South Toward Home: Featuring Abortion & The Negro Dilemma

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Freedom has always been an expensive thing. History is a fit testimony to the fact that freedom is rarely gained without sacrifice and self-denial.” (1). Perhaps there is no better way to grasp the current plight and flight of the Negro than to use these words as a back drop. The expensive sacrifice of those in King’s era has been turned into a cheap landscape of degenerate behavior. There is behavior among the people of my heritage that has defamed the name of King and those that fought for our freedoms leading to an existing flight that has subdividing our people into different subcultures. I call it the “Plight and Flight Syndrome.” This writing was stimulated on the social dynamics brought forth by notable Harvard sociologist, William Julius Wilson, whose works demonstrates the flight of middle income Black Americans as a primary cause of the rising cause of inner city poverty stricken communities created by those left behind. Wilson, in his research essentially points to the highest rate of residential segregation occurs not within White American society but within Black American society among those who quickly separate themselves into communities far from inner city ghettos upon their accumulation of wealth and financial prosperity. But, my argument is not based upon Wilson’s theory alone. I am aware that recent counter arguments and research done by sociologist, Douglas Massey (Director, University of Chicago’s Population Research Center) and Mitchell Eggers contradicts Wilson’s theory by showing that racial discrimination, as identified by residential segregation from 1970’s-1980’s based upon income equality, has risen among African Americans and is a root cause of the development of inner city ghettos. Essentially, sociologist disagree, as to the cause of residential segregation, racial discrimination and the impact of income equality on the plight of African Americans. These are largely elite hair splitting arguments by which public policies and laws as are set forth by other elites who, for the most part, are far away the plight of the average negro. With that being said, I will now share a different perspective that may serve to support or tear down the arguments of the elites. (1. “Facing the Challenge of a New Age,” Montgomery Improvement Association. December 3, 1956)

So what?

What does it matter if either of the elites are correct? They debate over statistics and their interpretations as to the rise and fall of a people group. I don’t seek to take aim at their arguments but seek to offer a different perspective to the ongoing cultural shift within the African American society that is helping to either foster or support these theory’s. I argue that it really doesn’t matter if Wilson or Massey is correct. What matters is what’s going on in the streets? What’s in the hearts, minds and thoughts of people will have as much to do with where they choose to live than his income even if it means that they chooses to stay in poverty stricken areas. The elites gauge population based upon material wealth, gain, lack thereof etc…. Yet, the Bible says, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he!” (Proverbs: 23:7). It is this scripture that I base this writing on. The argument is that the Negro is not one collective people.

Though he is of one essence, of the Negro Race, he has become three separate cultures in America. Sociologist usually identify these distinctions as subcultures among most people groups across the world. Yet, to this day, African Americans are largely considered to be one collective culture. I say, “No Mas!” We do not know these people! What do I mean? As an African American male born in 1968, when I see young black girls from age seven to thirteen being trotted behind adult women under the guise of a dance club while participating in a public parade with sensual movements of their body, seductive wares, and elaborate makeup, I do not know these people. When I see young black boys thugging out in dress and hair with bling by the time they are eight years old by parents who consent, encourage and promote the debase natures of humanity, I do not know these people. When young men and women say to me that a 9:00a.m. -5:00p.m. job is not for them, I have no clue what they are talking about. When I listened to the top hip hop songs of 2021, I walk away in dismay. I simply do not know these people. What I mean is this. I don’t understand the current of those in what they are attempting to convey for the uplift of myself, family, community or people. Guns, violence, gross musical debauchery with sexual implicit lyrics and videos about private body parts and soft pornographic expressions are about as foreign to me as are the customs of different Native Indian tribes.

In my opinion, there are three different subcultures that now exist within African American communities. The one thread that keeps us weaned together by Whites and higher class African American elites is our history. This history is the one single element that keeps even us from seeing and identifying the crisis among ourselves. Thus, our plight is dismal, to say the least. We are perplexed on every side. Those who are in the middle passage, if you will, can’t even explain what we see to the average person. It is perplexing. We don’t have much of a frame work to justify what we are witnessing among our people. And, I’m not speaking of middle income. I’m speaking of the middle passage as those of us who were immediate benefactors of the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King and those who value little, if anything, what those of his era accomplished. We are sandwiched between the dream of our fathers and the nightmares of our posterity.

