The Unconquerable Soul

Though one should conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle, he who conquers his own self, is the greatest of all conquerors! ~ Gautama Buddha

Thursday, November 03, 2005

Diligence

I sit on an important committee at my church that does many great things for the black community. There are several prominent members who had faith in me when I chaired the first Men’s Economic Conference’s a couple of weeks ago. I was surprise that they chose me because I’m the youngest by far on the committee. Not only did they allow me coordinate this conference the committee quadrupled my budget. Nonetheless, it turned out to be an extraordinary day and I think my pastor knows my name now. (hehehe, I go to a very large church.)

Last night, we began making tentative preparation on our next upcoming event in February. I am very excited to participate in this endeavor. It’s the annual black history month event that I attended right before I became a church member this year. We were discussing ideas for a theme. We talked about the change of MLK platform after the March on Washington. Dr. King began to talk about economic empowerment for the black community. Some say, this was inspired his death.

The conversation quickly moved into what is our community doing today. Most of the members talked about diligence in our community. One member said, “Black men in America don’t know nothing about diligence.” In general, I do believe our community lacks the drive to empower themselves. I firmly believe that we as a people become complacent in our situation. Many of us are on welfare, section-8 or if we really doing well making three dollars over minimum wage. There are some that persevere, while the fast majority is still living in the projects that their grandmother grew up in.

In September, I had the pleasure of having lunch with Dr. Cornel West. Someone asked him, “What do you love most about black people.” I can’t recall his exact words, but he said something like this, “Our people have always made the best out of every situation.” It’s true! I know many people, who have been living check-to-check for over 20 years, including my mother. When my mother was getting food stamps, my four-person family was happily living in a two-bedroom apartment without cable, making soul train lines and singing our hearts out.

But, something changed.

My mother was blessed with a better job. She began to expose us to a different lifestyle. She nurtured thoughts of a better life.

Unfortunately, enormous amounts of our people living in poverty don’t make that change. We have generations and generation of teenage mothers, welfare recipients, children of violence and the list goes on. I told the committee our people don’t have HOPE! This is the main cause of our complacent being.

We have endless amounts of talent, yet we don’t know how to channel this talent into something LEGAL and PRODUCTIVE (that’s another post.) The poverty stricken black folks in America don’t know the sun will come out tomorrow.
James Brown had a song something about “Open up the door/And I’ll get it myself.” The door is open… how can we get up and get it ourselves.

It’s a tough unjust world. It’s truly hard for our people to conquer their dreams. A large amount of us face adversity in some form every day of our lives. We must not allow hardship stop us from achieving our goals.

I think it important that we educated ourselves about our elder’s stories.

Can you really imagine walking miles to work for over a year in Montgomery under the sweltering heat?

Can you really imagine a high school drop out going on to become a congressman and president of our oldest civil right organization?

Can you really imagine being an incarcerated felon and redeem yourself in the Muslim religion to become on of our greatest civil right activist?


Can you think of a black successful person who has not gone through tremendous amount of adversity?

H E Double L NO

Our blood is strong and our people don’t even know it.

Diligence! When is our people going to learned that’s all we need to succeed?

11 Comments:

Blogger Darius T. Williams said...

Great question! But, it is incomplete. Dilgence without desired focus equals inceptionable disaster.

Coming Into Reality,
-Jamal

November 03, 2005 1:22 PM  
Blogger Unconquerable Soul said...

I don't think the question is incomplete. This post wasn't about desired focus. It was about perseverance. I mentioned that is another post I hope to touch on.

November 03, 2005 1:44 PM  
Blogger Quaheem said...

"I don't want nobody to give me nothin/just open up the door/I'll get it myself"....

We have so much brilliance in our community...Those enemies of our culture (from within and without) would want us to believe that it just cannot be done...

We have the minds...we have the capital (whether u believe it or not WE do)....we have the resources...

Those who claim to be leaders ought to take a good look in a mirror and question their own integrity..And those who are waiting around to BE lead ought to look in the mirror and realize that THEY represent the CHANGE that will or WILL not happen...

This American system was strategically DESIGNED for us to fail...and the powers that be are not shy about letting you know (through their actions) that they intend to KEEP things the way they are...They aren't gonna change...so WE DO..

What I ask myself everday is WHAT am I doing in my day to day existence to make things better...self reflection are the planted seeds that eventually will grow and bear revolutionary fruits (in my opinion)...

The examined life is PAINFUL..and the UNexamined life is not worth living...

November 03, 2005 2:01 PM  
Blogger Stone said...

ITs all about hard work and making whatever dream real. GOOD JOB!!

P.S I watched yesterday i ws crying then too

November 03, 2005 5:21 PM  
Blogger Didi Roby said...

Very thought provoking question and statments you made. I could not imagine walking miles nowhere..esp in my heels:)

Our parents endured so very much we couldn't even being to fathom...

Idon't see much going on in my community as far a change goes...I loved reading this post:)

November 03, 2005 5:25 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

very well written and thought out ... this is what you were working on when we last talked?

dang man ... i feel ya!

west was right, we are a people that do try to make the best and we are marginally successful.

i just wish things could be better, i just wish we could be more focused overall and i wish there was more unity in our community and all of its sub-communities!

whatever happened to the community, the village of the old, old days?

November 03, 2005 9:00 PM  
Blogger Darius T. Williams said...

Allow me to further state my opinion. You wrote, "Our blood is strong and our people don’t even know it. Diligence! When is our people going to learned that’s all we need to succeed?"

My only point (and opinion) still remains valid. The true definition of diligence is the same as assiduousness or attentiveness, especially in preservation. Diligence is good; it's a great character trait to have. But, I can be diligent in immoral values. Or I can be diligent in crass behavior against my fellow brother. Or I can even be diligent in fostering poor stewardship. In all these scenarios above, I personified diligence. The million dollar question...did I succeed?

Diligence alone won't work. That's why we as a people have failed in upholding the institution of the family; That's why we've failed at teaching our offspring about proper economincs;That's why we've failed at pressing the issue of continueing education...all because we've been diligent without an intentional desired focus.

I dream for the day that we get it...the day that we wake up. I envision the day when we are diligent and focused, only then will we have the power we need. Only then will we be in a position of demand. Only then will we be able to equip and enable our own...only then!

Coming Into Reality,
-Jamal

November 03, 2005 10:13 PM  
Blogger Rose said...

If we had more unity in our community much positiveness can occur. Walking a mile in my boots...couldn't do it but my parents did...

November 03, 2005 11:01 PM  
Blogger Ya boy Maurice said...

all of that is true...What I have learned is our people dont want to come out of poverty. They want things handed out to them and dont want to work for it. Im a college graduate, single, no children and I consider myself part of the working poor and live in poverty. The government doesnt make it so we're out of poverty.

November 04, 2005 2:17 AM  
Blogger Stone said...

So I've found the new page. I will be stopping more offen now

November 06, 2005 8:14 AM  
Blogger D.S. White said...

Well, I have walked 4-1/2 miles one-way and 9 miles back, consistently, just last year.

I'd recently moved to PA from NY and with all my skills etc., could not find a job.

By the time that gig came around, $10 an hour, 5-8pm weeknights, sounded like a slice of heaven.

Due diligence, netted me the job I now have. You handle the little faithfully and you get blessed with the lot.

Peace,
Dee

November 13, 2005 11:51 PM  

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