watkins - Blogs - TheBlackList Pub2024-03-19T06:32:53Zhttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/watkinsDr Boyce & Zaza Ali: Was Obama weak on police shootings of black men?https://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/dr-boyce-zaza-ali-was-obama-weak-on-police-shootings-of-black-men2016-07-21T02:01:18.000Z2016-07-21T02:01:18.000ZNana Baakan Agyiriwahhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/NanaBaakanAgyiriwah<div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align:left;"><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;"><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}3828586698,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="320" src="{{#staticFileLink}}3828586698,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" alt="3828586698?profile=original" /></a>NB Commentary:</b> Dr. Boyce Watkins & Zaza Ali discuss some things around black folks having their own business and what it means, more so than the title of the video suggests. My commentary addresses that part of the video. See my comments below.</div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;font-weight:bold;margin:0in;text-align:center;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;font-weight:bold;margin:0in;text-align:center;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;font-weight:bold;margin:0in;text-align:center;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;font-weight:bold;margin:0in;text-align:center;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;font-weight:bold;margin:0in;text-align:center;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;font-weight:bold;margin:0in;text-align:center;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;font-weight:bold;margin:0in;text-align:center;">Dr Boyce & Zaza Ali:<br /> Was Obama weak on police shootings of black men?<span style="font-size:14pt;"> </span></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;"></div><div style="text-align:center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c8TNdWe_3xU?wmode=opaque"></iframe> <br /><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;"><br /> Before I comment I tend to read a lot of the comments to see what folks are talking about and to learn something new as well.</div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;">Watching the interaction between Dr. Boyce and ZaZa, I wondered if anyone else picked up the pixie dust. LOL</div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;">On the real though, I have been independently employed for most of my adult likf, and that's about 40 years. At this point the idea of working 9-5 is terrifying to say the least. But folks who do work 9-5 for even half that long are just as terrified to step away, and that ain't got nothing to do with color. This culture does not teach us to be anything else but workers. Get and education so you can get a job. Not get an education so you can provide jobs.</div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;"></div><div style="text-align:left;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;">I think that we have to be careful not to be disingenuous. There is no multi-level pyramid scheme out there that will have you living high off the hog, basking in the sun on the beach all day, while your business grows and grows without you having to do something.</div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;"> <span style="font-size:14pt;">Having your own business is hard work. I don't know about them two, but I put in more hours than I would ever have to working 9-5 and I am more responsible for what goes out because it's mine.</span></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;">I think there are many prongs that can be used for African Americans to become more self reliant. Some are employers others are employees. It's how we play the game. I really am not too cool with doing it the capitalistic way, however, if you are going to build a business in this paradigm you are gonna have to cross the capitalistic Rubicon on some level. There are so many stipulations that are required for you to even become incorporated. And this system is set up to only let a few fish swim upstream.</div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;">I haven't reviewed Dr. Boyce's business work and teachings, I been too busy keeping my business afloat, but I hope that he is being real with everyone about the "paperwork" involved, and as the saying goes, "Black folks is scared of paperwork."</div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;">Folks should take a few classes before you step out there. Others should have a trade. We need so many skilled workers, cause even though you have your own business you will fare much better if you have helpers. Everybody can't be a chief, but a good solid business plan, with good solid workers who share your vision.. can work wonders.</div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;">We as a people have a lot of "Soul Work" to do on the level of having our own business and working with or for other Black folks.</div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;">So, yeah, get all the information you can get about starting your own business, and if it scares you too much, then see if you can work for an already established black business owner, and if that's not an option, support Black businesses. I have seen so many come and go due to lack of support as well..</div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;"></div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;">There's nothing like having your own, but you gotta put in the grunt work and the sweat equity to make it happen and keep it happening. Real Talk!</div><div style="font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;"></div><div style="color:#666666;font-family:Cambria;font-size:14pt;margin:0in;text-align:left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8TNdWe_3xU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8TNdWe_3xU</a></div></div></div></div>Response To Dr. Boyce Watkins Post On Noted Black Leaders Asking If King Memorial Is Symbol Versus Substancehttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/response-to-dr-boyce-watkins-post-on-noted-black-leaders-asking2011-09-12T14:32:55.000Z2011-09-12T14:32:55.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><div class="yiv616438880postbody"><div align="center"><div><font size="3"><em>The Rev. Al Sharpton calls Mark Allen "One of Chicago's legendary <span class="yiv616438880IL_AD" id="yiv616438880IL_AD7"><u><font color="#009900">political activists</font></u></span>"</em></font></div><div><p align="center" class="yiv616438880MsoNormal" style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:'sans-serif';font-size:13.5pt;"><span class="yiv616438880messageBody"> </span></span></p></div></div></div><div align="center" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;"><strong><font size="4"><em>MARK S. ALLEN, <span class="yiv616438880IL_AD" id="yiv616438880IL_AD3"><u><font color="#009900">Daily News</font></u></span> Blog/Commentary</em></font></strong></div><div align="center" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;"><em>AND THE <span class="yiv616438880IL_AD" id="yiv616438880IL_AD12"><u><font color="#009900">ORDINARY PEOPLE</font></u></span> SAID</em></div><div align="center" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;"><em><a target="_blank" href="http://www.chicagonow.com/"><font color="#0000FF"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1310507602_0">www.chicagonow.com</span></font></a></em></div><div