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Last Saturday while in a meeting a fellow member asked me how could I ever vote for any Republican candidate, because all Republicans are conservative and dislike Blacks, and all Democrats are liberal and go that extra mile to improve the quality of life for Blacks. Ridiculous false statements such as this have proven to be detrimental to the growth of all people. The following are perfect examples of false and detrimental definitions.
(1.) Bad drug dealer: a person who invests their ill-gotten gains in jewelry, cars, girls, bars, etc.
Good drug dealer: one who is a big spender and sets up the bar every time they enter, helps some with whatever problem they may have, is big financial supporter of local sports, football, basketball, soft ball by buying equipment such as gloves, uniforms, sponsoring picnics, etc. However, there is no distinction between the two, they both sell poison and death.
(2.) Bad police: an office who does not apologize for being a police officer and is proud of it. A person who refuses to say to his neighbors or associates those statements that make him or her more acceptable, but is emphatic that their job is truly to represent law enforcement.
Good police: an officer who expends his/her energy portraying fellow officers as bigots, Uncle Toms, not compassionate and generally vilifies fellow police officers in order to be accepted. I support those police you describe as bad, because I truly understand that without a police force, with the problems we have in some of our neighborhoods, it would be impossible to leave our homes.
(3.) Good parents: are our children’s buddies and friends and reward them with all the materialism they can. They say it is the educator’s fault when their children fail in school. They allow themselves to be intimidated by their sons and daughters and then make excuses such as “They will only be young once” and “Don’t you remember how our parents did us?”
Bad parents: are not their children’s friends or buddies, but their father and mother. They tell their children you will be on time for school, do your schoolwork and you will do more than just pass. They visit the school and not just on parents’ night. They tell their children there will be no hanging out on school nights and there will be curfews on the weekend. I remember well when young folks had no voice and could only listen and respond with “yes sir” or “yes ma’am.” We need to bring back more bad parents.
Preacher: a person who states they are called by God to preach, but it does not necessarily mean he or she heads up a church. They may or may not have attended a seminary, because if you are called by God you are not compelled to attend a college and their general function is preaching when the opportunity presents itself.
Pastor: one who is in charge of the church and the multitude of responsibilities that goes with that leadership position, such as visiting the sick, providing the congregation with information that relates to every facet of their lives. Some membership is so big that the pastor can’t do it all so it is delegated to others. Those of us who attend church must keep in mind that we serve, because it is not man (preacher), but God.
(4.) Liberal: Blacks usually perceive any Democrat as a liberal, but have we forgotten that a few years ago Pittsburgh had been a Democratic-controlled city for 65 years and a White professor at the University of Pittsburgh rated Pittsburgh as the most racist city in America? Do you remember the need existed for a lawsuit to be filed in the federal courts in order for Blacks to have a seat on City Council?
Conservative: Blacks generally equate a Republican as being conservative and anti-Black. If you research history it was a Republican who was the father of affirmative action, Black capitalism and for the first time in the history of America included the historical Black colleges in the national budget. His name was President Richard Nixon.
(5.) Colored person: pigmentation.
Black person: judged not by title, position or accumulation of wealth, but by action. The ability to give back, thereby ensuring others are provided with ample opportunities to share in the American Dream. Many years ago I met my first Black Jewish rabbi whose name was Rabbi Baron and he used a phrase that became a part of my life. He said, “A Black man should never be measured by what he says, but by precept and example.” (It is what he does.)
Please remember the Kingsley Association.
(Louis “Hop” Kendrick is a weekly contributor to the Forum Page.)
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