(from the recent archives, never published)
In preparation for dealing with what I expect to learn from my exchange with Michael Fisher, I am considering the label of 'Black Nationalist'. As I defined the Old School, starting way back when at Cobb, I spoke about it taking the best elements of Black Nationalism and applying it to modern American conditions. I am now trying to estimate about what segment of black partisans believe that the global economy is a farce, just another symptom of the ways and means of white power.
I've always considered myself a black cultural nationalist. The primary distinction being that I believe that black culture should predominate but any attempt to be separatist from America was doomed. I've always believed that with the obvious exception of what went on in Tulsa way back when, American banks were a safe place for black money. In fact, I've never had my faith shaken that economic hustles of all types were the birthright of blacks since the end of the Great Depression. The question that really hit the fan in America is 1968 was how upright can a black man walk, because if we determine that we have to shuffle, it's burn baby burn. Matters of separatism hinged on that, and the country wisely, if reluctantly turned to a much more open place.
The question I've never been able to sustain in cyberspace, and I'm
not quite sure why, is what should be done about Ujamaa, which I say is
Kwanzaa's problem child. And so I think I've gone around several times
on discussions about black capitalism, blackface capitalism,
invisiblack capitalism and ujamaa and never really got a good feeling
for what my black partisan peers feel about it. I only perceive a
lingering Pan-Africanist Manning Marable vibe. Of course I can't dig
that. I think black independence in the middle class is self-evident
and not due to socialism, but the fruits of free labor markets, which
is, DUH what we've wanted "for 400 years". We want to get PAID for our
WORK. This reminds me of an old cotton gin story I heard at the funeral
of my last grandmother, but that's for another time. Bottom line question is what
kind of money will satisfy the dignity of African Americans? And I think the answer is the kind we already have it. That being the case, outside of the slings and arrows of disrespect, what's the beef?
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