align="center" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1309465154_0"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1309903766_1"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1310507602_1" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1311342949_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1311894645_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1311927177_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1311929052_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1312139363_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1312147525_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1312404108_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1313530144_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1313979913_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1314137728_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1314490730_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1314832818_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1314863908_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1315674105_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1315832169_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1315837722_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">773-392-0165</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Response to Dr. Boyce Watkins post:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DR KING MEMORIAL DEDICATION NOW SET FOR OCTOBER 16th, BUT THE QUESTION OF IT'S SYMBOLISM OR SUBSTANCES RESTS TOTALLY IN THE HAND OF OUR COLLECTIVE NATIONAL BLACK LEADERSHIP<br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><div class="yiv616438880post"><p>Dr. Boyce Watkins released one his news blogs on the announcement of the new dedication date for The Dr. King Memorial is set for October 16th, and Watkins also mentions that many of our national Black leaders have questioned whether this memorial represents more of symbolism than the substance of Dr. King's work while he was alive.</p><p> </p><p>The question of whether the new Dr. King Memorial proves to be more "symbolism" than "substance" is in the hands of the national Black leadership and others who themselves seem to be stuck in what Dr. King called the "paralysis of analysis" versus actually DOING the organizing campaigns and direct actions needed to bring about the "substance" that our national Black leaders say they are concerned about. If our collective Black leadership continues on this path of "analysis" versus organizing and actions of "substance the they would have contributed themselves to this current focus on Dr. King Memorial and legacy being more of symbolism than of substance.</p><p> </p><p>Let me suggest yet again that those of us who say we are concerned about this memorial being one of substance than symbolism the we should use this moment with all of the national and international media focus to challenge the Black and poor communities to immediately go back into organizing and action to their local communities and specifically re-activate Dr. King's War On Poverty and specifically start implementing his last community economic campaign that could immediately transform our Black and poor communities and start with our OWN resources to create many of the much needed businesses and jobs within our own communities.</p><p> </p><p>Can you imagine what would happen if the millions of people who are watching these Dr. King tributes paid tribute to Dr. King by doing what Dr. King said in telling Blacks and poor communities to economically boycott and corporation that tried to exist in these communities that did not have financial benefits agreements with the local businesses and community development organizations within those communities?</p><p> </p><p>And what would happen if those same millions of people in Black and poor communities would follow Dr. King's program that called for Black and poor people to use their own consumer power to keep more of that money invested in their own financial institutions and used to create and sustain their own local businesses, institutions and jobs? And all of this also during this 90th Year anniversary of the Race Riots of the original Black <span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1315832169_1" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1315837722_1" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">Wall Street</span></span> District of <span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1315832169_2" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1315837722_2" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">Tulsa Oklahoma</span></span> where Black people decided to use their own resources to grow and market their own food, they made and marketed their own clothes and built their own housing and created a self contained majority Black community, and cant we educate our people now at this moment that if Black people did it before that we have more than enough resources and consumer power do do it again?</p><p> </p><p>The upcoming Congressional Black Caucus weekend, the new dedication date in October and on gives our collective Black leadership a unique opportunity for our national Black leadership to display the "operational unity" and a renewed economic revival campaign across the majority Black and poor communities in the name of Dr. King's last economic programs that if implemented would indeed make this Dr. King memorial and legacy talk one of substance versus symbolism. Now if this is too had for our collective Black leadership to do at this moment then it is their fault if this King memorial stands as one of symbolism rather than substance.</p><p> </p><p>I am suggesting that The Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Weekend kicks off their national campaign to re-establish Dr. King's Poor People's Campaign and reestablishing his Operation Breadbasket Economic Program; the the next measuring date of that strategy can be ignited is at Rev. Al Sharpton's national jobs rally in <span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1315832169_3" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1315837722_3" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">DC</span></span>; then the next organizing campaign strengthened at the new dedication date of October 16th, the 16th year anniversary of The Million Man March, where Minister Farrakhan can also challenge a million Black men to join the economic revival of Dr. King's Economic Program, and that mobilization can continue on to the 2nd Annual National Black Wall Street <span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1315832169_4" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1315837722_4" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">USA</span></span> Convention October 21-23 in Gary <span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1315832169_5" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1315837722_5" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">Indiana</span></span>, and we continue report that progress on January 15th, 2012 as you know there will yet another major ceremony on Dr. King's actually birthday and national holiday.</p><p>Symbolism versus substance rests solely on our national Black leadership. Is it too hard for this operational unity to take place for substance in the name Dr. King to occur or will our national Black leadership just contribute to the symbolism themselves?</p><p> </p><p>Mark S. Allen</p><p>Veteran Black Political Activist</p><p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.blackwallstreetdistrict.com/"><span class="yiv616438880yshortcuts" id="yiv616438880lw_1315832169_6">www.blackwallstreetdistrict.com</span></a></p></div></div></div>