The forefathers:

What can I say to my forefathers? Thank you. I understand your plight was not easy. Because of that and the Grace of God, I walk upright as a man. I would not squander the opportunities you have given me. I think it is sinful to spit in the face of the ones who brought you through such turmoil. Furthermore, I demand that my children not put to shame your many sacrifices. You are my grandparents, uncles and aunts. Your blood, sweat and tears have laid a path that is to be honored and desired for excellence. Yet, I do not know your pain or did I experience it. So, I take no glory in bathing in your triumphs other than to show myself worthy of that which you sacrificed for.

The Men in The Middle:

The are the folks, like me. We are caught in the middle of those who came before us and endured great mis handling of their civil rights to ensure that we were able to enjoy them. We have come to not understand the debase nature of the subculture of our people that seems to welcome slothfulness among their youth. On the contrary, we were raised on the backs of those who came before us in the church on principles of hard work, hard academic study, and a high respect for the law while endearing the command to honor your elders, treat others with respect dignity and to seek the good of family and community. So, when I say, “We don’t know these people.” It doesn’t mean that we ignore our historical connection to them. I mean, we simply can’t identify with them. We don’t know their customs. We, still to this day, say, “Yes ma’am and no ma’am,” to our Elders. We will take our hats off our head when we pray. By the way, we do still pray. We believe in church and we believe in a higher being. We will honor the dead and be quiet when walking past a grave yard or pull over our vehicle when witnessing a funeral procession on the highway. Our customs are born out of a different experience. We are not a collective although we have a collective beginning. We went down different roads that have developed into three main subdivisions.

The Elite: Politician, Preachers, Athletes, Entertainers and Academia.

Since the passing of the Voting rights act of 1965 we have elected over 15,000 Black elected officials. We have elected Congressmen, Senators, hundreds of State House of Representatives, Governors, Mayors, Constables, Sheriffs, and even one Black President by marriage, if nothing else, to a descendant of our slave ancestors. For the most part, many of these politicians would fall into the middle passage. But, an overwhelming majority will fall into the former years and among the Black elites. They have separated themselves with wealth and fame. They indulge in all means of deception, trickery, promotions and concoctions to sow the common threads of our history and our existing plight to promote their welfare to no end. These are the people among us who always seems to know what’s best for the whole of Black America. Yet, they are merely mirroring what elite folks have always done throughout history. They seek fame, wealth and stature among their fellow man without regards to truth, real nobility and honor. They honor themselves and demand justice when it is not bestowed upon them. In my opinion, the so called insurrection wasn’t a insurrection against our democracy. It was an insurrection against aristocracy. Notice, there was no congressional hearings or commission to study prior protests that saw state and local government entities burned, ran sacked and shattered throughout multiple territories in this country. Deaths, burnings and destruction of public and private property went unchecked simply because it served the will of those who are in power.

This is because the peasants were doing the will of the elites. Yet, when the elites themselves are attacked they use their power and the same laws designed to protect State, public and private property and the lives of our Citizens to extract vengeance on those who brought an offense against them. It reminds me of ancient Kings who would exact justice and taxation upon the lower class people in order to maintain the prestige of their courts while sharing in an adulterous behavior of debauchery. They were masters at convincing their subjects that the will of the King was on behalf of those who were paying for him to be in power.

Like the ancient Kings and noblemen , they and they alone knew what’s best for common folks. Much us the same for Black folks. They have no room for individuality. Every thought of his must be by the collective, on behalf of the collective or he pays the price. An example of this can be seen in Obama’s 2013 Morehouse College graduation address. One awkward silence came when Obama slightly deviated from his prepared remarks. He was expected to say, “Be the best husband to your wife, or boyfriend to your partner.” However, instead, he said “Be the best husband to your wife, or your boyfriend, or your order partner,” eliciting some clearly confused responses from the crowd. It’s not “boyfriend or partner” that I draw your attention to. It’s the word “confusion.” This is the issue. The elite speaks to keep the average Black man confused about what he believes. I’m fact, many didn’t even know what they believe anymore and if they do, they are afraid to say it because the narratives of the elites roam much bigger in their thoughts as to what is acceptable and what isn’t. It’s this “confusion” that I’m trying to clear up. It’s not confusion. It’s different believes. Only when Black people do not respond in a collective way, it is confusion to the elite. They win by collective thinking. To allow people to think different risks the dynamics of power and private he that they have come to enjoy. Obama, in his speech, went too far for many. He addressed what those in the middle passage know all to week to be true when he stated this, “Everything else is unfulfilled if we fail at family – if we fail at that responsibility. I know that when I am on my deathbed someday, I will not be thinking about any particular legislation I passed. I will not be thinking about a policy I promoted. I will not be thinking about the speech I gave. I will not be speaking about the Nobel Prize I received. I will be thinking about that walk I took with my daughters. I’ll be thinking about a lazy afternoon with my wife. I’ll be thinking about sitting around the dinner table, and seeing them happy and healthy and knowing they were loved. And I’ll be thinking about whether I did right by all of them.” Obama is exactly right and yet not one of the former things he mentioned, his speeches, Nobel Peace Prize or legislation will improved Black America.

