“That’s what the world is today,” so says the Motown hit, which was sung by Edwin Starr and later by the Temptations. The description still applies, but for different reasons. This confusion or chaos is coming at us like a freight train. Let’s examine some of the reasons.
The violence in our cities is at an all-time high. The city of Chicago leads the way in this show of hatred and lack of value for human life. Funny, you cannot buy a gun in the Chicago city limits, but they are everywhere. As many so-called or self-appointed Black leaders scream about this madness they seem to miss or ignore the big reason. It is really very simple. The amount of violence or murder of our youth comes from drugs wars or turf wars both perpetrated by street gangs. The existence of street gangs and all the ills that go with it is directly correlated with the amount of corruption within the law enforcement agencies. They could lock up the leadership of these gangs and dealers within a month. Drugs and violence is a business to some and right now business is great.
Our “leaders” also cry for more entitlements, aka welfare, Medicaid, food stamps, etc. That is not what we need. The aforementioned things poison the soul, kill ambition and destroy the Black family unit. What we need are jobs, and there is only one way to get jobs–create them through entrepreneurship.
Small business is the best creator of jobs, which bring paychecks to households and motivate accountability and inspire ambition and dreams. Our families are busted up–where’s daddy? Baby mamas are expected to cover all the bases. The Black segment of our population needs new, young and progressive leaders who are totally dedicated to returning us back to greatness.
What we have now was explained by Booker T. Washington more than 100 years ago: “There is another class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs–partly because they want sympathy, and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs.”
It is all about jobs. One of the newest job-killers is Obamacare. This monster is getting bigger and bigger as we unravel what is in this massive bill. The IRS has just admitted that the cheapest family plan will cost a family of five (husband, wife and three children) at least $20,000 per year. Didn’t we think this would decrease the cost of healthcare? Small businesses will be forced to suppress their jobs. If your payroll exceeds 50 people then the business owner will be forced to pay significantly more per employee.
Thus, most small businesses will suppress their work force, limiting the job potential in a local community. Worst of all, the employer will be taxed extra for hiring low-income personnel (for some stupid reason). Therefore, those living in poverty wanting to lift themselves up will be denied by this law alone.
There have been many political attacks against the successful job creators. These successful entrepreneurs and executives account for the majority of jobs in our nation. I think those attacking them should listen to another great leader– William J. H. Boetcker–who stated this more than 70 years ago: “You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.”
They make the “hole” we are in bigger and more difficult to get out. They get away with it because we are too trusting and depend on people to lead us who have not committed to really leading us and setting us free and away from their influence. They control us. I’ll finish with one more quote, this one by Carter G. Woodson: “When you control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his actions. You do not have to tell him not to stand here or go yonder. He will find his ‘proper place’ and will stay in it. You do not need to send him to the back door. He will go without being told. In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut one for his special benefit. His education makes it necessary.”
Alford is the co-founder, president/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®. Website: www.nationalbcc.org. Email: halford@nationalbcc.org.
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