Black Leaders Feeling Eclipsed In Obama Era - Politics on The Huffington Post

Black Leaders Feeling Eclipsed In Obama Era - Politics on The Huffington Post: "Jesse Jackson can still get a crowd going--when he can find one. "

I see that many people are having a field day at the seemingly waining popularity of black leadership, but I thing the problem is not necessarily with them but us as a community. I was recently watching a news show and they were discussing Barack Obama and Oprah. The statement was made that he and Oprah are not discusses any issues that are affecting the black community. Why should they? And who are they going to tell it to? The government? They are the ones most responsible for a lot of the mess we are in. They profit from the collapse of the black community in more ways than one. Plus, they know full well what's going on since they are its progenitors.

White America? They are too enthralled with their own issues, some of which they believed are caused by minorities. In their mind, its not their fight. If Obama is going to first speak about the issues affecting the black community, he would have to speak to the community its self because the people most affected by it have not made it high enough on their agenda to seem concerned. This adds a whole new meaning to the phrase, "Your s*** don't stink."

It's one thing to believe that you are better than everyone else, so you fail to acknowledge the the importance of someone else's existence other than yours, but for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction in the universe. Within the black community, the opposite has happened. We have failed to acknowledge the importance of ourselves to ourselves, thus we have abdicated our lives and existence to the empowerment of others who have no intention of returning the favor. Hip hop, the entertainment arena, sports and overall consumerism are areas that we dominate in participation, but very little of the benefits flow back to our community. We actually received the waste products of this relationship that we have embraced. This toxic relationship is corroding the very heart of our people, but yet the volume level silence of the outcry is deafening.

Enter black leadership. This is one issue that has been on my mind for some time as I have tried to understand why some of us hate them as much as we do. This love/hate relationship we have with Rev. Sharpton and Jackson is a lot of our own doing. We have gotten very accustomed to allow others to stand for us. Remember, everybody did not participate in the Civil Rights Movement, except Mitt Romney's dad. A lot of us were fine with "Mr. King's Dream". Let them march, and if they survive, we'll jump on board. This trend has continued for decades, we call it the welfare mentality. Someone steps up to assist, but then it turns into a hand to mouth relationship. Partly, because those who help sometimes have good intentions and some have an agenda, either way, we get comfortable with manna and stop seeking for promise. Manna is once a day at your door step, designed for temporary assistance. Promise is self sustaining. Seeking promise develops the skill to not only recognize when it comes, but patiences until it does and wisdom to know its there. The dream that Dr. King spoke of was promise, and we were to seek promise and let the pathway to it, develop us that we may be perfect and entire wanting nothing. Instead, we have still sought manna. Running to and fro seeking those who can give it to us. We have become malnourished from decades of manna. Some have gone on to their individual "promises", but collectively we still hunger for it.
I believe that black leadership intentions are good and just, but if the collective doesn't recognize what is taking place, leadership often stands alone, and is usually attacked by the ones they were empowering. The media outlets are masters at this tactic. They give them coverage and then interpret their intentions. We eat this manna and are persuaded. You noticed I mentioned black leadership and not black leaders. I do not hang on every word that comes out of the mouth of Al Sharpton, but I do listen to him. I know how to eat the meat and spit out the bones as we say in the South.

"But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

Evil is a relative term in that passage for me, referring to what I feel is not compatible with my path to promise. Our political leaders or those desiring to be, echo the sentiments of the constituents that they hope to represent and serve. If you do not hear your issues being mentioned, maybe you are not loud enough. A few organizations here and there, as opposed to the voice of a community, is not enough in my opinion to overcome the obstacles of corporate media, and the collective apathy within the community. I understand what you are trying to do, but I think in 21st Century America that it's time for black leadership to focus more on speaking to the people about their issues and not "as" the people. I do not believe that these brothers are trying to control the people as some have said, but the people need to grow up and put away their childish things, take up their cross and follow on to promise.

The saddest part about our situation is that we are sitting in mess, and it don't stink to many of us, at least not enough to cry loud and spare not. Its time for a new strategy. The boat is too full and not enough people are rowing. The effort would be so easy if everybody joined in. God says its time out for all of this foolishness. Dr. King and those that followed was just round one. Round two involved all of those who remain on the other side and have benefited from the struggle. It's time to take your cross for your situation and stop letting Al and Jesse be the voices we hear and then get mad because they spoke up. If you don't want to hear them, drown them out. Saturate this country with the sounds of your outcry. I believe that Obama would speak as us, if could hear from us.