If you try to match what he said with his policies to address the glaring and enormous elephant in the room, you will fall short. The Black family is in chaos. According to data from the CDC 72% of Black Children in America are born to single parents.  The number does not imply the necessary absence of fathers but perhaps some correlations can be drawn as to the effect of men not marrying women whom they have impregnated. (The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  CDC report 2010 data. Published August 2013) 

Though Obama knew this was critically important for him and his family, what did he do as a president to remotely address the enormous failure of Black men and the family gaps outside of this speech? Yet, this is the plight of African Americans. They follow hollow and shallow race baiting leaders who speak eloquently but offer no real teeth or substance that challenge their way of living. (Obama to new grads: ‘No time for excuses’ Mark Morgenstein, CNN
Sun May 19, 2013)

A New Subculture:

Meanwhile, a new subculture has emerged among African Americans. It can not be better defined by none other than one of its stars, Nick Cannon, a famed entertainer.

On Monday (Aug. 9), the 40-year-old TV host appeared on The Breakfast Club where host Charlamagne Tha God jokingly introduced him as “Nick ‘No Condom’ Cannon.” I was left speechless when watching T.V. And heard Cannon suggest that he lived his babies so much that he gave each of them their own mama.” The audience laughed. And this is the kind of laughter that feels the hearts of those who have been allowed to grow and proliferate as a new subculture in Black America. When I say, “We do not know them,” this is an example of what I am speaking. This comment is so foreign and so outrageous to my thinking as a black man among the middle passage that I simply cannot relate to what he is saying or trying to convey. It absolutely makes no sense to me. I do not know the man that think like this. But yet he is one of the most celebrated celebrities among our youth today. Though, I think it’s horrendous, it is paraded on TV and celebrated among our youth. All we can do is hang our head in shame. Yet, this kind of thinking perfectly identifies what is happening in Black America. Cannon goes on to state, “That’s a Eurocentric concept … the idea that you’re supposed to have this one person for the rest of your life,” Cannon, 40, explained Monday on Power 105.1’s “The Breakfast Here is how the elite helps to define the new subculture. This is just one example. Marriage is not a Biblical institution. It’s an Eurocentric institution. This runs counter to everything I know a a Black Christian man. I have looked into the eyes of young black men who have fathered multiple children and have no way of providing for them or no refuge but to encourage the mothers toward abortion. But what claim does Mr. Cannon have to Christianity?

This new subculture is post Christian . It is antithetical to everything that those of us in the middle passage of black America would be able to identify with. largely un-churched, they do not know a God, and they do not honor Christ in his way of living and teaching. It is nothing but, “Wild-N-Out.” When I see a presidential candidate meeting with Cardi B as a reach out to the African-American community, I do not see that as a traditional reach out to the African-American community. This is a new subculture that has emerged that would allow platinum and gold plated albums to consist of vulgarity of the likes that we would have never permitted in our culture. It’s a new day for Black America. It’s full of confusion, chaos and demise as three separate subcultures run toward various degrees of separation, segregation and degradation that is continually constructed and contracted by the common threads of our history such that we are inextricably connected while yet diametrically opposed in what we believe.

