to this foundation. I have never received a call back and have been leaving messages with a "phone service" since June 08.
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