Newark Race Riot, 1967

In case you don’t know there is a riot going on in Ferguson, Missouri. I understand the hurt and the pain. Heck, I have two beautiful Black sons but I know change will never occur by burning down a Quiktrip. If I could move to another country I would but I cannot. I know true change in America comes from long-term economic and political strategy not violence.

L. A. Riots, 1992

What gets me is that there are ivory tower middle class Blacks, from the safety of their $2k Mac computers, Mc  mansions and suburban communities advocating rioting too. Why aren’t they flying into Missouri? Trust me, they wont. What those tiny minority of individuals who are rioting and advocating it are doing is selfishly taking attention away from the massive injustice of Mike Brown’s murder and making it about them. If you want people to see your humanity and if you want them to see the injustice this is not the way to do it. It only inflames them because many nonBlacks and some Blacks are invested in the racist stereotypes of Black people.

Those few who are advocating violence have not learned the lessons of the past. The lesson is that violence begets social, economic, political, spiritual, physical and mental violence. They did not learn from the aftermath of the riots that occurred in Watts, L.A., Detroit and Newark. It did nothing but destroy Black wealth and quality of life. Have you been to the “D” (Detroit) and Newark lately? Have you noticed that prior to the riots both had strong Black communities but after the riots Detroit and Newark never really recovered? In fact, both are two of the most violent cities in America and both cities suffer from high unemployment. If you naïvely think rioting makes you heard, it does not. What is does do is ensure that the same Black bodies rioting in the streets of Ferguson will become nothing more than an asset for the prison industrial complex and the hick towns that support them. Now is not the time for rabid emotionalism and violence. Want to really be dangerous? Want to really change things? Try to strategize, plan and build great Black communities.

Rioting is for short-term thinkers. It is for those who want to see and are fully invested in the perpetual victimization and reactionary position of Black people. That includes Blacks too. Become proactive. Recognize real Black power doesn’t comes from burning stores down but creating and maintaining your own stores and wealth. It also comes from politics. If you want true change, if you want true power and if you want to end mistreatment run for office, win and change policy. Become the mayor and the police chief. Run for city council and win. Change the power dynamics from within. Stop begging for acceptance and accept yourself. Stop asking for equality and take power. Stop begging for a job and create your own. No other group begs like Black folks do. Stop rioting and start economic and political strategizing.

Please share this post with your networks.  Let them know violence is not an option. A revolution always begins through two ears. Start your revolution today.