In Detroit, whites aren't the problem
I received this email today....good read.
Building A Regional Network for Detroit by Akindele Akinyemi
Detroit will never come back to it's former glory until we embrace regionalization. It is time for 80% of the African Americans who live in this city to come in to the 21st century and stop using race as an excuse for not achieving certain goals for the city.
Detroit is a city that has potential. However, we choose to continue to vote Democratic. We are a monolithic people when it comes to the political spectrum here in this city. For those people who are reading this and feel that we have not obtained Black Power you are lying to yourself and those around you.
We have Black Power here in Detroit. The problem is we embrace a socialist form of Black Power that has gutted the very core of the city. We have Black politicians who are out of the loop with reality. We have Black Grassroots people who are out of touch with themselves and are afraid of white people. And then there is the criminal element on all levels.
How do we began to bring back Detroit? We must become a balanced city with a balanced perspective. This does not exist here. If you are a Black Republican or even a Black Conservative in this city you are looked at with disdain.
Allow me to roll out the solutions on how we can not just improve Detroit but other urban areas across Michigan.
In order for us to build urban regional networks we must fully understand what regionalization is. It is a wonderful concept that can bring us together as one. Detroit is not on an island and anyone that is telling you that White people are ready to come back into the city to take it over is lying for that White people already live in the city. Any Black person who lives here knows this. Areas like Warrendale , Rosedale Park and the neighborhood near the Pointes have White folks. In fact, 117,000 White people live in Detroit while 775,000 Blacks live in Detroit. So who is in charge? Who has Black Power and if we have Black Power in Detroit why is our conditions so desolate?
Because we try to live on an island by ourselves. This must stop. Not allowing other races to work with us is a mistake.
For those who blame Whites for the failures of Blacks in Detroit check this out. Poor blacks are not poor because of white racism; they are caught up in a culture of failure, and the current crop of black leaders helps perpetuate the cycle. You have an entire slew of Democrats and everyone is fighting both on the inside and out and not one time God is mentioned in those battles. It is no wonder that we have Black children dying in their homes as if we are living in Palestine, Darfur or Rwanda 1994.
Black leaders must stop painting Blacks as powerless victims and use our energy and resources to help other brothers and sisters equip themselves to compete in a global economy, which has little regard for historical (and outdated) racial grievances. Today's leaders in urban Michigan misinform, mismanage and mis-educate by refusing to articulate established truths about what it takes to get ahead: strong families, education and hard work.
While our Black Democratic Leadership here continues to hate Republicans (both Black and White) I would like for you to take a look at this:
In 1950, when most blacks were Republicans, 63% of blacks were married. By 2002, when most blacks were Democrats, only 35% of blacks were married.
In 1960, when most blacks were Republicans, 80% of black children were born in wedlock. By 2002, when most blacks were Democrats, only 25% of black children were born in wedlock.
According to the studies, married households are by far more prosperous than single-parent households. In fact, 50% of married households earn $50,000 or more per year, and 27% of married households earn $75,000 or more per year.
The transformation process in our community must come from paying close attention to what is going on.
Detroit, Flint, Saginaw and other Democrats advocate socialism, the failed policy of giving a man a fish. Socialism fosters welfare and creates dependency on government handouts. Republicans (regardless of race) champion capitalism, the philosophy of teaching a man how to fish. Capitalism encourages taking responsibility for your own well-being, becoming prepared for the jobs of the 21st century, and using the free market to acquire wealth.
I know MANY young Democrats who believe in wealth creation and taking responsibility for their own. Ever seen a poor Black woman in the hood make it out, go to school and build wealth for herself? I see this all the time. I know you do too.
Democrats love to talk about teaching people how to fish. But all Democrats really do is keep blacks enslaved in taxpayer-funded, government "fish hatcheries"-to extend the metaphor. These are our urban ghettos, where Democratic leaders dole out fish, one at a time, and then blame Republicans for not allowing Democrats to dole out more individual fish! In other words, promoting social programs instead of promoting educational programs to encourage Blacks to be less dependent on government.
It is revealing that Federal Democrats continuously block Social Security reform, even though the current system is unfair to Blacks who lose, on average, $10,000 in the system because blacks have a shorter life expectancy than whites by five years. A ccording to the RAND Corporation it showed that if black Americans were allowed to voluntarily put part of their money into personal savings accounts, they would benefit enormously. Personal savings accounts would make it possible for black Americans to generate wealth that could be passed on to their heirs, something that is not allowed under the current system.
And those who now receive benefits under the current system would not lose benefits. Those nearing retirement could structure their personal savings accounts to reduce risks from market fluctuations, just as is being done by the 3.1 million federal government employees under the Thrift Savings Plan that was started in 1983 as a substitute for Social Security. Under the Thrift Savings Plan, federal employees receive $4,500 per month compared to the $1,300 per month for Social Security recipients.
