We need a mental revolution

Okay, this is the 21st century. Almost four generations have passed since ’60s We have seen every kind of game that can be played on us. We have been praising people who have done nothing but acquire good public relations through the media, talk shows, or whatever is available. The majority of us are still in denial of who we really are, which starts a whole chain of misperceptions. We fall to the belief that educational institutions will educate us about our real history. Whole education does not confine itself to a particular discipline or belief, but focuses on those things that will allow one to be aware, as well as trained. We have been convinced, without realizing, that the major game played on us, is that we were not good enough, or could never measure up to those who enslaved us.
We bought the argument that we are our worst enemy, without realizing there are enemies among us. One of the worst destruction’s we have ever believed in, is that our knowledge was not valid, and inferior to the people who barely makeup one tenth of the world’s population. We have been forced to change from eating natural, to eating artificial. We have become so complacent, we believe the present moral standards are acceptable. Many refuse to respect their elders. If our young boys and girls, and their parents, really knew who they were, and what their ancestors have done in this world, and how we have been trained to consider how that is not important, gangs would not be a major concern in our communities. We have been duped into accepting someone else’s standards and values, without considering that we once had our own; not even knowing that we have been conditioned and socialized away from them. We also accept the belief, that the definition and image of God, represents only those who oppressed us.
A book can be written on all of the things we have acquired and voluntarily accepted, about 400 years worth, even if we know that it comes from another people, and not ourselves. We look at these other people as gods, and examples to live by. The worst part, the examples they set do not reach the height of the standards we once had for ourselves. What can really be disgusting is that we allowed another people to tell and convince us that the standards we once established were subordinate to theirs.
We have no one we can really call a leader, or even realize that the leader is within; that the formula for success is simplicity, all of us doing one thing together at the same time. That would reflect a strength and power no authority could triumph over. If every person wore shoes from a company owned by us, and that company did not sell itself, resources would became available to build almost any kind of effort. Over time, as the resources turn over in the community, the positive effects would slowly extend into a community that could determine its own destiny.
We could look at marriage and family with new eyes, realize the sacred worth they represent, and not abuse them into becoming meaningless. The family, and the collective family, would be functional, while the individual was valued. Love would not be defined by movies and novels, but a communion we once regarded as spiritual.
The bottom line for all of this is, we can no longer afford reform and revision, but total change. That means revolution. Tearing away from the selves we were forced and now allow ourselves to be, rather than standing up to being the people that we should be, beginning with realizing our origin.
It does not mean the Afrika that is projected to us, or the Western transformations that have occurred. What is meant is the soul essence of what Afrika really is, to us, and extracting those things that help us to move forward, and establish ourselves as better human beings. We had a strong spirituality, not a religious habit. We had a strong moral character. Young people would never conceive of disrespecting elders. People worked together to build whatever needed building. Education was considered a normal part of everyday life. Wise elders performed justice and community decisions. In other words, there were values and traditions that were much more positive and constructive, exclusively for and by us. Those things have been lost, forgotten, and among some, unacceptable.
This is the revolution we need, if the end goal is to build a positive and productive community for ourselves, and our families. The first step is to unbrainwash ourselves from believing that we cannot accomplish anything that we set our energy towards, and to break out of the pattern that some hard work is too much, and won’t count anyway.A revolution of consciousness is step one. Educating ourselves, seeking information that reinforces what we have lost and is essential. Stop romanticizing about Afrika, but take those things from it that can be useful for us today, and helps us catapult into tomorrow. Most of all, realizing our own spiritual consciousness does not necessarily align itself with Western religion. Ours was not a one day affair, but a way of life. And that is just an introduction to change.
– Black History 4 Young People, the summer Saturday morning class for ages 12yrs. – 18yrs., taught by Dr. Kwaku, will begin June 14. See www.drkwaku.com for details.