Crabs in a Barrel

What would really happen if the Black community as a whole banded together in a unified movement to strengthen their communities? Can you imagine how powerful that would be?

When I think about what people like Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Martin Luther King and Medgar Evers sacrificed it really makes it hard to understand exactly where everything went so horribly wrong. These people fought and died for Blacks to have the basic rights and privileges of life, but today there seems to be a serious lack of regard for the sacrifices that were made for those things.

In any other culture that you can think of, they practice supporting each other. They are raised to build wealth together; Arabs, Asians, Whites...you name it. Blacks are the only race that don't band together to advance their community as a whole. We suffer from what is commonly known as the "crab in the barrel" mentality, which in a nutshell means that "if I can't have it, I don't want you to have it either".

We don't support each other in business, the successful tend to horde the knowledge they have obtained that ultimately led to their success, we allow drugs and alcohol to overrun our neighborhoods, our children are allowed to take their educations for granted and we are constantly fighting amongst each other.

Is it a case of the Willie Lynch theory still manifesting itself in this day and age? In what is now the 21st century, are we still allowing the slave mentality to hinder our advancement in the world?

Hate is defined as "to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest." If you dislike the idea that someone might obtain something you want before you do, or you feel extreme aversion toward doing something for someone else that is outside of your comfort zone, or you detest the fact that another person is persevering while you may be struggling, you are a hater by definition.

Hating is unproductive. If you want to get ahead, extend a hand to help someone else. You can't receive your blessings if your hand is always closed in a tight fist trying to hold on to what you have. Abandon the crab in the barrel mentality and stop being afraid that someone else might get something that you don't have.

Ignorance, apathy, selfishness and greed are cancerous poisons that are stagnating the Black community. Get active so we can get well soon.

Love is love.

www.black-smithenterprises.com