The first step to financial independence for African Americans is for blacks is to get off of the Local, State or Federal Democratic Party's economic plantation, stop subsisting on government handouts, and do whatever it takes to become economically self-sufficient. When urban blacks leverage their vote and stop having their vote taken for granted, they will regain their political power, and this will translate to increased financial power.
The other key is to help our people obtain a good education. I have criss-crossed this state talking to Black people about how parents must become directly involved in making sure their children become well-educated. It is essential that Blacks will stop using their vote to support the Democratic Party that-in lockstep alignment with the Teacher's Union-is fighting to stop Black children from going to charter schools and stop black parents from getting vouchers that would help black children get out of failing schools.
The Teacher Unions wants to maintain the status quo, with teachers, not black parents, controlling the money. This determined effort to maintain control of education dollars-with no accountability for education results-is the real reason why local Democrats urge Blacks to denounce the No Child Left Behind Act ( NCLB). The truth is, NCLB finally demands accountability from teachers and schools who, for decades, have pushed black children through the school system who cannot effectively read, write, or do arithmetic, and who, in turn, end up trapped in low-paying, minimum wage jobs, and ultimately are condemned to subsisting on welfare handouts.
We must be responsible for preparing our future with high-tech jobs for a high-tech society society. A potential employee is golden who has the technical skills desired by employers, which can be acquired in a vocational school or adult education courses offered by a community college. Technical training should not be overlooked by Black people and neither should a military career, where skills can be obtained that are highly valued in the civilian business world.
If Black people in Detroit do not get involved in wealth generation we will perish as a race. Wealth creation is at the heart of getting out of poverty. Rather than attacking and deriding people who are "rich," as encouraged by Democrats and their socialist, class-warfare ideology,
urban blacks should, instead, take positive action to become wealthy.
Home ownership is a powerful way to increase wealth. Studies show that overall home ownership of black Americans is 50.8%, and that owning a home could increase the net worth of urban blacks by ten fold, from $7,000 to $70,000. Home ownership is made easier
by the American Dream Downpayment Act that was championed by U.S. Representative Katherine Harris and signed into law by President George W. Bush. This Act alone will help 40,000 new families a year to become homeowners.
Business ownership is also a way to generate a high income. Small business ownership is a highly viable option for black Americans, considering that $63 billion have been made available for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans under President Bush. Today, 5% of black Americans own businesses, which means there are one million black-owned businesses. Those figures can go even higher thanks to President Bush.
It is important to maintain two-parent homes in our community. Churches play in very important role in this. Any church that is preaching racism, hatred, sexism or even trying to keep you bonded to a socialist ideology where you see people around you are not increasing themselves to be better you should avoid them at all costs. That is most of your liberal preaching churches in Detroit.
We need to educate brothers and sisters to avoid self-destructing behavior. I feel that if we accept God in our lives and asking for His divine guidance in avoiding self-destructive behavior we will begin to quest to realize the American Dream. However, the rebellious, anti-God, anti-establishment message of Democrats has permeated urban black communities since the 1960s.
Since that time-and in spite of the fact that black Americans reached a remarkable degree of financial success during the days of segregation (Paradise Valley, Idlewild, Tulsa) -Democrats have convinced urban blacks that they were "victims" who could not succeed without government handouts.
In the 1960s, the so-called "War on Poverty" foisted by Democrats on Blacks created a permanent urban underclass living in multi-generational poverty. As a result of the welfare system, Uncle Sam replaced the father in Black households because families could not get a welfare check if there was a man in the house. Between 1960 and 1980, the crime rate in black communities rose by 38%. Blight and disorder became predominant, and lax educational standards became the norm. Drug abuse resulted from the celebration of drugs by liberal Democrats, and the sexual revolution supported and promoted by Democrats made it acceptable to have sex outside of marriage.
After four decades, the net effect of the Democrat's godless, socialist approach has been broken homes, broken communities, broken morality, and a perpetual cycle of financial dependence in urban black communities. Yet today, anti-God, secularist Democrats are still trashing the fundamental values of our nation and perpetuating the same tired message that urban blacks, as victims, can blame the "System" and racism for their poverty, crime, and failure-not their own self-destructive behavior.
In order for urban blacks to shake the shackles of poverty, dependence, and self-destruction, they must turn to God in prayer and ask for help with overcoming the temptations that lead to crime, drug abuse, and illicit sex. And since everyone also needs an earthly helping hand as they traverse the rocky road from poverty to prosperity.
When Blacks stop playing the race card (and for my Black Grassroots who claim that Whites play the card all day long is not true because all White are not our enemies and every brother ain't a brother) and embrace these solutions that I have laid out for regionalization we will begin to bring God's kingdom here on Earth. God embraces Urban Regional Networks for us to survive not Socialism.
