Topics > Faith & Family
I think I’m done
Pablo de Fleurs:
I think I’m done with the pursuit of understanding my brother.
Being immersed in leadership development, in the last four months I’ve either spoken for, done seminars for & mentored men from Haiti, Dominican, Liberia & Kenya (most now American citizens, one a pastor still in Liberia). One of the Liberian pastors has requested that I mentor his son. I also made a presentation to an urban college to be a guest lecturer on financial literacy (a topic, they said, was sorely lacking in the undergraduates attending classes there).
I say that to set the stage for what I am about to say. The level of hunger, learning & self-improvement from blacks originating from countries other than the United States is outstanding. They want to learn. They want better information. They understand that better information leads to better understanding, belief, actions and…results. They don’t carry the indoctrinated baggage that their American black counterparts cling to.
They do not wear a victim lens. And they understand that if they do - that they are the ONLY ones who can change their own perspective as a means to improving their lot in life.
This past Wednesday, I had lunch with a prominent black pastor in an urban city not too far from me. I did so with the expectation of duplicating my success with his truly African counterparts. I had attended a seminar led by him, previewed one of his sermons & talked with some of his congregants prior to the lunch. The lunch, though cordial, revealed much about his thought process: Social Justice, Micro-Aggression & a sense of entitlement that simmered below his love for Christ. He told me that Jesus spoke more on Social Justice than nearly anything else, that blacks needed an equity stake in our culture and attempted to whitewash their high incarceration rate with mumbo-jumbo.
I stated that I, personally, could do nothing to right past wrongs, but could offer a seminar that offered improved skill sets from moving on from the here & now. His response was that that kind of language/phraseology would get me into trouble due to the inequality of opportunity afforded people of color in these United States.
At least my Feta-Cheese omelet with home-fries & rye toast agreed with me!
He had issues with my criticism of culture (I recently tweeted about the sexual harassment issues coming out of the woodwork). Yet he continues to criticize & blames “culture” for the plight of his people.
I did not take this meeting naively. The seminar I attended did have me as the only Caucasian in the group – but it was well run & the small group break-out sessions were well organized. They, as a group, have issues with the women taking leadership roles in the household. When asked (I was purposefully silent - waiting to be asked), I suggested that that was because they had abdicated their role & were no longer messaging & modeling the role of a family leader.
I think that, for the most part, American blacks are a totally lost cause. They, though they might profess a love for Jesus Christ, have bought into a heritage & habit-pattern that does not serve their long-term interests as a people group. Nor does it serve an “abundance” mentality or a mindset to thrive. They want to scapegoat, bitch, whine & moan their way to freedom.
And, ironically, it’s that very mentality that enslaves them & keeps them forever shackled to their past.
American blacks who self-identify as "African-Americans" do a disservice to Africans. Their former, proud heritage is now lost on them.
Alphabet Soup:
I've experienced a touch of what you describe Pablo. I went back to school in the mid 90's and had several Africans as fellow students. The difference in attitude was truly remarkable. These men were focused and dedicated to improving themselves and sincere about providing a better life for their families.
The American 'culture' has become so corrosive I lament for the future.
"We have met the enemy and he is us."
Pablo de Fleurs:
--- Quote from: Alphabet Soup on December 10, 2017, 09:50:48 PM ---I've experienced a touch of what you describe Pablo. I went back to school in the mid 90's and had several Africans as fellow students. The difference in attitude was truly remarkable. These men were focused and dedicated to improving themselves and sincere about providing a better life for their families.
The American 'culture' has become so corrosive I lament for the future.
"We have met the enemy and he is us."
--- End quote ---
It both breaks my heart & galvanizes me simultaneously.
My sense of "Dude you could be so much greater than you are if you'd just stop whining" on the one hand & irritation at white pastors who, in fear on alienating segments of their congregation, are preaching on social justice & accepting a slice of "White Privilege" Shepherd's pie for supper, on the other.
I will no longer waste time with people who are wasting their own.
IronDioPriest:
My doctor for a few years was an African fellow - Dr. Anugwam. When I first met him, he said, "Call me Dr. A." Brilliant man. Kind, smart, funny, professional. You could tell he loved being a doctor; that he was living out what he felt was the calling of his life. He spoke with the absolute thickest African accent you can imagine, but he spoke with such care and clarity, I could always understand every word he said. Can't say as much for Americanized-Africans.
I was bummed when Dr. A moved on, but delighted with my Jewish Dr. Abraham Whom I've seen for the past few years. Now he'll be retiring, so we'll see who's next.
NHTom:
--- Quote from: Pablo de Fleurs on December 10, 2017, 10:15:53 PM ---
--- Quote from: Alphabet Soup on December 10, 2017, 09:50:48 PM ---I've experienced a touch of what you describe Pablo. I went back to school in the mid 90's and had several Africans as fellow students. The difference in attitude was truly remarkable. These men were focused and dedicated to improving themselves and sincere about providing a better life for their families.
The American 'culture' has become so corrosive I lament for the future.
"We have met the enemy and he is us."
--- End quote ---
It both breaks my heart & galvanizes me simultaneously.
My sense of "Dude you could be so much greater than you are if you'd just stop whining" on the one hand & irritation at white pastors who, in fear on alienating segments of their congregation, are preaching on social justice & accepting a slice of "White Privilege" Shepherd's pie for supper, on the other.
I will no longer waste time with people who are wasting their own.
--- End quote ---
I'm sorry, but only one attitude is allowed here. Any deviation will result in ostracism. Get back in line. We have a utopia to build here.
Slavery is back. But now the chains are simply more sophisticated - and maddening.
Still, it's heartening to hear that it's not an inherently racial thing, especially after what I hear about South Africa.
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