"Are You Better Off Now Than You Were Four Years Ago?"

          Brothers and sisters, don't continue to be fooled into thinking you're an "American." As Malcolm X taught, "you're not an American - you're the VICTIM of Americanism, a victim of democracy - nothing but disguised hypocrisy." This statement is no more true than when you hear or read the utterance, "are you better off now than you were four years ago?"
           When posed to white folks, they can sit back and determine the answer based upon their socioeconomic status, which seems to be more important to them than their health. But it's THEIR system and they remind you of that every chance they get: the laws favor them, the cops favor them, the judges and courts favor them and so on. But as Karenga (1967) once elucidated, "the only time blacks are citizens is during war time and tax time." I would debate Karenga that we are NOT even citizens THEN, since neither serving in the war or paying our taxes has gotten us any major returns in terms of respect, human rights and fair play. But that's an essay for another time.
        "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?" is an attempt to make it appear as if being worse off now is Obama's fault. And that is the answer they anticipate. The economy is worse now than it was four years ago, but that was Bush's fault -- double-ya and his daddy, both. But even deeper than that - now think with me black and brown folks -- by what measure would you determine if you're "better off now" than you were four years ago?
         Would you ask that question to an individual who was enslaved and lived on a plantation? Would you wonder if that person, still in servitude, is better off just because the workload has perhaps lightened or maybe a "new massa" has taken over for the previous one and as a result, you receive fewer ass kickings? Of course there is no sense in asking such a question whose very context is the epitome of oppression. See where I'm going?
         You are the descendant of people that were kidnapped and enslaved. The man asking you this question is the descendant of the people that did the enslaving. You think you're free because a white man said so. A person who can "free" you can "enslave" or "re-enslave" you if he so chooses. You were never freed because you and the person asking the question occupy virtually the same relative positions that the enslaved and the slavemaster held. Feel me?
          Four years ago you were on the plantation and a white Texan was in charge. Today you're on the plantation and a Black man, born in Africa, is in charge. But you can be in charge and still not be calling the shots. How? Because somebody PUT YOU IN CHARGE. You're in charge because THEY say so. And that means that whoever says so is the one pulling the strings. That's why the scenario of the plantation and the one of today's America are so closely related: you were powerless then, and you're powerless now.The only difference is that today you have more playthings: suburban home, nice car, and for some of you, a white woman.
          Oh no, that's not a racist statement. When South Africa first began relaxing its apartheid (racial separation) laws, the first one they let go was the anti-miscegenation laws. While they took their time with the fair employment, equal education, positive health type stuff, they allowed you to go after those white women because they knew that would buy you some time. The oppressor has always been willing to sacrifice his mate - he uses her as his buffer and besides, if he needs booty, he can BUY it. Why do you think prostitution is a multi-BILLION dollar a year industry?
         Are you better off than you were four years ago? If you don't work for yourself or are in the process of preparing to do so, as far as I'm concerned, YOU'RE ON WELFARE. I don't care if you work for the city, the county, the Federal government, a major corporation or a nonprofit organization: if you don't work for yourself, you're somebody's "slave" and as a result, you're on welfare; a negro on sale - with the option to "tom."
         Better off? Progress? Look at your wilted, background leadership. Going around the country extorting money from white folks or else "we'z gon' picket cho bizniss!" That, instead of, "come on brothers and sisters, let's follow the Nation of Islam example and "do for self!" We've got the money, the talent, the energy and the method and we STILL want to stay on the plantation. "What's wrong boss: WE sick?"
         No, you're no better off, and don't you let some pseudo-politico or charismatic coon tell you otherwise. I'll share more as the election gets closer. PEACE.