Building A Regional Network for Detroit by Akindele Akinyemi
Detroit will never come back to it's former glory until we embrace regionalization. It is time for 80% of the African Americans who live in this city to come in to the 21st century and stop using race as an excuse for not achieving certain goals for the city.
Detroit is a city that has potential. However, we choose to continue to vote Democratic. We are a monolithic people when it comes to the political spectrum here in this city. For those people who are reading this and feel that we have not obtained Black Power you are lying to yourself and those around you.
We have Black Power here in Detroit. The problem is we embrace a socialist form of Black Power that has gutted the very core of the city. We have Black politicians who are out of the loop with reality. We have Black Grassroots people who are out of touch with themselves and are afraid of white people. And then there is the criminal element on all levels.
How do we began to bring back Detroit? We must become a balanced city with a balanced perspective. This does not exist here. If you are a Black Republican or even a Black Conservative in this city you are looked at with disdain.
Allow me to roll out the solutions on how we can not just improve Detroit but other urban areas across Michigan.
In order for us to build urban regional networks we must fully understand what regionalization is. It is a wonderful concept that can bring us together as one. Detroit is not on an island and anyone that is telling you that White people are ready to come back into the city to take it over is lying for that White people already live in the city. Any Black person who lives here knows this. Areas like Warrendale , Rosedale Park and the neighborhood near the Pointes have White folks. In fact, 117,000 White people live in Detroit while 775,000 Blacks live in Detroit. So who is in charge? Who has Black Power and if we have Black Power in Detroit why is our conditions so desolate?
Because we try to live on an island by ourselves. This must stop. Not allowing other races to work with us is a mistake.
For those who blame Whites for the failures of Blacks in Detroit check this out. Poor blacks are not poor because of white racism; they are caught up in a culture of failure, and the current crop of black leaders helps perpetuate the cycle. You have an entire slew of Democrats and everyone is fighting both on the inside and out and not one time God is mentioned in those battles. It is no wonder that we have Black children dying in their homes as if we are living in Palestine, Darfur or Rwanda 1994.
Black leaders must stop painting Blacks as powerless victims and use our energy and resources to help other brothers and sisters equip themselves to compete in a global economy, which has little regard for historical (and outdated) racial grievances. Today's leaders in urban Michigan misinform, mismanage and mis-educate by refusing to articulate established truths about what it takes to get ahead: strong families, education and hard work.
While our Black Democratic Leadership here continues to hate Republicans (both Black and White) I would like for you to take a look at this:
In 1950, when most blacks were Republicans, 63% of blacks were married. By 2002, when most blacks were Democrats, only 35% of blacks were married.
In 1960, when most blacks were Republicans, 80% of black children were born in wedlock. By 2002, when most blacks were Democrats, only 25% of black children were born in wedlock.
According to the studies, married households are by far more prosperous than single-parent households. In fact, 50% of married households earn $50,000 or more per year, and 27% of married households earn $75,000 or more per year.
The transformation process in our community must come from paying close attention to what is going on.
Detroit, Flint, Saginaw and other Democrats advocate socialism, the failed policy of giving a man a fish. Socialism fosters welfare and creates dependency on government handouts. Republicans (regardless of race) champion capitalism, the philosophy of teaching a man how to fish. Capitalism encourages taking responsibility for your own well-being, becoming prepared for the jobs of the 21st century, and using the free market to acquire wealth.
I know MANY young Democrats who believe in wealth creation and taking responsibility for their own. Ever seen a poor Black woman in the hood make it out, go to school and build wealth for herself? I see this all the time. I know you do too.
Democrats love to talk about teaching people how to fish. But all Democrats really do is keep blacks enslaved in taxpayer-funded, government "fish hatcheries"-to extend the metaphor. These are our urban ghettos, where Democratic leaders dole out fish, one at a time, and then blame Republicans for not allowing Democrats to dole out more individual fish! In other words, promoting social programs instead of promoting educational programs to encourage Blacks to be less dependent on government.
It is revealing that Federal Democrats continuously block Social Security reform, even though the current system is unfair to Blacks who lose, on average, $10,000 in the system because blacks have a shorter life expectancy than whites by five years. A ccording to the RAND Corporation it showed that if black Americans were allowed to voluntarily put part of their money into personal savings accounts, they would benefit enormously. Personal savings accounts would make it possible for black Americans to generate wealth that could be passed on to their heirs, something that is not allowed under the current system.
And those who now receive benefits under the current system would not lose benefits. Those nearing retirement could structure their personal savings accounts to reduce risks from market fluctuations, just as is being done by the 3.1 million federal government employees under the Thrift Savings Plan that was started in 1983 as a substitute for Social Security. Under the Thrift Savings Plan, federal employees receive $4,500 per month compared to the $1,300 per month for Social Security recipients.
