(written 2006)

In regardz to the 'National Black Out Day', I, for one, commend the idea. However, I find that Afrikan people tend to underestimate our power, thus leaving ourselves "thinking small" when it comes to the liberation of our people.

'National Black Out Day' can be even more effective if the people were able to see results. Results that cannot be seen with just a one-day boycott. We have an example of what Afrikan people can do if we collaborate our efforts. Look at the bus-boycott of 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama. This boycott, which started off the civil rights movement — when it was a movement — started December 5, 1955 and lasted until December 21, 1956; which came to a total of 381 dayz!! They saw results because the boycott lasted for more than one day! Previously, the europeanz-in-america, in the form of the US. Government, didn't allow us to sit anywhere on the bus of our choosing because they felt (and many still feel) Afrikanz-in-america are socially, genetically, and intellectually inferior.

The Supreme Court made the confinement of Afrikanz-in-america to the back of the bus illegal mainly because Alabama took a huge financial loss during boycott. They realized they needed us (in the form of our money). If the boycott wasn't as effective at hurting their economy, they would not have thought twice about it; we'd still be riding the back of the bus today!!

The question is, Y haven't we learned from this and simply done it again?!!? We are in worse soceio-economic situationz today and yet we still settle for a day of marching (which lasts a mere hour or two).

Y haven't our so-called black leaderz called for a boycott that would last as long, further, a boycott that's worth boycotting!! You can't effectively hurt the gasoline and oil industry by just boycotting Texaco, unless you have an Afrikan-owned industry waiting to serve as the alternative; you can't effectively boycott a state (South Carolina), because people are still gonna purchase goodz and services to keep the economy rolling. I really know Y they haven't, if you don't you need to read our pieces on the Boule', NAACP and the Urban League.

Afrikan people need to look at our situation critically. Frankly, we do not engage in liberating ourselves because our effort is not consistent. We have millionz of little "spurts" towards justice — most coming from reactionary positionz and not proactive or revolutionary (ie, Rodney King, Amadou Diallo case and whatnot). Afrikan people must stop uniting solely because of reactionary meanz...if you don't know by now that YT is gonna disrespect, plagiarize, rape and murder you — without an apology, I might add — promptly check yourself to the nearest psycho ward.

An effective boycott (ie. one that last's more than a month) will suddenly see sales everywhere! This is where we must stand firm. How do we do this? Information! We are the economic stronghold of the world! In the U.S. alone, Afrikan people spent over $530billion last year (1999) — more than all other races put together! If we channeled 10% of that towards ourselves, meaning, you, YOU...who's reading this piece, open or get with someone who's opening up their own Afrikan-owned business, we would soon be able to do, as our Ancestor, John Henrik Clarke echoed, "...employ over 2/3rds of our people WORLDWIDE by just taking care of ourselves!" We don't need to create or design ideas and businesses from scratch. Take something that is already in existence and market it to our people!

For example, something as little as selling toothpicks, shoestrings, pottery — for those who think you need a lot of money to start a business — all the way up to Afrikan engineerz (for example) creating a partnership and finally creating our first Afrikan-made television, camera, automobile, water merchant, computers, radios, clocks, stoves, couches, pens, chairs, belts, printing; the list is infinite!

These are thingz we have taken for granted and have willingly given our money to otherz not even thinkin' we can do the same thing. Think about it, the person who sellz toothpicks is a billionaire!! From the simplest to the most complex of products and services, people are earning a living and using that to develop economic stability within their family and communities! So why haven't Afrikan people?

The equation that should run through our mindz is: Boycott of non-Afrikan-owned business = money spent/kept within our community leading to the eventual opening of Afrikan-owned businesses and services resulting in JOBS!! Really, it's that simple!

Y are we still waiting for YT to say he's sorry for enslaving our Ancestorz?!!? Y should we care about the Pope tear-jerking over the jewish holocaust when his Pope predecessorz encouraged, condoned AND blessed the invaderz who enslaved our Ancestorz?!!? And we most definitely can't count on Farrakhan to lead us to liberation now that he's an orthodox muslim.

We don't have to just be CD/video bootleggerz, own Soul-Food kitchenz and clothes designerz. The business field is WIDE OPEN! Even if you don't have the tyme to do it, invest both the idea and money into someone who does want to do it!

You wanna do something and see results? Extend the boycott to a month with the courage and planning to last a year if need be! Start with yourself. Be a walking example. Soon we will be able to take care of ourselves and DKNY, NIKE, Professional sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA), Proctor&Gamble, Kraft, Sony, Ford and the like will file Chapter 11 while at the same tyme we will see our own Afrikan-owned and operated clothing, sporting, food, transportation, and electronic entities rise! (For clarity, although Chapter 11 for these companies would be nice to witness, that is not the goal. The goal is for Afrikan-owned business' to become profitable and equally competitive to their respective industries.)

If you're forreal about cultural and economic liberation of Afrikan people, you do everything within your power to be a walking example of the National Black Out MONTH!! More Fire!!

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*More info on the Montgomery Bus Boycott here.