The Flight:

Now that you know the plight, perhaps you will understand the flight. If not satisfied with the intellect and data of the sociologist, let me share with you from the heart of a Black man as I see it. There is no better explanation than that given by the famed, “Antonio Dodson” who said, “Hide your kids, hide your wife, and hide your husband cause they’re raping’ everybody out here.” The negro is raped of everything that he once held to be true, good and noble. He is now bare. It is only in God’s Grace that his shelter has ever resided. It is that Grace that we must seek. Yet, he has even rejected God’s Grace as European ideology. There are glimpses of hope and yet the darkness is so full of contempt against that which we know to be true, I will not likely see the redemption of our plight before my life’s end. The old elites have another twenty years or more to infiltrate the minds and hearts of people toward ideas that are not becoming of Americanism. Indeed, they are becoming more and more anti-Christ. The minds of those who are among the “Wild-N-Out” laughter crowd of today render us no hope of fruit toward peace, non violence, marriage and or any other of the great institutions for the furthering of our posterity through a common culture. Thus, we must flee. Flee from within our own communities regrettably and with disdained over our plight. Some will remain in a daze with tantalizing fear out of sure willingness to hide themselves in a nostalgia that no longer serves its purpose toward the goodwill of humanity. But, they will be few and in between.

The Great Migration

The second great migration of the Black mind has settled into the trenches of what we see and can only be explained to the casual mind as confusion. But I say not. It’s not confusion. It’s a sincere and real divide among one people group that has always been a collective group of people. Americanism breads individualism and we have tasted the fruits of her labor including those of our ancestors way too long to turn back to the depravity we see witnessed in our streets.

Solutions:

1: African Americans essentially must repent for turning their back on God. We must return to the faith of our fathers.

Self Genocide:

A: The genocide of abortion must cease. For it is no more right to expect God to stop the carnage in our streets than it is for us to first stop the carnage in the wombs of our women. If we persist, God’s hand, I’m afraid will remain stretched out against us. For He is not to be mocked. It must be preached against, fought and rejected for the sure survival of our posterity. The killings in the streets will not cease until the killings in the womb ceases by our own hands.

Prayer:

B: We must confess that our power is not in the vote. It is in prayer and through the sacred scriptures that we must follow. We must recant for substituting the sacredness of the scriptures for the sacredness of the vote. The vote has rendered us many a Black leaders of our cities and councils but our children have rejected the wisdom of our fathers. The vote is treated as sacred to do the bidding of those in power and yet our communities have turned into a commerce of filth full of debauchery, whoremongering, abortion and depravity. Vote as we should but to cast our hope in the Vote and the sacred cause of politics is to spit in the face of a gracious God that carried us even when there was not vote.

Idolatry:

C: The idolatry of debased music and the debauchery of sports and an never ending materialistic bling has laid waste to the hearts and minds of our youth and consumes us with a burning fire not for God. Our desire has been turned inward toward the world and all it has to over. Our hearts, with the help and encouragement of entertainers, superstars, athletes reeks with humanism as we are being engulf by a post Christian society. We must recant and return our children to a healthy respect for work, study, disciplines that fosters restrains, humility.

Preachers:

D: Our preachers must recant. Pragmatism, adulteries, greed, power, politics, sensualities, prestige, ignorance, poor devotions, and pride has rendered their words useless for the Kingdom and make a mockery of God’s people continuously. The sinner disdains your very presence not to mention your authority as one who speaks truth. You are laughed at in the streets and mocked as false teachers among our people to the determinate of those who should seek forgiveness and a new path by God’s Grace. You are a liar and every Word of God is the truth.

Husbands:

E. A husband must be a man of one wife. A father must raise his children and bear full responsibility for his family. Our women must be protected, provided for and sheltered spiritually, emotionally and financially from the evil desires of this world. She is the backbone of our bones and the joy of our life in that she bears witness to the fruit of our posterity in pain and suffering from one generation to the next. The institution of marriage must be honored and valued more than rubies and our women valued more than fine treasures. Yet, Christ, is to be honored above all. In honoring our women in such a way, we honor Christ who loved His bride, the church, in such a way.

Leaders:

F: We have no leaders. They are debased. They seek their own good and fortunes to the detriment of our people and to their own shame. We must exercise and free the civil magistrate to do the will of God as He intended. “To punish evildoers and to praise those who do right.” Civil authority for the good of humanity and our people without given in to those who seek to destroy peace, prosperity and freedom of others rights to live in society without intimidation, lawlessness and unfounded ridicule of those who seek to rid communities of those who do nothing but create chaos.

Repentance:

G: Finally, we must reject programs, government help and pragmatic schemes as the be all answer to our plight. We must fall on our knees in repentance toward a Holy God. Return to His church and His Word by faith alone seeking his forgiveness and Grace which He richly grants to those who seek Him. When a people are on the verge of destruction, all other means must fail. Repentance is that Grace which restrains the hand of God from allowing sinners the justice that they rightfully deserve.