The first step to financial independence for African Americans is for blacks is to get off of the Local, State or Federal Democratic Party's economic plantation, stop subsisting on government handouts, and do whatever it takes to become economically self-sufficient. When urban blacks leverage their vote and stop having their vote taken for granted, they will regain their political power, and this will translate to increased financial power.
The other key is to help our people obtain a good education. I have criss-crossed this state talking to Black people about how parents must become directly involved in making sure their children become well-educated. It is essential that Blacks will stop using their vote to support the Democratic Party that-in lockstep alignment with the Teacher's Union-is fighting to stop Black children from going to charter schools and stop black parents from getting vouchers that would help black children get out of failing schools.
The Teacher Unions wants to maintain the status quo, with teachers, not black parents, controlling the money. This determined effort to maintain control of education dollars-with no accountability for education results-is the real reason why local Democrats urge Blacks to denounce the No Child Left Behind Act ( NCLB). The truth is, NCLB finally demands accountability from teachers and schools who, for decades, have pushed black children through the school system who cannot effectively read, write, or do arithmetic, and who, in turn, end up trapped in low-paying, minimum wage jobs, and ultimately are condemned to subsisting on welfare handouts.
We must be responsible for preparing our future with high-tech jobs for a high-tech society society. A potential employee is golden who has the technical skills desired by employers, which can be acquired in a vocational school or adult education courses offered by a community college. Technical training should not be overlooked by Black people and neither should a military career, where skills can be obtained that are highly valued in the civilian business world.
If Black people in Detroit do not get involved in wealth generation we will perish as a race. Wealth creation is at the heart of getting out of poverty. Rather than attacking and deriding people who are "rich," as encouraged by Democrats and their socialist, class-warfare ideology,
urban blacks should, instead, take positive action to become wealthy.
Home ownership is a powerful way to increase wealth. Studies show that overall home ownership of black Americans is 50.8%, and that owning a home could increase the net worth of urban blacks by ten fold, from $7,000 to $70,000. Home ownership is made easier
by the American Dream Downpayment Act that was championed by U.S. Representative Katherine Harris and signed into law by President George W. Bush. This Act alone will help 40,000 new families a year to become homeowners.
Business ownership is also a way to generate a high income. Small business ownership is a highly viable option for black Americans, considering that $63 billion have been made available for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans under President Bush. Today, 5% of black Americans own businesses, which means there are one million black-owned businesses. Those figures can go even higher thanks to President Bush.
It is important to maintain two-parent homes in our community. Churches play in very important role in this. Any church that is preaching racism, hatred, sexism or even trying to keep you bonded to a socialist ideology where you see people around you are not increasing themselves to be better you should avoid them at all costs. That is most of your liberal preaching churches in Detroit.
We need to educate brothers and sisters to avoid self-destructing behavior. I feel that if we accept God in our lives and asking for His divine guidance in avoiding self-destructive behavior we will begin to quest to realize the American Dream. However, the rebellious, anti-God, anti-establishment message of Democrats has permeated urban black communities since the 1960s.
Since that time-and in spite of the fact that black Americans reached a remarkable degree of financial success during the days of segregation (Paradise Valley, Idlewild, Tulsa) -Democrats have convinced urban blacks that they were "victims" who could not succeed without government handouts.
In the 1960s, the so-called "War on Poverty" foisted by Democrats on Blacks created a permanent urban underclass living in multi-generational poverty. As a result of the welfare system, Uncle Sam replaced the father in Black households because families could not get a welfare check if there was a man in the house. Between 1960 and 1980, the crime rate in black communities rose by 38%. Blight and disorder became predominant, and lax educational standards became the norm. Drug abuse resulted from the celebration of drugs by liberal Democrats, and the sexual revolution supported and promoted by Democrats made it acceptable to have sex outside of marriage.
After four decades, the net effect of the Democrat's godless, socialist approach has been broken homes, broken communities, broken morality, and a perpetual cycle of financial dependence in urban black communities. Yet today, anti-God, secularist Democrats are still trashing the fundamental values of our nation and perpetuating the same tired message that urban blacks, as victims, can blame the "System" and racism for their poverty, crime, and failure-not their own self-destructive behavior.
In order for urban blacks to shake the shackles of poverty, dependence, and self-destruction, they must turn to God in prayer and ask for help with overcoming the temptations that lead to crime, drug abuse, and illicit sex. And since everyone also needs an earthly helping hand as they traverse the rocky road from poverty to prosperity.
When Blacks stop playing the race card (and for my Black Grassroots who claim that Whites play the card all day long is not true because all White are not our enemies and every brother ain't a brother) and embrace these solutions that I have laid out for regionalization we will begin to bring God's kingdom here on Earth. God embraces Urban Regional Networks for us to survive not Socialism.